UPDATE: Calvert County Baptist Church

Greetings and Happy Giving Tuesday!

We are finally ready to get started on the bulk of the repair work and I’m delighted to share a project update with you.

The repairs consist of a renovation of classroom one, repair of the wall near the AV booth, repair and repainting the ceiling in the sanctuary, repair the wall in the sanctuary, repaint all the walls in the sanctuary, new carpet in the sanctuary and in classrooms one and two, repaired and repainted wall in classroom two, new siding and stonework on the exterior of the building and poles.

Additionally, as a precaution against future incidents, we are installing concrete safety bollards in the parking spaces that face the building. Safety bollards will protect the property from accidental crashes as they are designed to absorb the force of an impact and stop the forward motion of a vehicle that poses a danger to the property and parishioners.

We have also elected to paint the church vestibule and update the facing and messaging on the front windows. These are updates that are not included in the insurance settlement, but we firmly believe that they are pertinent for our ministry.

The biggest expense in these updates, and the most important one, are the concrete safety bollards. After consulting with our contractor, the safest option is to install 13 concrete bollards to protect the front right side of the church and the perimeter of the church where the classrooms are located and are exposed to the flow of traffic.

The cost for this installation is $13,400. The contractors will install 6” diameter steel pipe bollards centered at the front of the building and on the side of the building. The asphalt is cut and the bollards are set 3’ below grade (4’above grade) in a concrete footer, then filled with concrete themselves. The asphalt is then patched and the bollards are painted.

On this Giving Tuesday, we invite you to partner with us to undergird these additional costs to maintain a safe environment for our congregation, children, friends and guests. You may make a donation via this Go Fund Me. Additionally, you may also make a donation online at www.ccbconline.org/give/ and look for the section “Safety Updates.”

This effort is monumental and requires not only our financial resources; it requires our collective prayers and faith. Thank you for your help.

May God bless you for your kindness and generosity. We appreciate your support.

In His Service,

Pastor Deborah J. Chambers

United as one in Christ to glorify God by engaging, equipping, and empowering disciples.

On Sunday afternoon, June 4th, an unfortunate incident occurred at our church immediately following the morning worship service.

A car accidentally crashed into our building, resulting in injuries to three members. It was a shocking event, but emergency services promptly arrived at the scene. The individuals involved were transported to the hospital, treated and released with minor cuts and bruises. We are grateful for the miracle that spared their lives.

However, the damage to the church was much more significant. The car went through an exterior wall and an interior classroom, crashed into the audio visual booth, hit a structural beam and damaged a load bearing wall.

The extent of the structural damage to the church is still being assessed. However, based on what we’ve observed, we anticipate that the cost will be significant.

While we are grateful that insurance will cover most of the expenses, we want to be prepared to cover the deductible, incidentals, operational expenses accommodations, activities and out-of-pocket expenses that the insurance company may not refund.

All services and programs scheduled to take place at the church, including the monthly community food program, have been temporarily suspended. Efforts are underway to secure an alternative site for church services and community programming.

We have tried to stand with our community during our 23 years in Calvert County. Now, we hope the community will stand with us.

Your donation will help us rebuild the church and sustain services and community programming during the interim. Thank you and God bless you for caring.