Posted: Thursday, October 6, 2016 7:34 pm | Updated: 3:20 pm, Fri Oct 7, 2016.
Story and photos by Jennifer Reiley Features Editor jennifer.reiley@dailytimes.com
“And God said, let there be light.”
The Coming King Sculpture Prayer Gardens north of Kerrville underwent a new construction step Thursday with the installation of streetlights at the space, which is open each day until midnight.
Max Greiner, president of the Coming King Foundation, said he is excited to see the forward progress at the site.
“We hope to be lit up and powered up by the weekend, but only the Lord knows what’s coming,” Greiner said.
Six 30-foot light polls were installed Thursday, along with spotlights for five of the sculptures in the garden. Greiner said one highlight of the lights is that they are dark sky LEDs.
“That means they don’t shine light up into space, and so you’ll be able to still see the stars when you come up here,” he said.
All of the equipment and service were donated, Greiner said. Donors include Guadalupe Electric, Alamo Crane, Joe Ed Jenschke, Tim, Terry and Linda Forse, Bob Carey, Paul and Susan Weathersby and Greg Allen.
“I reached out to Joe Ed Jenschke and asked him if he could cut a trench so we could run the electric line to the fountain so we could at least have the water,” Greiner said. “He told me, ‘God has told me to do the whole thing.’”
Greiner said Alamo Crane crews also helped raise the cross and coming king statue in the garden. He estimated that the materials and service would have cost about $100,000.
“The people have been amazing,” Greiner said. “We’re building everything in faith of God without debt. It’s taken a long time, but this was the next major step. What this will do is be a quantum leap for tourism.”
Greiner said in September alone, the sculpture garden had more than 7,000 visitors, which he said the foundation members count using vehicle and people counters. Greiner said the organization estimates 2.6 people per vehicle.
“We hope this will become a premiere nighttime tourist attraction in the state of Texas,” Greiner said.
Johnny Sharp, vice president of the foundation, said it was great to see progress being made.
“We’re getting things done. That’s always our prayer. Lord let us get something new done,” Sharp said. “This is going to be very important for us to have these lights.”
In addition to the lights, security video cameras will be installed to provide steaming live images through the organization’s website, www.thecomingkingfoundation.org, Greiner said.
He said it was exciting to see the growth at the sculpture garden over the years. The 77-foot cross was raised in July 2010, and the garden was dedicated in September 2015.
“This is the whole body of Christ coming together to do this,” Greiner said. “This isn’t just one church or ministry. It’s Christians from all the different churches. The body of Christ is coming together at the foot of the cross.”
