DUBLIN, Ga. — On Sunday, a Dublin church held their final service in their 100-year-old sanctuary.
Blue Water Baptist Church has to find a new home, as the Georgia Department of Transportation prepares to widen Highway 441.
"We're looking at it being demolished real soon," said Tony Bowman, the Chairman of the Board of Deacons.
He said they've known it was coming for a long time.
"This church in particular has known that the widening project would take the church for close to 40 years now," Bowman said.
Temporary plastic chairs replaced century-old pews, as they emptied out the church on Saturday.
"It was pretty emotional, I mean obviously you have some folks who have a lot of history here. Their families have come through this church," said Bowman.
The church was established in 1839, but the physical building wasn't built until 1921.
Now they have almost 300 people in their congregation, including active, inactive, and home-bound members.
Bowman said his whole family was baptized there.
"We keep reminding ourselves and our congregation, the church is not a building. It's the people within the congregation," he said.
Adam Hobbs has been a member since he was 11-years-old.
"I got married in this church. I’ve got three little boys that had baby dedications here. Two of them have been baptized here. One of them last Sunday," Hobbs said.
He said they had tissues ready at Sunday morning's 11 o'clock service.
"The service wasn’t about the church being torn down. The service this morning was exactly who the church is. It’s not this building. The service this morning revolved around us being together, staying faithful, always turning to God and that he’s in control, and it’s going to work out the way he wants it to work out," Hobbs said.
He said they will build on the 10 acres of donated land almost directly across the street, an area GDOT can't build on because of a cemetery.
"We've been working with them to try to negotiate with them, work with them and prepare for the future," said Bowman.
GDOT told 13WMAZ in an email the project spans four miles from Pinehill Road to State Route 117.
"The church was one of the condemnations as we could not reach an amicable settlement. Since the church is a relocation, the expected date of vacating, after several extensions, is Feb. 15, 2020. The department bears the cost of demolition, and the contract will be bid out," said Kyle Collins with GDOT.
Some members of the church feel they are not being compensated properly for the move and the construction of an entirely new building.
Hobbs said Turkey Creek Baptist Church is loaning them their sanctuary until their new building is finished. Both Hobbs and Bowman said at this point, they don't know how long it will be until they have a permanent place to call home.
"The church is the people, and no matter where we go, we're gonna have church," Hobbs said.
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