A Macon-based planning group said Wednesday that two long-discussed transportation projects -- the widening of Forest Hill Road and the extension of Sardis Church Road in south Bibb County -- should begin in the next year.

The measures are part of the Macon Area Transportation Studys next transportation improvement plan, which may get formally adopted next week by the groups Policy Committee. Wednesday, the groups Technical Coordinating Committee backed the plan with no criticism. Meanwhile, the groups Citizens Advisory Committee rejected the plan Tuesday night over concerns with the size of an Interstate 75/Interstate 16 interchange, the scale of Forest Hill Road projects, and the delay of bike lanes and sidewalks on other roads, committee Chairman Dan Fischer said.

The groups Policy Committee actually makes the decisions, while the two other committee votes are recommendations.

Bids for a three-lane section of Forest Hill Road could be awarded in August, officials said. That construction project affects an area between Wimbish Road and Northside Drive. Widening of a southern stretch of Forest Hill Road, from two lanes to four between Wimbish Road and Vineville Avenue, is now scheduled for fiscal 2016, which starts in the summer of 2015. Construction money for the southern stretch of Forest Hill Road hadnt been identified before.

Separately, construction of the long-discussed Sardis Church Road extension, which will connect to Avondale Mill Road and ultimately to Ga. 247, is expected to begin in the next year. Officials said rights-of-way largely have been bought. Construction of the $29.5 million Sardis Church Road interchange on Interstate 75 is expected to be completed next month.

But other projects are getting bumped down on the planning list because of a lack of funds. Construction of sidewalks on Riverside Drive, expected to begin in the next year, has been bumped back another two years as officials look for $450,000. Pierce Avenue bike lanes, a $562,000 project, face similar delays.

Fischer told The Telegraph that the Citizens Advisory Committee didnt see the sense in delaying inexpensive quality-of-life projects like sidewalks and bike lanes while giving the thumbs-up to programs that are overdesigned, expensive and potentially damaging, such as the interstates interchange and the Forest Hill Road widenings.

The transportation plan also calls for Macon Transit Authority, which has replaced most of its bus fleet, to defer bus buys in the next year. But Macon Transit would buy an additional seven buses in the three years after that, according to the plan.

The Policy Committee will consider the plan at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Bibb County Engineering Annex, 760 Third St.

To contact writer Mike Stucka, call 744-4251.

The rest is here:
Transportation plan moves up Forest Hill, Sardis Church roads construction

MARION -- A historical marker in front of the Old Marion Baptist Church notes that the area is the geographic center of Georgia.

On Sunday, the church itself was the center of attention in Twiggs County, with about 500 people filling the newly constructed building for a dedication service.

The new church replaces the former building on the same site, which was destroyed April 5, 2007, in a fire that took place just days before Easter Sunday.

The fire was believed to have been electrical in nature, though an official ruling was never made, said Twiggs County Fire Chief and EMA Director Sammy Stokes. Without a nearby hydrant or sufficient water supply, firefighters could only watch as the church burned, leaving only brick and ash. The church was completely engulfed, destroying historical records, photos and other items in addition to the building itself.

Church officials broke ground in January 2011 for the new building.

God giveth, and God taketh away, church mother Mary Sampson said during the dedication service. We lost everything we had. But (the community) gave us money and they gave us love. We want to thank yall for helping us. ... God has blessed us with a new building. Thank God everybody has come out and help us celebrate.

The service started with a processional from the churchs auxiliary building across the street, which has been a temporary home to the congregation. The Rev. Hillmon Graves, the churchs pastor, led those marching in the hymn Weve Come This Far By Faith.

Graves noted before the service that it took awhile for the church membership to come together on a single vision as to what the new church should be.

The biggest struggle was getting all of the hearts and minds to be of the same accord, he said. We had to focus on a single vision. We all came together. This church has many members, but were one body.

Freddie Riggins Jr. served as the project manager for the church. He said the new church cost about $825,000 to build.

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Congregation celebrates opening, dedication of new church

Gospel Light Baptist Church in Walkertown has run afoul of government authorities because it hasn't built the required sidewalks on roads bordering its property in an area where there are no adjacent sidewalks.

The church has been told since 2010 that it must build the sidewalks, but the church has balked because the sidewalks won't go anywhere. The town hasn't yet built sidewalks in that area surrounding the church.

Church officials say they will comply with a town ordinance and will build the sidewalks, and Town Manager Scott Snow said the town likely will accept the church's plans.

"The town doesn't have any intention of imposing the fines unless there is further noncompliance," Snow said.

In a letter dated April 10, the City-County Inspections Division said the church was violating the town's ordinance requiring it to build sidewalks by April 1 on Walkertown-Guthrie and Gospel Light Church roads, bordering the church. The letter said the division could fine the church $100 a day beginning 10 days after the church received the letter.

Church officials also could be charged with a misdemeanor, punishable with a fine up to $500 and 30 days in jail, the letter says.

The Rev. Bobby Roberson, the pastor of Gospel Light, asked the town's planning board at recent meeting why the church was required to build the sidewalks because no church member walks to the church.

Sidewalks are required for the project under the town's unified development ordinance, which guides land use and development within Walkertown.

The council approved the ordinance's provision for sidewalks in 2007 to encourage walking, improve safety and reduce traffic, Snow said. Sidewalks are being built in the Robin's Walk housing subdivision near the church in southeastern Walkertown.

Kevin Winemiller, a longtime church member, said the town's ordinance requiring the church to build the sidewalks is unnecessary.

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Gospel Light Baptist Church in tussle with Walkertown over building sidewalks

LAKE WYLIE --

A Lake Wylie group trying to save an early 20th century schoolhouse from demolition may be out of time.

The Good Samaritan United Methodist Church is moving forward with plans to demolish the schoolhouse and another building located on its property, something Pastor Jason Everson says has been in the churchs plans for a while.

Theyre basically eyesores, and theyre blocking the view of our property, he said. Its a curb-appeal kind of thing. We dont need them anymore.

After a meeting with York County officials Friday, the church will apply for a demolition permit. Everson hopes the church can begin demolition Monday or Tuesday, he said.

That doesnt leave much time for Don Long and other River Hills and Lake Wylie residents eager to save the schoolhouse, which they believe to be the historic Laney School built in 1914.

The schoolhouse sits between the church and S.C. 274/S.C. 49, just south of S.C. 557, and overlooks the highway.

The group, called the Laney School Preservation Project, wants to move the building to property owned by the River Hills Community Association.

There, they hope to renovate it into a community center for public meetings, events and a small museum telling the history of the Lake Wylie area, something it hasnt had since Duke Energy closed its visitors center, Long said.

Long said moving and renovating the schoolhouse will cost less than building a new structure, and it will save a piece of Lake Wylies history.

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Church on track to demolish building thought to be historic schoolhouse

Six years after Hurricane Katrina forced a small Lakeview church to rebuild from scratch, its members have done so in a way few other congregations have matched, creating an ambitious, environmentally green building that embodies the congregations very theology. With the arrival of Earth Day 2012, the members of Community Church Unitarian Universalist of New Orleans have a tight, bright church of 4,200 square feet designed from day one to consume as little fossil-fuel energy as possible.

And now comes something like a certificate of success: Marchs electricity bill from Entergy totaled $48.83.

The Environmental Protection Agency says the Lakeview congregations new home is the first house of worship of its kind in the country.

The Unitarian Universalist rebuilders in Lakeview are the spiritual and ethical heirs of Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson and the 19th century New England Transcendentalists.

Famously liberal and pluralistic, big-tent Unitarian Universalism describes itself as a creedless religion devoted to seven broad ethical principles. Generally, the denomination celebrates human dignity, equality, peace, social justice, democracy, the right to conscience and each individuals search for truth.

An old joke Unitarian Universalists tell on themselves: Why did the Unitarian Universalist cross the road?

To support the chicken in its search for its own path.

But another unifying principal and the underpinning for the Lakeview church is respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

We have in this congregation people who want to walk the way they talk, said the Rev. Jim VanderWeele, the pastor of Community Church since 2002.

They do believe were depleting the ozone layer, and if thats not a point of jeopardy for people now, it will soon be so. We believe its important for everybody to reduce his carbon footprint.

See original here:
New Orleans church celebrates Earth Day in a new building that is green as can be

by Jamie Grey

KTVB.COM

Posted on April 20, 2012 at 9:38 PM

Updated yesterday at 3:08 PM

NAMPA -- A Nampa church built more than 100 years ago has a for-sale sign out front. The sale includes a full block (just over two acres) with several historic buildings.

Saint Paul's Catholic Church and School has grown over the years and now is building a new church. With that move, the parish is selling its current property for $2.4 million.

The current St. Paul's church building dates back to 1910. The inside has beautiful, historic reminders of the church's past: Stained glass windows, statues, and original pews. But the historic nature of the building means a lot of maintenance.

"The sewer pipes actually rotted out because they were so old," Dan Jones, St. Paul's Business Manager, said.

In addition to maintenance issues, Saint Paul's has a capacity issue. If they want to expand, there isn't much room. They already have four masses each Sunday (two in Spanish).

"The capacity [in the church building], according to fire code, is 550 or 600. If we want to expand, if we want to have more people involved, we can't put them in here. We're splitting by the seams," Jones said.

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100-year-old church for sale

17-04-2012 05:12 The day after Easter, 2012, Swarthmore Presbyterian Church started to dismantle its Chancel and aging Pipe Organ and then rebuild the worship space and install a new organ. So what happens to the church services during this time? Discover a vibrant church family worshiping three times on Sunday - Early Worship at 8 AM in the chapel - a bible study and discussion service with lots of participation among members and guests. - A NEW Church-Family Worship at 9 AM in the chapel - young, old, with children or not: this new service has a different pace and excitement. Notice how well received this was - the chapel was JAMMED even on this first Sunday with this service! - The more "Traditional" Service at 11 AM in Fellowship Hall. The congregation used to have services in Fellowship Hall during the summer until the sanctuary added air-conditioning. Notice the excitement on the parts of the members and guests as they leave this service even as they look forward to the return to the sanctuary once the construction is completed. This video is a small part of a year-long documentary project by Charlie Seymour Jr showing the reconstruction and expansion of the SPC Chancel and the dismantling and installation of a new pipe organ. To find out more about the Swarthmore Presbyterian Church, go to Learn more about Charlie at http

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Swarthmore Presbyterian Church Under Construction - Services Look Like This - Video

16-04-2012 20:35 New Multi Purpose Facility Built By Allen Construction

Excerpt from:
Zachary United Methodist Church New Mult Purpose Facility - Video

15-04-2012 19:27

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ON GOING FENCE CONSTRUCTION @ SAN ANTONIO DE PADUA CHURCH - Video

15-04-2012 22:44 THE PLACE (theplaceaz.com) is expanding! Check out what is new in this community of faith, love and hope in Wickenburg, Arizona.

Link:
THE PLACE Construction Project April 2012 - Video