By EMILY SPARACINO / Staff Writer

MT LAUREL – Double Oak Community Church has much to celebrate during its upcoming 10-year anniversary celebration April 18 and 19.

The church, which started as a small group of people meeting for worship at Mt Laurel Elementary School, is preparing to open a new educational building on its permanent campus in the Mt Laurel town center to help accommodate a steadily growing congregation.

Members and non-members alike are invited to celebrate the church’s 10th anniversary at several weekend events, including a service day at King’s Home in Chelsea on April 18, followed by an open house and morning and evening services at the church April 19.

“It’s open to everybody, just like all of our services are,” DOCC head elder Bob Copper said. “I think it’s a perfect service for people who have been visiting our church or who are considering joining. I don’t think there’s a better way to find out the history of the church than to (attend) on a weekend like this.”

Copper led a committee that organized the anniversary celebration.

During the service day, participants will paint, clean and visit with residents of King’s Home in Chelsea starting at 9 a.m.

King’s Home provides housing for women and children that are homeless because of abuse, domestic violence, neglect and abandonment.

Copper said tasks for people of all ages will be available.

The morning worship service at DOCC on April 19 will look forward to the next 10 years of the church’s ministry.

The evening celebration will start at 5 p.m. with an open house in the new building.

“Going from the school to having our own permanent space was the biggest deal,” Copper said. “We’ve gone from just a worship center and a couple of small rooms for children, to a new building with two floors with space for kids.”

The worship service at 6 p.m. will look back at Double Oak’s history with video and photos.

Founding pastor Randy Overstreet and his wife Sandra will be present for the celebration.

“That will be kind of a storytelling time about how the church started,” Copper said.

For more information about Double Oak Community Church, visit Doubleoakcc.org.