$2 million anonymous donation spurs First Baptist Church of Palmetto expansion

The First Baptist Church of Palmetto has a problem, but it’s a good one to have, according to Senior Pastor Phillip Hamm.

“The church membership has been increasing for the past several years, and that has led to some challenges with having enough space to accommodate different groups and programs,” Hamm said in a press release announcing a new $4 million welcome center that will begin construction in January.

“There are times when we have to get creative to find space for a small group or committee to meet, because all of our rooms are booked. It’s a great problem to have, but it’s still a problem.”

Thanks to an anonymous $2 million donation toward the project, plans have been accelerated, with construction beginning early next month, and it is possible that the first day of work will be 126 years to the day that the church first opened its doors. Hamm said this will be the fifth major project since it opened on Jan. 5, 1892.

In 1920, the church built a new sanctuary and the children’s building was added in the 1950s. The Christian Life Center was constructed in the 1970s and another new sanctuary and adult education wing was built in the following decade.

“This project will enable us to reach more people in more ways, so we can continue serving as a mission field in Manatee County,” Hamm said. “We’re really looking forward to seeing how God will use our church to better serve the community and beyond.”

Welcome center committee chairman Bill Robey said the project is more than just remodeling. Besides helping the church to meet its many mission goals, additional church improvements will be made during the project to include addressing a confusing entrance for first-time guests and a more-secure pathway to the children’s area.

“Our building is large with many different potential points of entry that can present a confusing challenge to anyone unfamiliar with our building,” Robey said. “And although we have a strong security protocol for our children’s area already, we wanted to update that through physical design and technology.”

Another key part of the project will be to install an elevator. The second floor of the building is difficult to reach for some members, something that also is being addressed in the design of the new welcome center to ensure easy accessibility for all.

The church, located at 1020 Fourth St. W., officially celebrated the project’s beginning on Dec. 17 with a groundbreaking ceremony.

This story was originally published December 28, 2017 at 12:33 PM with the headline "$2 million anonymous donation spurs First Baptist Church of Palmetto expansion."