There were smiles all around as congregants enjoyed coffee and bagels before Sunday morning's service at Crosspointe Church in Carrollton.
The new surroundings in the same space off Parker Road include a larger theater for services and concerts, a better sound system and an expanded art gallery. This is perfect for Crosspointe, a congregation that calls itself the "intersection of faith, art and community."
All this good from something that started out really bad. A lightning strike in June destroyed the theater two years to the day after the church moved in.
"It was definitely a blessing," said church member Luther Phillips. "It wasn't even in disguise. It wouldn't have been my choice of the way to do things but it [the damage from the lightning strike] definitely helped out."
"It's never a bad thing to be able to re-evaluate where we are, where to go and how we can reach and grow as a community," said fellow congregant Courtney Schoebel.
Since the storm, the church held services outdoors and in other spaces until Sunday.
"I think we've learned how difficult it is to give up control," said Pastor David Wahlstedt. "We love to control circumstances, we love to control our environments and when something like this happens all of that is gone and you really do have to trust that' God's plan is perfect."
