When the Rev. Peter Wren, Jr. began to envision a plan for his new church, Daystar Worship Center, he thought of one word: Empowerment.

“I wanted to create something that will glorify God by making disciples of every person and helping them see what their personal mission is,” Wren said.

That was a year ago, when Wren began with only the five members of his family and no building in which to worship. Now, one year later, his congregation has grown to about 30 members who share the church building of Annunciation Orthodox church in North Shelby.

Wren describes his non-denominational church service as “contemporary,” and “not formal at all.”

“We have the family element,” he said. “For those who don’t have close relatives here, we can serve as an extended family.”

He also said his church offers something for people of all ages; from programs to help seniors with outreach and marketing, to festivals and rallies for youth groups.

Children, Wren said, are his real passion. When he served as Chaplain in a family court, he was able to help kids from all walks of life.

“I loved to see the deliverance,” he said. “You can go to counseling or therapy to look for hope, but there’s no hope outside of Jesus.”

Wren’s idea to start a church began when he was an assistant pastor under his father, who preaches in Birmingham.

“I was commuting 35 minutes for church every week, and I really wanted to impact my own community,” he said.

After many months of prayer, Wren said he and his congregation were blessed to find the Annunciation Orthodox church on Cahaba Valley Road. The church was originally up for sale or lease, and the group jumped at the opportunity to gain a place to worship.

Wren said he anticipates the future will hold more growth and community influence in his church.

“We need to ask ourselves ‘Is our church a part of the community or just another building,’” he said.

As Daystar Worship Center continues to grow, Wren said they’re always looking for new members to bring into their “family.”

“If you are ready to experience everything God has for you, Daystar is the place for you,” he said.