St. Mary’s is moving forward with its mission to “Open Doors” with greater accessibility, dedicated space for Christian formation, and improved hospitality places for gathering and celebrating. This is an historic moment! The Open Doors construction project began in August, with the first project being the installation of air-conditioning in the church and chapel.
The Open Doors campaign and construction project is possible, thanks to the generosity and commitment of the St. Mary’s community, which to date has pledged approximately $1.2 million—far more than has been raised in any previous campaign.
Based on the amount of money pledged and the financial resources of St. Mary’s, the Vestry has unanimously approved a final, revised $1.7 million construction and renovation plan, as recommended by our Master Plan Committee. The construction project includes:
- Air-conditioning in the Church, Chapel, Rectory and the area above the offices;
- Renovation and expansion of the Library Lounge and Library Lounge Kitchen;
- Construction of an exterior ramp into the church and a lift to provide easier access with dignity to our worship space and gathering places for people with disabilities;
- Remodeled and additional restrooms with handicap access on the main level, off the Auditorium, and on the lower Educational level;
- Updated and painted dedicated classrooms for our Nursery, Atrium, Saving Wisdom, Youth, and J2A programs;
- New, larger space on the lower level for the Treasure Chest. (Located beneath the choir room and accessible from the auditorium entrance off Crescent Avenue.)
- New warming kitchen off the Auditorium;
- Installation of a new oven hood and ventilation ductwork in the Main Kitchen off the Dining Room (necessary for safety reasons and to meet Code)
- Updating of the stage in Auditorium (also required for Code compliance)
- Renovated Choir Room;
- Vesting Area off the balcony;
- Christian Ed Staff Office and Conference Room (area above offices);
- Upgrades to electrical and plumbing systems.
In order to control costs, but without compromising the objectives of our Open Doors Campaign, the following items have been eliminated from the construction plan:
- Air-conditioning in Saving Wisdom South classrooms since these classrooms are not primarily used in the summertime;
- Complete renovation of the Main Kitchen;
- Moving the Choir Room and Director of Music Office (although the existing space will be renovated);
- Remodeling of the Chapel;
- Brick patio in courtyard.
Through this current effort, St. Mary’s honors its past, stands firm in our strong present, and looks with optimism and confidence to the future. Our generosity speaks of our collective belief in the abundance of God’s grace and blessings, and our commitment to our mission to welcoming others through our “Open Doors.”
Again, we thank you for your generous spirit and stewardship, and we look forward to answering any questions that you might have about the upcoming renovations. Thank you, too, for your patience and prayer during construction. We will make every effort to communicate with you on a regular basis with updated information. And we look forward to celebrating our accomplishments throughout the construction project.
Thanking Our Donors
Throughout the Open Doors Campaign, St. Mary’s led with its heart. Members of the congregation gave generously, allowing us to raise approximately $1.2 million, which greatly surpasses previous capital campaigns. Our intention remains to honor that generosity by recognizing the individuals and families who have helped make the Open Doors Campaign possible.
Our original idea was inscribe the names of donors on commemorative bricks, which together would create a brick patio in our courtyard. Our hearts were in the right place; however, our budget was not.
As the Master Plan Committee reviewed final costs with our architects, we were told that the cost of just putting down the footers for that brick patio would be more than $18,000—not counting the cost of the bricks! Although we remain firm in our intention to recognize donors, the Vestry concluded that we could find a more cost-efficient way to honor our donors, particularly as we try to cut costs in order to reduce the need to borrow money and pay interest on a term loan.
Nonetheless, donors to the Open Doors Campaign will be recognized in a manner that will provide the same type of recognition envisioned with the brick pavers. Ultimately, we give our thanks to all the donors to the Open Doors Campaign. No matter the amount, each pledge is important and vital to our future.
