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Bayshore Baptist Restoring 'The Luster'

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 3, 2008

Updated: 07/03/2008 07:08 am

TAMPA - Bayshore Baptist Church had a big enough dream in the 1950s to erect a building that would serve the congregation for decades to come.

Then a few years ago, Gary McCall, the minister of education, was talking with Steve Hadden, the senior pastor.

Bayshore Baptist, 3111 W. Morrison Ave., was having the usual roof and ceiling problems that plague older buildings. Inside, the biggest problem was the narrow hallways that lead to a maze of rooms.

"We decided to go for renovation," McCall said. "We really wanted to restore the luster to the rest of the church that people see in the sanctuary."

The sanctuary was refurbished in 1997.

So an ambitious building program was begun with a $4.2 million fundraising goal. The church has scaled back its goal to $3.1 million, of which $2.3 million has been raised.

The first-floor classrooms are being redone, and a music suite is being installed upstairs that includes a choir robe room and instrument storage space. Construction began in June, with the first floor to be done by October and the second floor by November.

Bayshore Baptist's history dates to 1926 when a 400-seat chapel fitted with opera chairs was built at Dekle, DeSoto and Howard avenues.

At the 73,000-square-foot church at Morrison and MacDill avenues, membership is upward of 1,500, and about 400 attend Sunday services.

Janis D. Froelich

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