After transforming a former lounge into their first church, the pastors and members of New Beginnings Worship Center tackled a larger project: Turning the old NuTex factory into a larger church facility.

The new church will open its doors for its first Sunday activities this weekend, with an open house followed by a service, pastor Bo Bell said. Doors will open at 2 p.m., with the service set to begin at 3 p.m.

Bell said that speakers will include Mayor Yank Lovelace and Christ Kingdom Ministry Center Pastor Herman Bradley.

Bell also oversees New Beginnings Ministries, a residential addiction treatment center, and many of the residents helped renovate the old factory into a church.

“We’re watching the Lord take people that were broken, and have them give back to the community,” Bell said.

The renovation could have been $2 million, Bell said, but cost about a quarter of that amount because the labor was done by residents.

Renovation work took about 16 months, he said.

“It’s really come a long way,” said Samantha Bell, Bo Bell’s wife and co-pastor.

The 60,000-square foot church facility has a main sanctuary with 500 chairs, which can seat about 800, along with a large “coffee shop” fellowship area, a nursery and children’s church area, and offices for the Red Cross, the church, and its community outreach program, Compassion for Brewton.

Samantha Bell said the church plans to have fellowship in the coffee shop area before and after church services on Sundays.

“Relationships are what really establish the church,” she said.