Celebration Centre: The Building That Couldn't Be

Africa is often referred to as the 'dark continent', a derogatory description that connotes hopelessness and backwardness. But for Pastors Tom and Bonnie Deuschle, Africa has always been a fascinating continent full of promise; poised for spiritual reformation for the gospel of the Kingdom. With this positive perception, they have elected to strategically use Celebration Centre (a community centre' in Harare, Zimbabwe as a springboard for reaching out to other African countries.

Pastor Tom Deuschle wrote in his book Building People, Building Dreams:

We wanted it to be a centre of reformation for the nations; a community centre that would serve as a platform for reaching not only the city, but also the rest of Zimbabwe and the neighbouring countries with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We had no idea how God was going to do it, but we had already seen enough miracles to know that another would not be difficult for Him.

The Celebration Centre was conceived when, one morning, while driving through an up-market suburb, Pastor Tom sensed God directing him towards a specific property. He had been searching for a piece of land on which to build the church for over eight years. After inquiring as to its zoning designation at the City Council, he discovered that it was a Green belt area and therefore, could not be developed or bought.

The church, however, convinced that this was God's plan for their community centre, persevered in applying for the land but were turned down repeatedly over a period of five years! In 1995, they were finally granted permission by the City Council to purchase the land. It then took another two years for them to raise the money to acquire it. The building itself took another seven years to construct. During the worst economic inflation the world has seen in recent times, the church paid cash for and built a magnificent building which they called Celebration Centre. Today the building stands as a testimony of God's limitless awesome power.

Celebration Centre is a superb location capable of hosting a wide variety of functions. Set in beautiful landscaped gardens five minutes from the city centre of Harare in Zimbabwe, it is without doubt one of the premier conferencing venues in the SADC region.

Comprising of a 3,100 seat Main Auditorium, four smaller venues and a 2,000 seat capacity outdoor Amphitheatre; these facilities are complimented by an impressive marble foyer entrance, a public coffee shop with professional caterers, in-house security and technical support including sound, lighting, video and multi-media skills.

Celebration Centre Fact Box

  • Main Auditorium seats 3,100 inclusive of balcony with 820 seats.
  • Amphiteathre seats 2,500, the two areas (Main auditorium Stage and Outdoor Amphiteatre stage' are the only two combined in/outdoor stages in Africa.
  • The seats in the auditorium were manufactured in Spain with advance acoustic dampening quality.
  • The main foyer area has a specifically designed dome that creates an echo at its central point said to reverberate 78 times a second! As it is in heaven so it shall be on earth—what goes up comes down.
  • There are 640 marked parking bays with a further 200 car capacity overflow parking area.
  • In a heavy thunderstorm, the gutter drains seven tonnes of water per minute off the main roof.
  • The roof sheets on the main auditorium expand and contract 63mm every day.
  • Each foundation is 3.5 metres deep, the biggest excavation could house a 40-foot container intact and has a bible buried therein.
  • Over two million screws were used to hold the building skin together.
  • 250,000 litres of paint were used to decorate initially.
  • 2,500 bulbs are in place throughout the building.

Several prestigious events and celebrated personalities have been to Celebration Community Centre including:

  • Chinese Disabled Performing Artists
  • The late Mamma Miriam Makeba, South Africa
  • Oliver Mtukudzi and his late son Sam, Zimbabwe
  • Steven Covey, USA
  • John Maxwell, USA
  • Alvin Slaughter, USA
  • Lachel Griffin, USA
  • Angel Mission Team (GOD TV'
  • Citi Hope International
  • World Children's Fund
  • Drakensberg Boys' Choir
  • Robin Banks
  • Daniel Vega
  • Johnny Wimbrey
  • Patricia Glynn

Celebration Centre, 162 Swan Drive
Borrowdale, Harare, Zimbabwe
Postal Address: P.O. Box HG 88
Highlands, Harare, Zimbabwe
Tel: +263-4-850-880/87
Email: info@celebrate.org
www.celebrate.org

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Posted on April 26, 2013 by Celebrate