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Nearly 300 of Kettering Baptist Church's members celebrated on Saturday the groundbreaking of its new $10 million facility, which will allow the church to hold all of its services under one roof and unite its congregation amid a boom in members.

The church will move about 10 miles from its current location to a 27-acre property in Upper Marlboro because it has outgrown the space, said Kettering Baptist's pastor, Bucas Sterling III.

"We've already done the growing — we need a facility that will accommodate the growth," Sterling said. "This should be a forever move."

Sterling said the church, which recently celebrated its 40th anniversary, has "grown exponentially" from around 150 people in 2000 to more than 1,000 people, an increase he attributes to God and to the church's atmosphere, which he said has a sense of family and connectivity.

"I can't put my finger on one thing — I just know that God has been the one behind it," he said.

Kettering Baptist Church purchased the property in November 2006 and has spent the last three years fundraising and acquiring the necessary permits.

Construction is slated to begin in spring 2010 and is expected to take 12 to 18 months, Sterling said. The church, which is being funded by parishioner donations, is scheduled to open by the end of 2011.

Sterling said a three-year $1.2 million loan for the property was paid off Nov. 12 with parishioner donations.

Gwendolyn Clerkley, 52, of Upper Marlboro is a member of the expansion ministry, which manages the church's expansion logistics and was formed five years ago. The ministry is composed of six parishioners and Sterling.

Clerkley said that to date, the church has raised about $3 million, which has paid for the land and preconstruction costs.

"In an economic time where employees in the state and local governments are being furloughed, everyone is feeling the financial pinch. The project continues to move forward with the total support of the congregation," she said. "I just see this as a tremendous opportunity for our church family to grow and to really see the hand of God work."

The new 50,000-square-foot building will have a sanctuary, about 20 classrooms or conference rooms, a multiuse area, an administrative wing and at least 300 parking spaces.

Sterling said the new sanctuary will seat about 1,200 people — the current church holds 250 people.

Currently, the church's first Sunday service is held at the church and draws the church's maximum capacity, while the second service is held in the auditorium of Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt and draws about 600 people.

"I'm looking forward to a time when we can get everybody together," Sterling said.

Sterling said after the move, the church will retain the old facility, using it for meeting space. Sterling hopes a new church run by a new pastor will establish itself at the location, or the building may be used by the Prince George's Baptist Association.

Initially, the new church will be called Kettering Baptist Church until a new name is chosen.

Jimmy Caldwell, 57, of Bowie said purchasing the property was the first physical milestone for what the congregation is trying to accomplish. The second, and more visible, was the groundbreaking.

"They can see that the process is moving forward," he said. "People are looking forward to it."

Caldwell said the most important thing is having a worship space that can accommodate all of the church's members.

"We'll have one place where we can meet for our Sunday services and also be able to accommodate other meetings, ministries," Caldwell said.