MADISON – First Baptist Church of Madison at 4257 Sullivan St. has completed a major building project. On Aug. 25, the congregation will host Open House for the public to tour the new Fellowship Hall and building renovations.

The Open House from 2 to 5 p.m. will be “a community event. Everyone is welcome to meet our Pastor Bert Breland, staff and volunteers,” John Hamilton said. Hamilton served as the building project’s overall coordinator.

Guests can enjoy light refreshments and soft music. Congregation members will give guided tours through the facilities. The church is directly south of Madison Elementary School.

“In recent years, First Baptist Madison has had a substantial number of young families join our church, bringing our existing children’s classrooms and Fellowship Hall near capacity,” Hamilton said. “With a growing community around us, the congregation saw the need to expand our facilities to support the current membership and provide for future growth.”

The $3.6-million building program included a new multipurpose Fellowship Hall and modern kitchen, renovation of Children’s Wing classrooms and construction of eight new classrooms in the former Fellowship Hall.

Chapman Sisson Architects designed the Fellowship Hall. Its red-brick exterior blends with existing church facilities and maintains conformance with the historical architecture of downtown Madison, Hamilton said.

Woodward Construction and Design served as general contractor. Thompson Sound Inc. designed and installed the audiovisual system.

The Fellowship Hall’s 9,300 square feet provide space for 200-plus in comfortable seating, a stage for musical and worship events and state-of-the-art audiovisual capability for church and community events, Hamilton said.

Energy efficiency was a major design consideration. The main hallway includes a large vaulted entry with large windows allowing natural light. Sensors in the Fellowship Hall and kitchen automatically provide climate control, based on room occupancy.

Renovations to existing facilities for children included new, energy-efficient windows, upgraded flooring and lighting, fresh paint, security cameras and digital-door access at key locations.

Exterior improvements included 200-plus young trees, shrubs and flowers around the new building and parking area. A complete renovation of the children’s play area is in progress.

More than 30 church members served on Building and Fundraising Committees. Hamilton provided overall leadership, and Deborah Underwood provided oversight of design and construction. Bob Starling served as the church’s technical interface for design and construction.

For the Open House, the best parking spaces will be behind the church, accessible from Sullivan or College streets. Guests can look for highlighted entrances to the church.

First Baptist Church of Madison has worshipped at its current location for more than a century and has more than 400 members. Traditional Sunday services are held at 9 a.m. with Bible study at 10:20 a.m. and contemporary services at 11:30 a.m. A fellowship supper is open to anyone at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays.

For more information, visit fbcmadison.net.