LILLIAN, Ala. — Genesis Church of Foley has opened a new campus in Lillian after combining with an existing congregation.

After being approached by Cornerstone Bible Church of Lillian, pastors Calvin Bartl and Don Young were presented with the idea to expand into Lillian.

The churches were both members of the Christian and Missionary Alliance and Genesis will continue that denomination at the Lillian campus. Genesis' mission is to take love and healing of Jesus to a broken world, according to Bartl.

The Cornerstone congregation was an older group and with the help of Genesis the hope is to give the community a youthful service and bring spiritual awareness to the community.

“We have a younger congregation,” said Bartl, who believes that led to Cornerstone welcoming Genesis.

“To bring life to Lillian,” said Young. “We’re putting a huge investment in it. Over $100,000.”

They are currently going through the process of refurbishing and upgrading the facility.

While the youth group will continue to meet at the Foley campus, the population of the church will hopefully embrace the youthful reputation of Genesis.

Opening the first of May, the Lillian campus already offers children's programs and will soon offer Mother's Day Out, Sunday Night Sports Night and Water Splash on Sundays, according to Bartl.

The youth just returned from summer camp and in July they will attend the church’s Vacation Bible School.

Bartl will be the pastor at the new campus. He has worked with Genesis since 1992. He served as the children's pastor for 10 years, the senior pastor for two years and the executive pastor for four years, according to a press release provided by the church.

Musician Ken Lambert, founder of Sonshine Ministries, is leading worship on the Lillian campus. Lambert can be recognized as the first act to play at the Florabama and has been a Christian for the past 7 years. He uses Sonshine Ministries not only to serve the church but to help recovering addicts and with prison ministry.

Children’s directors are Kimberly Cole and Kathy Thrift. Cole is the Little Beginnings director in Foley and plans to start the same program at the Lillian campus.

In the Foley program, there were 40 students enrolled this past year. It is a four day a week preschool program, and does additional work with the children during Sunday morning service.

Thrift, who is the children's director at Genesis, started Little Beginnings in Elberta which has since moved to Foley. She is projected to be the children's director for the Lillian campus next year.

The Lillian campus of Genesis is located at 34223 Hwy. 98, Lillian 36549.