SYLACAUGA — Members of Mignon Baptist Church will soon occupy a new sanctuary as they make the short move from their old sanctuary at 401 West 10th Street into their new home in the renovated former Avondale office building.

While the church is already in the process of moving items to the new location, they are also planning a symbolic event as they make the move.

Mignon Baptist’s pastor, the Rev. Todd Reaves, said before the Sunday, Sept 13, service, “What we’re going to do is start out here (the current sanctuary), have devotion here and prayer time, then we’ll all walk to the new building and have regular service in the new building at 11 a.m..”

After that service, Reaves said parishioners will “come back at three and have a building dedication and prayer dedication. At 4 p.m. we’ll have the jazz band from B.B. Comer come over to play and then have a picnic and blow up some inflatable games for the children to play in.”

Reaves said the church members thought the walk would be a nice gesture since the new building is only a block or two away from the old building. He expected the congregation to start walking around 10:25 that morning.

The church officially acquired the building in January and has been working to prepare it for services since then, by doing such things as creating a new children’s classroom and nursery.

“Everybody is tickled to death about the move and the closer it gets, the more excited people are getting. We’re already moving some of our stuff,” Reaves said.

He said the church members know the hassle of moving will be worth it in the end.

“We’ve been trying to do this for a year and a half, and we’ve been through some ups and downs,” Reaves said, “but it feels like our people are finally getting excited again.”