Around Anastasia Island: Anastasia Baptist Church looking to expand

Lorraine Thompson
·4 min read

One of the largest church communities on Anastasia Island, Anastasia Baptist Church at 1640 A1A S., will soon expand its worship facilities with the construction of a family ministry center and a family activity center. On July 27, the congregation voted to enter into contract with DiMare Construction of St. Augustine to proceed with the project that will transform the use of the church site. Cost of the expansion is estimated at $14 million.

“The desire to address the spiritual needs of families is huge,” according to Walter West, lead pastor at Anastasia Baptist Church.

Anastasia Baptist Church is building a family ministry center and a family activity center for $14 million. The construction will include a 43,000-square-foot family center and an 11,000-square-foot activity center for recreation and gatherings.
Anastasia Baptist Church is building a family ministry center and a family activity center for $14 million. The construction will include a 43,000-square-foot family center and an 11,000-square-foot activity center for recreation and gatherings.

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The project will feature a family center to provide room for ministry to those from birth through 18 years of age. The plan calls for a three-story, 43,000-square-foot facility with rooms to interact with preschoolers, elementary-age children, middle school and high school ministry. Anastasia Academy, the weekday childcare ministry, would share the preschool space.

One feature of the family center is an open-air roof top gathering area that will serve as a meeting place for youth and others. The building will be fitted with state-of-the-art security features. In addition, a one-story, 11,000-square-foot activity center for all ages will have space for recreation, hosting larger events and serving meals.

“This is a very large undertaking. We've spent years in the vision, planning and gathering of funds to begin this project, a tool to minister more effectively to families,” West said.

The church announced the project seven years ago and has saved more than $4.5 million since then. The belief that the church can reasonably make debt service payments, estimated at $42,050.68 per month, is less than the dollar amount that the church paid when retiring the $45,686 a month debt to the Christian Life Center which was paid from 2008-2014.

The 7 acres for the current location of the church was purchased in 1956 for $4,500, as part of the plan of the Ancient City Baptist Church to begin “new work” on Anastasia Island. A store building was rented at 900 Anastasia Blvd. to be used as the temporary meeting place of the Anastasia Baptist Mission. On March 2, 1969, groundbreaking ceremonies were held for the current church building. The first service was held Sept. 14, 1969. On Feb. 2, 1972, the mission became a church.

On Feb. 27, 2022, the congregation, now numbering more than 3,000 members, celebrated 50 years as a church at its campuses which include the island location, the Anastasia 16 Church, Anastasia en Español and Anastasia Church Elkton.

For information, visit anastasiachurch.org.

SEPAC volunteers sought

The City of St. Augustine Beach Sustainability & Environmental Planning Advisory Committee is seeking volunteers. The committee undertakes beautification projects in the city, examines environmental issues, and advises the City Commission on issues.

SEPAC is currently prepping for its latest project — a wildflower meadow on Mickler Boulevard. The St. Augustine Beach Public Works has put down plastic to “solarize” the area. The plastic will remain for six weeks, with the goal of burning off weeds and unwanted ground cover to prep the land for wildflower seed planting in the fall. SEPAC will create some educational signs explaining the importance of wildflowers and pollinators, as well as small flower identification signs.

SEPAC invites the public to view the film “Reuse! Because You Can’t Recycle the Planet.” The free event will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 25 at the Anastasia Island Branch Library, 124 Sea Grove Main St. The film is about finding fun and easy solutions to our country’s complicated waste problems. It follows filmmaker Alex Eaves on his cross-country journey to discover what people are doing to reuse items that others might throw away. The film has been featured at numerous film festivals.

Lorraine Thompson
Lorraine Thompson

It will be followed by a discussion session with local environmental experts Jen Lomberk and Adam Morley.

The City of St. Augustine Beach Sustainability & Environmental Planning Advisory Committee will hold a regular scheduled meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 1, in the Commission Meeting Room at City Hall. The public is invited to attend.

For information, visit staugbch.com.

If you have news to share about people and events on Anastasia Island or the adjoining areas, please send your information to staugbeachwatch@aol.com or call 904-471-4851.

For Anastasia Baptist Church renderings,  go to:

https://www.anastasiachurch.org/4gen

This article originally appeared on St. Augustine Record: Anastasia Baptist Church to undergo $14M expansion in St. Johns County