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One of the most exciting events for the church in 1993 happened September 22-26, when the Rev. Billy Graham brought a crusade to Columbus. It was rumored to be one of his last, for the veteran evangelist’s health appeared to be failing. Nightly crowds of up to 30,000 packed Cooper Stadium’s stands and baseball field. Eight hundred from RUMC went on 19 school buses, and 113 went forward to commit their lives to Jesus Christ at Rev. Graham’s invitation. Forty-five Reynoldsburg members joined the choir of 5,000, 30 served as ushers and 15 were counselors. Three hundred were involved in the prayer chain for the crusade.

Although most members of Reynoldsburg United Methodist Church were content with its size and saw no reason to expand, Rev. Bauserman envisioned a larger, regional church, drawing people to Christ. As early as 1987, when average church and Sunday School attendance were only 700 and 300 respectively, a Facility Assessment Committee was assigned to study the church’s space needs.

Parking began to become a problem in 1988, and by the middle of the following year the Administrative Board authorized three Sunday morning worship services and the acquisition of two modular units to house six Sunday School classes. The board also created a Building Committee and established a building fund.

In the spring of 1990, the church sold six-tenths of an acre of land to a developer in return for access to the public road at the back (northeast corner) of the church property through the Leighton Village subdivision. The Building Committee held the first of a series of open church meetings, as Rev. Bauserman insisted that all church members have input on the expansion planning, receive periodic updates on the status, and have their questions answered.

After considering an expansion of the existing sanctuary, the Building Committee decided on a brand new, diamond-shaped Worship Center, seating 850 people, directly to the east. One point of the “diamond” was to be located at the rear doorway in the center of the lower level, leading to what is now known as St. Andrew’s Hall. The chancel area was to be in the east facing west – 90 degrees from the existing configuration, and there was to be a lower level with Sunday School classrooms under the Worship Center. This preliminary design concept was presented to the Administrative Board November 20, 1990, and approved. The next hurdle: raising the money to build.

Early the following year, Reynoldsburg United Methodist Church was identified as one of the fastest growing churches in Methodism and was one of 50 churches asked to participate in a program for large churches known as “1,000 by 2000” – meaning 1,000 people in church each Sunday. RUMC attendance was beginning to exceed 900 consistently at that point.

Rev. Robert Wallace of the Methodist Board of Global Ministries was assigned to help lead the Building Fund drive, and Rev. Bauserman stressed the need for growth, even though many felt comfortable with the church’s size. Rev. Bauserman pointed out that RUMC was now serving a large contingent from Pickerington, perhaps as large as the one from Reynoldsburg. He said that unless the church continued to grow, it would start to slip back and become ineffective in ministering to the needs of the community.

Nevertheless, the May 1991 Building Fund drive fell far short of the needs of the ambitious construction program, pegged at $3 million. Although 413 families pledged, only $467,739 was pledged over a three-year period. Plans screeched to a halt, and the Building Committee began a time of quiet reassessment.

Bauserman continued to lead the staff to national meetings on successful big churches. He said people are attracted to big shopping centers, big entertainment areas and big churches because “something is going on there and they want to be a part of it.”

He spoke in August 1992 of why people come to RUMC. “They have come because they want to share in the very thing that makes us love the church and each other so much. In all honesty, given the kind of church we are, I believe that growth is inevitable for us. It is simply a fact of life: faithful churches are growing churches.”

In August 1993 the Building Committee was ready with a revised master plan. It retained the 850-seat Worship Center, this time with the alter area to the north as in the original sanctuary, and no finished lower level for classrooms. The original sanctuary was to be converted into a 100-seat chapel with room for a library, meeting room and six Sunday School classrooms. The plan was accepted, after several churchwide forums and some minor changes, at a Church Conference December 5, 1993.

Prayer teams were formed to gear up for a tremendous fund-raising effort in the spring of 1994, entitled “God’s Vision – Our Mission.”

“You cannot hide a good church,” Bauserman said on January 24, 1994, “and persons are turning to us in increasing numbers. God forbid that we ever turn anyone away.” Before the new sanctuary was completed and opened, some prospective church-goers would be turned away by the crowded parking lot and the construction confusion, but Bauserman and his lay leaders had a vision that was not to be denied.

After a series of sermons on the need to grow and attract others to Christ, and after a 24-hour prayer vigil, a churchwide banquet was held April 27, 1994, at the Aladdin Shrine Temple. A total of 488 families pledged $1,013,902 over a three-year period. Bauserman called it “nothing short of a miracle.” On July 26, 1994, a Charge Conference of the church approved the detailed plans, specifications and cost estimate. All signs pointed toward an autumn groundbreaking.

But in September, the bids came in at $4.4 million – far beyond expectations and too high to be supported by the Building Fund. It was back to the drawing board for the Building Committee. The design was simplified to cut the project back to $2.9 million for construction plus about $400,000 for related expenses.

Finally, on March 19, 1995, a Sunday afternoon groundbreaking ceremony was held for the new Worship Center. At a worship service in the sanctuary, Pastor Bauserman said this: “We build this building in order that it might become a center of faith and renewal, a place of healing and hope.” And the church family responded: “As we break ground on this day, we step boldly into the future, and we do so to the glory of God.”

Following the service, everyone went to the parking lot where a spot had been prepared on the blacktop. Church leaders, headed by Bishop Judith Craig of the West Ohio Conference, recited a groundbreaking litany. Joining in the symbolic shoveling of earth were the bishop, Columbus South District Superintendent William Hunter, the Reynoldsburg United Methodist Ministers and lay leaders, and Reynoldsburg Mayor Bob McPherson. The singing of “The Church’s One Foundation was led by the chancel choir and the brass choir. The mild March afternoon ceremony was concluded with fellowship time in Kirsch Hall. The long-awaited construction was under way!

Before six months had passed, Rev. Bauserman made the painful decision to retire from active full-time ministry after 34 years’ service. He and Wilma were honored at a dessert buffet at the Aladdin Shrine Temple August 12, 1995, with emotional tributes from longtime friends and the Bausermans’ two sons, Clay and Chris. The special music included “Well Done, Faithful Servant,” and “Thank You” sung by Kevin Mabry. Rev. Bauserman left September 1 and the following month he was succeeded by Rev. H. Douglas Shriner.

“Somehow, I wish I could reach out and take each of you by the hand, look you in the eyes, and say: ‘When I am no longer among you, I hope you will remember to hold on to the big picture. God is about to do a new thing, and He is calling us to help him change the world. The time has come to go out there and tell them about Jesus. It’s all so simple. Just tell them about Jesus.’”

-- Rev. Ralph E. Bauserman, concluding his final sermon as senior minister of Reynoldsburg United Methodist Church, August 26, 1995.

Construction was slow, to say the least. Rainy weather, a glut of other construction jobs and problems with the contractor and sub-contractors – all put the project on a snail’s pace. Completion was scheduled for the summer of 1996, then the fall. A Christmas opening was planned. Many wondered if they would ever worship in the new sanctuary. Finally, the church family bade a fond farewell to the old sanctuary that had served so well for 29 years. To the sounds of organ, handbells, brass and a huge mass of purple-robed choirs, the new Worship Center opened on May 4, 1997, with a single 10:30 a.m. service that lasted for 90 minutes.