Country Crossing could impact two small churches

When Rev. Walter White Jr., was a kid, he went to Smithville School, a tiny one-room wood building in southern Houston County.

Today, he pastors a church in the same building. Saturday, White and the board members of Smithville Missionary Baptist Church will meet to talk about Country Crossing.

The recent purchase of 776 acres around White’s church and the adjacent cemetery will be the topic of conversation Saturday morning, and White admits he has no idea what the land purchase means to the church. It’s all been a surprise to him.

For an updated map of the Country Crossing area, click on the link here or copy and paste it in your browser: http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=102090580255081784952.0004485a9b5b98b99b46b&ll=31.093294,-85.4178&spn=0.016427,0.028582&z=15

“As far as knowing what we are going to do and when we are going to do it, I have no idea,” White said Tuesday.

But Country Crossing developer Ronnie Gilley said he believes the development and the church can coexist peacefully.

“I believe our land plan and our development will be presented in a way that will be pleasing to them,” Gilley said. “What we want to do is have a profound border around that area between the development and the church.”

White said about 40 worshippers attend Smithville Missionary Baptist on the second and fourth Sundays of the month. He said the church is in the early stages of preparing for a new sanctuary.

White said he had been out of town until Tuesday evening and was unaware of the land purchase.

Another church, Mt. Calvary Apostolic Church, meets just a few yards from White’s church.
Meanwhile, Barbara Gray, who lives further down Smithville Road, said her family will be having a yard sale Saturday to make money for moving expenses to Malvern. She said they must move by the end of the month.

The Gray family of five rents the Smithville Road home and did not know the land they lived on had been purchased until Friday. Gray said she has spoken with Gilley, who said he plans to provide assistance with the move. Gray said she hopes to put the whole situation behind her.

“We don’t hold any grudges,” Gray said. “It’s just when you see on the news or read in the newspaper you have until the end of the month to move out, it puts a lot of stress on the family. I just want my family to get back to normal, so we can all sleep peaceful and be happy.”

Although 776 acres have been purchased, some parcels of land within the area have not been bought. Gilley said his company is still trying to negotiate with the landowners. He said he would like the property to be part of Country Crossing, but said he is pleased with the property that has been bought and it should serve the needs of the development.

Apogee Attractions will be in town this week to begin applying the Country Crossing plan to the land purchased.