Last week I told the story of how Oakdale had become connected with Liberty Road Community Church in Lexington.

In early May, leaders from Liberty Road Community Church made an appointment to visit Oakdale.  In our meeting, they shared how they had been blessed with resources totaling $600,000 and wanted to make a kingdom impact.  They could have given these funds to any other need or organization, or they could have given small amounts to many causes, but they chose Oakdale to receive the entirely of these funds.

2016-08-28 - LRCC DBF, Joe James, John May and Jim Hensley (Medium)

From left: Dan Fisher, president; Joe James, Oakdale board chair, John May, Liberty Road Community Church board chair, and Jim Hensley, pastor.

And now Oakdale Christian Academy is blessed with a $600,000 gift toward our most urgent facility need:  a new dining hall.

Yesterday in their morning service, Liberty Road Community Church presented this gift to Oakdale Christian Academy and gave us an opportunity to thank them.  Joining me from Oakdale were Will Mosier-Peterson, director of advancement, Ralph Clark, dean of students, and three students.  Also joining us were Board Chair Joe James and Board Member Margaret Dargan.

2016-08-28 - LRCC DBF and Joe James with LRCC board (Medium)

Left to right: Dan Fisher (Oakdale president), Jim Hensley (LRCC pastor), Sharon Tandy (LRCC secretary and treasurer), John May (chairman of the board), Herb Blakeman (trustee), Joe James (Oakdale board chair), and Dillard Nicholson (trustee).

In the months since learning of this gift, we have been busy receiving input from the cooks, working with the architect, and meeting with the board.  To maximize their gift, the church is willing to use their $600,000 as the lead gift for a $1,000,000 building that will serve Oakdale’s ministry for generations!

The new dining hall will be named May Hall, in honor of the church’s founding pastor, Rev. T.T. May.  Construction is scheduled to being in early 2017.

2016-08-01 Dining Hall Limestone Banding2 (Medium)