The history and beginnings of Faces & Places Ministries was highlighted in a previous Daily Herald article, however, over the past six years, the group has continued to grow and now offers a variety of programs and performances throughout the area.
There are also many plans for the future.
With a growing number of programs and an ever increasing performance schedule, Faces & Places Ministries was in need of a permanent home.
Members kept their eyes open, searching for a facility and finally, earlier this year, found a building to occupy. Located on Logan Avenue, directly behind Radio Shack, Drew Baker said, “God just laid this one in our laps.”
He said, “It wasn’t even ready yet but we were able to get here before everyone else. “Now we have a facility and it’s opened up tremendous opportunities.”
With the new building, programs and plans for the future just keep expanding.
Currently, Faces & Places is hosting Coffeehouses on the second Friday of each month from 6 to 9 p.m. which will include creative testimony sharing through Christian bands, speakers and ministers. Members hope this will provide a way to reach out and use local Christian talent to come together in a good Christian environment.
The ministry will have food items for sale to help with the cost of the facility. A love offering will be taken for the musical groups performing each coffeehouse night. For more information or to minister at a coffeehouse event, call 932-4085.
There are also plans for various fellowship groups which are currently being developed. Right now, a small prayer group meets each Monday morning at 9 a.m. at the new facility. Everyone is welcome to attend. In addition to Mondays prayer group, the ministry holds a weekly bible study on Wednesday evenings at 7 p.m.
There are also activities for area children. On the second and fourth Saturdays of each month, kids ages six to 12 are invited to attend Trunk Monkees for Jesus.
Trunk Monkees for Jesus was a vision of Sue Hoover, a member of the ministry. Because of the new facility, she was able to team up with Faces & Places children’s ministry and make that vision a reality.
Hoover said the focus of the children’s group is ‘dream’.
“I really want to nurture that,” said Hoover.
Baker said Trunk Monkees is a way to encourage a child’s spiritual gifts and God-given talents creatively.
Both agreed that in today’s world, kids are so much into video games they don’t get the socialization, which helps build healthy social relationships.
Besides spending time together and learning, the kids get to work with puppets, drama, dowel rod mime and human video presentations. As they put together a program, the group will be able to go out and minister to various area churches.
There is even plans for a Trunk Monkees for Jesus camp this summer to be held July 9-12 and in the future, Faces & Places plans to put together a Biblical children’s musical.
While currently for six to 12-year-olds, older teens also attend and the hope is that one day, as interest grows, the children’s program will expand to include all ages through high school.
But, children aren’t the only ones having fun with Faces & Places Ministries.
“Women Around the Cross”, a show cast featuring adult women, is currently traveling around the country.
This is a show which began as a vision Baker had for an Easter production. The show, featuring 12 women, looks at the aspects of how their lives were changed through healing, forgiveness and loved ones interactions with Jesus Christ.
The concept was eventually handed over to Mary Edna Lykens who then wrote and directed the program.
It features 12 monologues and an original score by Jack Servello.
The new facility has just opened up tremendous opportunities for Faces & Places Ministries.
Currently, a section of the new building is fixed up to host events and conduct business. The other half of the building is being used as storage for the moment, however future plans include fixing the area up for rehearsals.
It is also the hope of the group to use a part of the facility to provide dance, art, musical instrument and voice lessons.
Another idea is to host movie nights. Baker said if movie nights are held at the facility, it will not interfere with current movie showings. He said it is likely they will host the movie events in the winter months.
Baker said the opportunities are endless, thanks to the new facility.
“Most of our performances are based on love offerings, except for dinner theaters, when we have to charge for the meal,” said Baker. “We’re always looking for support so we can keep working in the area,”
“It’s our goal,” he continued, “to bring Christian theater to the area utilizing a small, professional facility.”
Faces & Places has also felt the Lord leading them use a secular styled show to share the Gospel. For their upcoming season, they chose to include Steel Magnolias. A talented cast of six women will round out this show to bring forth the Gospel in the midst of a show that shares so much of the world. The show is set to be performed in August.
Upcoming auditions for Faces & Places Ministries productions include Narnia set for June 3 at 2:30 at the new building. The performance will be directed by Drew Baker, assisted by Erik Baker. Show dates are set for September and October.
For more information, interested individuals can contact Faces & Places ministries by calling 932-4085 or 684-6069. Or visit them on the web at www.facesandplacesministries.org.
