Change is Coming for St. James Church of Hilton Head Island
In a story that blends the old with the new, the St. James Baptist Church situated on Hilton Head Island is on the move. After nearly 140 years at its current location, the church finds itself in the path of the Hilton Head Island Airport’s expansion. A back and forth saga of years has the future of this historic Black church’s location finally seeing the light at the end of the runway.
From Shadow of the Airplanes to a New Dawn
If you’re sitting in a back office at St. James, you’re in for an unusual sight. Regularly, the stained glass windows are shrouded in temporary darkness as airplanes coming in for a landing at the Hilton Head Island Airport pass by. This once distant reality has now come to the church’s doorstep. The expansion of the airport’s runway in 2018 set the church directly within the airport’s runway protection zone, a territory designed by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to protect people and property on the ground in case of a crash or off-runway landing. This forced necessity has encouraged an opportunity for the church to relocate and emerge in a grand new avatar that matches the community’s needs.
The Relocation Dilemma
While initial strides towards the move were fraught with delays due to a lack of priority from officials and occasional disagreements between Beaufort County and the Town of Hilton Head Island, new developments have infused the project with renewed energy. With recently secured state funding and a new sense of urgency, this turbulent process has been rekindled. However, challenges still persist, particularly in relation to covering the relocation cost, estimated around $10 million.
Project Renewed, Hopes Revived
Despite the roadblocks, church leaders and project organizers are optimistic after recent progress. The new state funding of $4.75 million, along with an additional $750,000 for the construction of a fellowship hall at the new location, certainly brings wind under the wings. The leftover cost will likely be shared by the Town of Hilton Head Island, Beaufort County, and the FAA.
A New Chapter Unfolds
In the new location, the St. James Baptist Church looks forward to a facility that reflects the island’s Lowcountry aesthetic, honors historic significance and accommodates the modern community’s needs. But, this is not the end – or rather – the start of the new journey. The county and town councils will have to vote for the final approval of the location, which is five acres of town-owned property next to Union Cemetery Road. The church’s resilience and faith guide it on a path where, they believe, a cloudless sky awaits them and the roaring overhead planes will be but faint, nostalgic signals of an era long gone.
