This Gen Takes Center Stage: A Ribbon, a Prayer, and a Whole Lot of Heart in Downtown Aynor

 The Aynor Area Chamber of Commerce proudly snipped the ceremonial ribbon on The Rock Church’s brand-new This Gen Venue at 513 8th Avenue, and let’s just say the kids stole the show before the adults could even clear their throats.

Picture this: a crisp November night, twinkling string lights, and a swarm of middle- and high-schoolers buzzing like they’d just downed a vat of sweet tea. The star of the night? A pair of oversized golden scissors passed to two student-ministry rockstars. These leaders didn’t just hold the scissors; they earned them, and Pastor Scott made sure everyone knew it. 

Then came the moment that melted the sidewalk: Scott asked,

“How many of you wrote a name on the sheet rock during construction—someone you wanted to pray for?” Nearly every hand in the crowd rose. 

That’s the magic of This Gen. It’s not a “youth room.” It’s not a “future church.” It’s their church—right now. A 6,000-square-foot love letter to the kids who believe downtown Aynor isn’t just a memory, but a mission field. Sundays? Elementary worship. Wednesdays? High-school hangout. Thursdays? Middle-school mayhem (the holy kind). And every day in between? A space where faith isn’t handed down—it’s lived out loud.

One of the student leaders closed us in prayer, voice steady, words simple, amen thunderous. If you weren’t there, just imagine your heart doing that little skip it does when kids remind you they’re already the revival we keep praying for.

To the families, volunteers, contractors, and every kid who scribbled a name: Thank you. You didn’t just build a building. You built a beacon.

Missed the scissors? No worries—the doors are open. Swing by, grab a coffee, and see what happens when this generation gets the keys to the kingdom.