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Photo by Jon Anderson
People make their way through a new 16,000-square-foot children's addition at Mountaintop Church on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Children spend time in the new 16,000-square-foot nursery and preschool area at Mountaintop Church on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Preschoolers spend time in a large-group session in a new 16,000-square-foot children's addition at Mountaintop Church on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
People enter a new 16,000-square-foot children's addition at Mountaintop Church on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
People make their way through a new 16,000-square-foot children's addition at Mountaintop Church on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Children spend time in the new 16,000-square-foot nursery and preschool area at Mountaintop Church on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
A display on the wall at Mountaintop Church in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, illustrates how the church is focused on being for Birmingham, families and one more person coming to know Jesus Christ.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
People make their way through a new 16,000-square-foot children's addition at Mountaintop Church on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
People make their way through a new 16,000-square-foot children's addition at Mountaintop Church on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
People make their way through a new 16,000-square-foot children's addition at Mountaintop Church on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
People exit a new 16,000-square-foot children's addition at Mountaintop Church on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
People make their way through a new 16,000-square-foot children's addition at Mountaintop Church on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Mountaintop Chuch Lead Pastor Carter McInnis concludes a sermon in the church's sanctuary in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Preschoolers spend time in a large-group session in a new 16,000-square-foot children's addition at Mountaintop Church on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Preschoolers spend time in a large-group session in a new 16,000-square-foot children's addition at Mountaintop Church on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Preschoolers spend time in a large-group session in a new 16,000-square-foot children's addition at Mountaintop Church on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo courtesy of Mountaintop Ch
Mountaintop Church in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, is opening a new 16,000-square-foot children's ministry addition on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo courtesy of Mountaintop Ch
Mountaintop Church in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, is opening a new 16,000-square-foot children's ministry addition on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo courtesy of Mountaintop Ch
Mountaintop Church in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, has a replica of the Rotary Trail sign in Birmingham, Alabama, in the church's lobby.
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Photo courtesy of Mountaintop Ch
Mountaintop Church in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, is opening a new 16,000-square-foot children's ministry addition on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo courtesy of Mountaintop Ch
Mountaintop Church in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, is opening a new 16,000-square-foot children's ministry addition on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo courtesy of Mountaintop Ch
Mountaintop Church in Vestavia Hills, Alabama, is opening a new 16,000-square-foot children's ministry addition on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
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Photo by Jon Anderson
Children spend time in the new 16,000-square-foot nursery and preschool area at Mountaintop Church on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025.
Mountaintop Church in Vestavia Hills had a grand opening for a new 16,000-square-foot children’s area on Sunday morning.
When many churches run out of space, it’s often in their sanctuary, but at Mountaintop, they’ve been overrun with young families and children, Lead Pastor Carter McInnis said.
They have about 270 to 300 children show up on typical Sundays from birth to fifth grade, and they needed more space to take care of them, McInnis said. The children have a large group worship time and also break off into smaller groups, he said.
“We’ve had three small groups in one room talking over each other,” he said.
So the church did a fundraising campaign to build the $8.5 million addition, said Jake Davis, the church’s creative and digital pastor. The new space includes nine rooms for nursery and preschool children, each with a bathroom, and a lobby, he said. The project also included conversion of some outdoor space into an outdoor gathering area with patio furniture, as well as about 40 more parking spaces, Davis said.
The existing 10 rooms in which the children have been meeting will be used for the older children, Davis said.
Mountaintop also has a student building for high school and college students.
“Our church is working hard for our next generation and partnering with parents,” McInnis said. “Parents need all the help they can get these days.”
Mountaintop has an outstanding kids’ ministry team led by Kids Pastor Melissa Sanderson and outstanding volunteers who work with the children, McInnis said.
Reaching the next generation is key, Davis said.
“If we’re going to pass down our faith through ministry, it’s going to happen with the next generation,” he said. “We want to raise a generation that loves and follows Jesus. We believe that life is better with Jesus.”
The church does have small groups for adults, but they either meet in people’s homes or in the children’s rooms during the week, he said.
Construction on the addition began in the spring and was complete enough to get a certificate of occupancy and begin using, but there still are some touchups to do here or there, Davis said. A second opening celebration likely will be held in the spring when it’s warmer and the outdoor gathering area is a better option for people, McInnis said.
Mountaintop, established in 1992, has an auditorium that can seat about 1,600 people, Davis said. Currently, there are about 1,400 people attending the two services at 9 and 11 a.m., so there is still room to grow in there, he said.
Being in Vestavia Hills, the church draws a lot of people from Vestavia, but there also are a lot of people from Hoover and others from areas such as Pelham, Alabaster, Calera, Mountain Brook, Homewood and Crestwood, McInnis said.
The church is eager to spread the news about Jesus with the metro Birmingham community, Davis said.
“For far too long, churches have been known for what they’re against. We just want to be known for what we’re for,” he said. The church is for Birmingham, for families and for one more person to know Jesus, he said.
McInnis said they were glad to welcome people to the new building on Sunday, but it’s really not about the buildings.
“Buildings are going to come and go. It’s really about the opportunity to change lives inside those buildings,” McInnis said. “We’re really excited about the facilities, but more excited about the relationships and community that will happen inside those walls.”
Mountaintop Church is at 225 Centerview Drive.
