Valleydale Baptist Church looks forward to moving into its new building following completion of a three-way deal with Southeastern Bible College and Mountain Brook Community Church.

A new building is currently under construction for Valleydale Baptist Church on Valleydale Road, just a mile down the road from the existing church building.

Church officials completed a deal with Southeastern Bible College last week.

Southeastern Bible College bought the old Valleydale Baptist Church after selling its building to Mountain Brook Community Church.

Bob Ledford of Southeastern Bible College said the school expects to fully occupy the former Valleydale Baptist Church facility by August 2004.

Calvin Kelly, senior pastor of Valleydale Baptist Church, said the 92,000-square-foot new church building is the first phase of construction for the 2,500-member church.

The new church building features two full-size, indoor basketball courts, a running track, locker rooms and other recreation amenities.

Kelly said the second phase of construction will create a new worship center and the phase one building will become the church’s recreation center.

The first worship service in the new building on March 7 will begin with a march from the old Valleydale Baptist Church site to the new one, about a mile away.

Kelly said church members voted in 2001 to buy the 44-acre site on Valleydale Road, with plans for several phases in the future