TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Church's Relocation A 'Time Of Rejoicing'

ADVERTISEMENT

By KENNETH KNIGHT

The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 13, 2008

NUCCIO PARK - Temple Heights Baptist Church has reached a milestone. Its congregation is leaving the neighborhood that has been its home for 50 years.

Last week, the church bought a 4.8-acre parcel on Puritan Road overlooking the Hillsborough River to establish a multicultural ministry. The property is on the south side of the river, west of 56th Street.

"We are just expanding our neighborhood a little bit," church deacon Charles Kinsey said.

Although the new church site is not in the heart of Temple Crest, the short drive across the river makes it close enough to serve its longtime members, he said.

Kinsey said he thinks church members will be pleased with the new location.

"We got a beautiful piece of property, and we should be there a long time," he said.

Church leaders were seeking property that would give the church the best potential to grow and expand.

Clark Allen, the church pastor, was thrilled that the church was getting property with a large house on-site. He estimated the ranch-style house is about 5,000 square feet and large enough to hold services.

Kinsey said the congregation plans to renovate the house to serve as a full-time church for now.

A dedication service has been set for 10 a.m. Aug. 17 at the new site, 5020 Puritan Road.

"It will be a time of rejoicing," Clark said.

Now that the congregation has a new home, Clark, who speaks Spanish fluently, said he envisions the church membership embracing more bilingual sermons and multicultural fellowship.

"We are looking at reaching out to people in the old neighborhood," Allen said. "We want to expand our boundaries. We want to be an outreach ministry for all cultures."

Temple Heights Baptist Church and Christian School were symbols of faith and community pride. The church was established in 1957 at the Temple Crest Civic Association clubhouse on Miller Avenue. The church moved to 8406 N. 46th St. in 1969 and the school was opened.

The church made the list of the nation's 100 largest churches in October 1972.

The church left its longtime home in Temple Crest last year when it sold its property on North 46th Street to the Hillsborough County School District. Since then, church services have been spread among three locations.

Church attendance, which had fallen to less than l00 over the years, is on the rise again. Allen said attendance at Sunday services has reached 190 members and guests on occasions since the move.

Church leaders tried unsuccessfully to find a sizable piece of property in the Temple Crest area, where most of its members live.

Their short list of potential sites included a 2-acre parcel at 40th and Yukon streets, but they chose to buy the Puritan Road location because of its size, Allen said.

Reporter Kenneth Knight can be reached at (813) 865-4842 or kknight@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT