Tyler

By PATRICK BUTLER
Religion Editor

"Keeping kids off the street and giving them something to do and somewhere to go," was one reason why Tyler Police Chief Gary Swindle came to a groundbreaking at Rose Heights Church on Sunday. The event officially opened a $6 million project to "minister to the whole person" through a new Family Life Community Center at 2120 Old Omen Road.

Swindle, Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass and State Rep. Leo Berman joined other community leaders to kick off construction of the 23-acre property. It will be developed into a multi-purpose, community access facility. That includes athletic fields, a conference hall, a "wellness" facility, a mall, gym, and a "state-of-the-art youth center for today's media driven generation" and a cafe, to hang out in.

It's all a great idea, said Swindle, after about 1,000 people witnessed the chief, Ms. Bass and others stick gold shovels into the ground after a prayer by the Rev. Doug Anderson, pastor at Rose Heights.

"From a police perspective, to reach out into the community and give kids a positive place to go and get them off the streets, is just what we need," he told the Tyler Morning Telegraph. "This is the future generation, the future of Tyler we're talking about. This facility will be a great opportunity too, because it's so close to the university (of Texas at Tyler) campus and a place where students can go for years to come."

Ms. Bass agreed.

"This is a tremendous gift to the community to help bring change for the better," she said. "Stepping up to build a facility like this, at this particular time, represents an opportunity for our youth to create something positive in their lives with a good foundation"

Earlier Ms. Bass had told the congregation, "I see the hand of God with what he's done for you and through you. You have let your light shine, and we (Tyler) are very blessed."

Speaking to the congregation, Berman said, "Our vision is to reach people, our purpose is to love people," he said. To fulfill the vision (of the Family Life Community Center) represents "a great and glorious testimony in these economic times." He presented the church with a Texas state flag flown over the Texas State Capital building.

U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert sent a U.S. flag flown over the U.S. Capital building with "heartfelt appreciation to the devotion of a church body" that takes seriously the admonistion "to love one another as Christ loved us."

New church members, Lisa and Wes Castle, who moved to Tyler from Iowa in 2008, were impressed with the project.

"I think God has more in mind with this project than people realize, and that now we just see a little bit of the impact God's going to give it in the future."

A 60-year church member, Herb Buie, who is 78, said, "This is a great day. It's a new vision to reach out to this community from the nursery to seniors."

(File photo)