Texas church makes a good first impression

In a recent editorial, the Dallas Morning News saluted the Oak Gardens Church of Christ in Duncanville, Texas, for serving its community.
The 350-member church meets at the Hilton Garden Inn in Duncanville but is renovating an old grocery store to serve as its new home.
Here’s an excerpt from the editorial:

Neighbors had tired of looking at the long-abandoned grocery store on South Polk Street. They complained about weeds, trash and vendors hawking random wares in the parking lot. The building sat empty for years and languished on the market for months, so most residents had lost hope that it would ever be repurposed.
Attracting grocery stores to southern Dallas is a tough sell, and putting old grocery store buildings to use may be tougher still. But Oak Gardens Church of Christ saw potential in this decaying behemoth, and the congregation is transforming an eyesore into a place of worship. Already, the church has made a good first impression in the community with a back-to-school shoe giveaway.

When completed, the church’s new worship center will seat 400 people and include 10 classrooms, administrative offices, a hospitality lounge, fellowship hall for 200 people and a kitchen, according to the church’s website.
“It is evident that the Lord is in the midst of His people at Oak Gardens,” the website says. “There are plans already in the works for more community ministry and church development. This church strives to be the first century church of the Bible — with 21st century means of reaching the people.”
In this video, Senior Minister Paul Day welcomes viewers to the website: