Churches renovate to "let the spirit in"

At least three NCNC churches have completed major building transformations this summer, despite gloomy predictions about money and anxiety about the future of local congregations.  Vision and generosity trumped fear.   As one pastor said, "The spirit came knocking, and we knew we needed to open up to let it in."
     Community UCC, La Selva and Community UCC, Clarksburg both knew they needed basic improvements for safety, accessibility, parking, more space.  But instead of just piecemealing, they embarked on larger projects to redefine their worship space and their vision of who they are.

Clarksburg UCC before renovations

Congregational UCC, Danville made major changes to its whole campus to increase space and to start a new preschool.
     "After years of deferring maintenance and struggling with how to make our space more functional, our dream was to renovate our church to make it a more visible, welcoming, useable, accessible presence in the community," said Jane Grady, pastor at La Selva.
     All three churches spent considerable time in visioning how their space not only served their needs, but symbolized who they are.  They worked closely with local architects who spent lots of time listening to those needs and visions.
     "We helped our architect see that it wasn’t just more room we needed - although we do now have capacity for 170 folks, while before it was only 110 - but that we needed flexibility and openness," said Dennis Montzingo, pastor at Clarksburg. "We wanted to retain our style, yet have something new."

La Selva Beach UCC before renovations    

As community churches, both Clarksburg and La Selva play a key role in their small communities, and both welcomed the whole community to their rededications.  "Hundreds of folks came to our afternoon open house on May 23," said Grady.  "They were happy to see the preschool space safer and more accessible, but they were also simply pleased to see our love and care for our whole town.  Plus, everyone enjoyed the live music in the new courtyard and the tapas and tacos!"

     For their "re-birthdays" Clarksburg and La Selva chose Pentecost to rededicate their restored sanctuaries and campuses.  Danville’s is Sept. 19.
     For Clarksburg the rededication of the new sanctuary came after eight months of construction and 12 years of planning.  "We loved the original style of our 70 year old building," Montzingo said, "so we decided not to build a new sanctuary, but rather retain and renovate what we had."
     Asked what is different, he said "Everything is different and everything is the same.  We have more light.  We changed the direction of the building, what was the front is now the entrance.  This allows us to do a lot of new things."
    The churches had opportunities for members to do some of the work, reducing costs and increasing a sense of ownership.

Clarksburg UCC today

     La Selva received a low interest loan from the UCC Cornerstone Fund to help with financing.  A church member said, "Learning about this great service from the wider church and finding out that we were one of 175 other churches with Cornerstone loans made me feel connected to other churches going through a similar process, and reassured me that we would make it through the process." 

La Selva Beach UCC today

Congregational UCC, Danville work in progress

Congregational UCC, Danville built a new sanctuary and social hall some years ago, but had already outgrown some of the meeting rooms.  They also had retained their 50 year old original sanctuary, now called the Founder’s Building, for meeting space, but it was old and increasingly dysfunctional.  After a long visioning process the church decided to build in its place a new preschool and more meeting space for both the church and preschool.  A daily photo of the
destruction (including desacralization of the old sanctuary just a year ago in August 2009) and construction is posted on their website,  Completed ahead of schedule, the buildings will be dedicated Sept. 19 at 3pm with guests from the national UCC setting and local folks.
    Note from your editor: If your church has had a restoration, renovation, or new construction, please let me know, and send pictures!