A gift was given to pay for new chairs and carpeting in the worship center at Immanuel Baptist Church, Cedar Rapids.
The process to upgrade the worship center began Oct. 6 and concluded Oct. 13. Church members removed pew cushions and installed the new chairs. Employees from Tallgrass Business Resources in Cedar Rapids were responsible for removing the pews and old carpeting and preparing the floor for new carpeting.
The church pews, purchased for the building on Feb. 27, 1961, shortly after Immanuel was founded on Sept. 11, 1959 were removed Oct. 7, 2013, nearly 52 years later. Cushions, also removed, were added to the pews in May 1979. The light blue carpet was installed in October 1977 and removed in October 2013, 36 years later and replaced with dark blue carpet squares.
