GREAT NEWS!!!! Our playground is finished, installed, has been dedicated to the Lord, & is now ready for kids to play & families to enjoy! The Bethel Playground is open for use by the East Montgomery County community when the office is open (typically M-F, 9:00 am - 1:00 pm), during normal church meeting times, & for Bethel member use at other times by reservation. Contact the Bethel office for more information.
What? Our Playground
Our playground incorporates a modified Velocity design from GameTime. The Velocity system is designed for 50-55 children at any one time. The Velocity features overhead (brachiating) climbers that provide excellent upper body strength training and the slides promote spatial awareness and balance. Gizmo panels and GT Jams Bongos add sound and interactive play. Our system modification replaced the Velocity “Thread the Needle” feature with the “Therapeutic Rings” from the Blackwood Forest. Our playground also provides swing experience for four kids at a time on the PowerScape Swing Frame. Incorporating picnic tables in our playground area provides comfort for adult caregivers & encourages healthy family interaction. A 4’ perimeter fence provides peace of mind for parents as kids have maximum fun in a safe play area.
Who?
Kids, parents, grandparents, members of the Bethel family, members of the East Montgomery County community, friends, families, aunts, uncles, cousins, brothers, sisters, picnickers, Upward families, Awana clubbers, guests & anyone else seeking a fun, safe, secure play experience.
How, How Much & When?
Our total goal was $40,000. Because of our gratitude for being debt-free & our deeply-held conviction to remain debt-free, we did not purchase any part of our playground until our total goal had been met. Meeting our goal was completely dependent on the faithfulness & generosity of those who gave. We give thanks for all those who gave!
We reached our financial goal eighteen months into our campaign.
We dedicated our playground to the Lord & officially opened it for fun on Sunday, February 28, 2016.
Where?
Our playground will occupies the yard bordered by our Family Life Center, main parking lot, & Bethel Baptist Church Road North. The entire play area is skirted with a 4' perimeter fence adding extra safety to the excess of fun. A walk-through gate strategically placed near our Family Life Center allows for monitored entry & exit. A drive-through gate located on the western boundary provides smooth access for the highest quality of maintenance & upkeep. High visibility from key campus locations & major traffic areas help ensure increased security.
Why?
For decades, Bethel has led East Montgomery County in combining faith, family & friends with sports & fun. More than twenty years ago, our Family Life Center opened providing a fantastic venue for indoor activities. During these years, thousands of Upward Basketball players & cheerleaders & other community kids have made lifelong memories shaping them into productive citizens, introducing them to the Lord of hope, Jesus Christ, & encouraging them to always give their very best. The addition of an outdoor playground multiplies the fun for kids & families, while reminding our community that Bethel is the place where kids meet Christ in East Montgomery County. Community families & kids are invited to play anytime the playground is open. It's our hope that our playground will be your playground, that EMC families will stay together because they play together, & that we can build eternal friendships with all who visit our campus to have a good time. We embrace Solomon's wise words found in the Bible, "So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 8:15 (NLT)) AND Jesus' words in the Gospel of Luke, "Let the little children come to Me, and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these." (Luke 18:16 (HCSB)). Our prayer is that something as simple as a playground will be a place where Christ will change kids & their families for the better & forever.