Year-old church joins Sulphur Springs

Year-old church joins Sulphur Springs

A little over a year ago, Patrick Sutton had a vision.

It was a vision for a church.

“The Lord had laid this on my heart for a while,” Sutton said. “And He just put a bunch of people together.”

And thus New Vision Baptist Church was formed, meeting Friday nights in Sutton’s garage.

“We started last October with 18, and now we are running 25 to 30,” he said.

The church also has a building now, a former restaurant storefront in Nectar, and holds services on Sunday mornings and evenings and Wednesday nights.

But Sutton, who serves as New Vision Baptist’s pastor, isn’t worried about the numbers or the specifics.

“I want God’s will to be done. If I see Him blessing our church, it’s not about how many people we run but how God changes lives,” he said. “We’re about doing God’s work.”

The youth group, which runs about 12 every week, makes videos and performs dramas and special songs.

A group from the church also goes to the Jimmie Hale Mission in Birmingham every Monday night to serve homeless men.

And in October — a year after the church began — it joined forces with Sulphur Springs Baptist Association at the associational meeting.

“When I was first called to preach, I began preaching at churches in the association, and that’s what really drew me in” to Sulphur Springs Association, Sutton said. “We’re glad to be a part.” (TAB)