Church's land sale is benefit to school

Some might see it as a divine connection.

Augusta Christian Schools will be helping out Baker Woods Baptist Church in Martinez by purchasing its worship facility.

And Baker Woods will be helping Augusta Christian with a location for an elementary school expansion.

"We're all winners," said Finley Limehouse, the senior pastor for Baker Woods, which will relocate from its 470 Furys Ferry Road location to 4798 Hardy McManus Road in Evans.

On Thursday night, officials of Augusta Christian, 313 Baston Road, went before the Columbia County Planning Commission to request a rezoning of the Baker Woods property to be used for a school.

They also requested to have about three portable classrooms from their present site relocated to the new site to be used as temporary classroom space. School officials asked to use the space for about five to 10 years until sufficient funds were raised to renovate the church sanctuary or add a facade to a wing area of the church building to be used as additional classroom space.

Commissioners approved the request unanimously under the condition that the portables be used no more than two years, which is normally what the county allows.

"It's for expanded growth," Joel Woodcock, the headmaster for Augusta Christian, said about plans to purchase the 6.75 acres where Baker Woods sits. "It gives us more space on the main campus here on Baston Road to expand our middle and high schools."

The Rev. Limehouse said his church plans to move into the former meeting place of Grace Baptist Church, which has a new location also on Hardy McManus.

Originally, Mr. Woodcock said, his intentions were to add an additional building on the main campus.

"God just kind of stopped that," he said.

Reach Quandra F. Collins at 868-1222, ext. 109, or quandra.collins@augustachronicle.com.