BEDFORD – Bedrock Community Church, Inc. has received tax exemption from the Bedford County Board of Supervisors for a property it recently purchased in the City of Bedford.

Bedrock’s church building, “The Outpost,” is located on East Main Street in Bedford in a building that formerly housed the weekly newspaper, the Bedford Bulletin. The church, which formerly met at Liberty High School, recently purchased a building at 403 Otey St., next to Outpost.

The church hosts Celebrate Recovery meetings and other social opportunities and provides meeting space for community partners, according to a staff report during the Aug. 12 Board of Supervisors meeting. The tax-exempt status means the county does not receive just over $13,000 in annual tax revenue from the property.

The ordinance states that the board of directors may grant a property tax exemption if the organization serves a public need and thereby provides benefits to the public that are equal to or greater than the tax loss.

Patrick Skelley, the county’s district attorney, said he believes the use of the building is for a charitable purpose and that he had observed the benefits Celebrate Recovery brings to the community during his previous work in the social services department.

Pastor Jonge Tate of Bedrock Community Church spoke to the board about plans for the Otey Street building.

“We are very excited about what the building can do for the community,” Tate said. “We need space for children, especially on Sundays, because we are running out of space.”

The church attracts several hundred children on Sundays, he said.

“This space provides another opportunity for growth for the community, but we have no interest in owning a building that sits empty the rest of the week,” Tate said. “We can envision it being used for counseling services.”

Another planned use is a LifeWise Academy, which would provide tutoring to students between 3 and 6 p.m., Tate said. In discussions with police and social services, he said many students are home without parental supervision during that time and that this initiative meets a need.

Tate said volunteers will help with the operation. He said Bedrock also plans to start a church in Forest to free up space at its main facility in Bedford.

The board’s vote to exempt the Otey Street property from taxes was unanimous. Principal Charla Bansley, who said she attends Bedrock School, abstained.