It’s for everyone.

An enclosed full-size outdoor basketball court.

A large playground for kids of all ages.

A stunning stained glass window portraying the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

As the spring season welcomes warmer weather and celebrations of the Easter resurrection, the First United Methodist Church wants to invite the community to enjoy the recent additions to its campus at 1800 S. 13th St.

“So, this started from a little nugget of ‘we need a play space for the older kids’ to we’re going to build a play space for the community,” Rev. Dr. Jennifer Long said.

After raising many of the funds through generous donations from church members and endowment and memorial funds, groundbreaking for the basketball court and playground began in mid-December.

Both are now complete and open to everyone in the community, Long said.

The basketball court is fully enclosed with entry gates on each side, adjustable goals and pickleball and hopscotch lines.

It’s possibly the only full-size outdoor basketball court in town, Long said, and it will be a multi-use space that will be available for the church and people in the community.

Located on the south side of the church building, the facilities are handicap accessible from the parking lot.

“I think God created us to play and enjoy the world with our bodies that God’s given us,” Long said.

“We want it to be a space that will welcome people and give them that opportunity to play.”

Another exciting addition to the church just in time for Easter is a large stained glass window depicting the resurrection of Christ.

“We’re so excited and we’re calling it the resurrection window,” Long said.

With a large wooden cross in the forefront, the crucifixion scene and triumphant empty tomb are colorfully depicted as beautiful rays of light illuminate the story written in stained glass.

“It’s a beautiful reminder that the stone is rolled away, Christ is risen and we live life from that hope,” Long said.

Reflecting on the use of stained glass as an integral part of many churches throughout history, Long said it was meant to tell God’s story in a beautiful way in a time when many people didn’t have the ability to read.

So there is a physical beauty, but also the stories of the Bible are reflected in the artwork portraying the beautiful story of God, she said.

“I’m excited that we get to have that beauty and are reminded of Christ’s resurrection,” Long said.

“Hopefully it will be something that invites people and shows them the beauty while telling the story of God.”

In addition, Long said she hopes the outdoor facilities will provide the opportunity for the community to build relationships and connect with one another, despite their differences. “There’s an epidemic of loneliness in our world and we want to help invite people to get into relationships with God and one another,” she said. Though some might contend that it’s just a basketball court and playground, Long said everything has the ability to share the love of God. Reciting a favorite quote by Madeleine L’Engle, Long said, “‘There is nothing so secular that it cannot be sacred and that is one of the deepest messages of the Incarnation.’” Because when God enters into something, it becomes sacred, she added. “We have a basketball court and a playground and we believe that when God enters into it, they both become sacred spaces where sacred play and relationship building can happen.”

Although people are very different with different opinions, Long said this opportunity may allow people to come together and realize they have more in common, learning to love each other in the midst of differences…so it can be a place of peace.

“I have great hope for all that God can do with a space that becomes sacred in these moments,” Long said.

A dedication prayer service will be held following the morning worship on Sunday, May 18, she said.

Expressing her deep desire to let every person know they are welcome and loved, Long said, “I want people to know in this church you will hear that you are God’s beloved child and whoever you are, however you live, whatever your life is like, whoever you love… it doesn’t matter and you’re welcome in this space. God created you and loves you.”