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TuesdayFebruary92010



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Thousands flock to Georgetown "mega church"
1/13/2008 6:35 PM
By: Chelsea Hover

They have a Starbucks, a gift shop, and more than 5,000 people in attendance each week.

But Celebration Church started out with much more humble roots.

"We started October 1, 2000 in the Round Rock public library with 54 people showing up the first Sunday," Pastor Joe Champion said.

He and his wife Lori moved to Round Rock eight years ago because they said God called them to start a church here.

Since then, the Champions and their Celebration ministry have upgraded facilities four times.

Now they're located at the top of a hill off Westinghouse Road in Georgetown. The sanctuary holds more than 900 people, but every Sunday it's full.

They've devised a plan for overflow visitors. They call it the "video venue." It's a concrete-floored warehouse with folding chairs and a large video screen pumping Pastor Joe's message through speakers.

With three services each Sunday morning, about 5,000 people come to hear Pastor Joe each week.

"You feel like you're plugged into what God is doing in this day in time," longtime church member Sharon Patterson said.

That may be in part because Celebration Church is plugged in too.

It takes a production crew of dozens to put on their morning worship. A live band, video monitors, and cameras make the experience anything but boring.

ATM-like machines allow patrons to give their offerings with the swipe of a credit card.

The church has its own store in the lobby, selling branded merchandise like T-shirts, DVDs by Pastor Joe, and water with Celebration Church labels.

"You can't do church without money," Champion said.

The marketing does pay off, but Champion said all of that goes right back into the church.

They're in the midst of building a new 22,000-square-foot sanctuary that is set to open the first weekend of March.

Champion attributes the growth of his church first to God, but also to being in the right place at the right time.

"We are sitting at the epicenter of a major growth spot here in Williamson County. With growing communities, comes also this need of churches," Champion said.

Celebration Church leaders are doing their best to meet that need one churchgoer at a time.

Champion projects that in the next three years they could grow to reach 8,000 members.

He has long-term goals of branching out throughout Central Texas, and starting a Bible college in Williamson County.



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