Woodland Community Church and Woodland Early Childhood Center announces they had a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, August 18 for a new building. The 12,000 sf two-story building will house space for the growing Dunn Prep private school at Woodland Early Childhood Center. There will also be Admin offices and multi-purpose space to expand Woodland Fine Arts Academy. Half-Acre Construction is the General Contractor building the structure and anticipates it being completed in the Spring 2021. Jack Cox of Half Acre and Tim Passmore, Lead Pastor of Woodland, are excited to announce the construction of this building which will allow Woodland to expand opportunities for families in the Lakewood Ranch community.

"We really felt inspired about the next level of what we were going to do as far as reaching our community for education and our children's ministry" said Pastor Tim Passmore, Lead Pastor/ Woodland Community Church. In 1983 Manatee Southern Association and West Bradenton Baptist Church purchased 8.3 acres of land on Hwy 70 east for a new church site in East Manatee County. The church was founded in Bradenton as Woodland Baptist Mission. March 13, 1988 they signed a Church Charter and became Woodland Baptist Church. Completion of a two story Educational Building and the establishment of Woodland Early Childcare Center was in 1993. They then purchased an additional 20 acres of land behind the church bringing the total site acreage to the current 28.3 acres. In 2002 a Recreation Outreach Center and much needed Life Group classrooms were completed. In 2006 they completed and moved into the current Worship Center which is a Gateway to Heaven for many. A downtown campus was established in 2019 called Woodland DOWNTOWN: The Thursday Night Church which meets temporarily at the Courtyard Marriott Riverfront .