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Visions for
Tomorrow: When our church moved from downtown to Mission Valley almost 40 years ago, the congregation could not afford to finish the plans that included a fellowship hall, a bell tower, and a chapel. Since then, we have completed Linder Hall and the bell tower. Space and building needs are continuously evaluated at First Church, and the time is right to complete the chapel and to add a much-needed music building. Growth of our ministry and church, through expanded services and education areas, are the primary goals. Planned uses for the chapel and music building are: In addition to serving its main function as a choir rehearsal room, the music building would accommodate seminar-style educational programs, such as the School of Christian Studies. Alternatives to the construction of a chapel and music room have been studied. Our building north of (below) the Sanctuary is most suitable for Sunday school programs, and would not be well accommodated to chapel or music uses. Linder Hall has a utilitarian feel which lacks the grace and serenity that a more formal chapel would offer. Further, it is used so widely on Sunday morning as to make it infeasible for choir rehearsal before the services. The Cove in the United Methodist Center seems best suited for casual worship and informal gatherings and lacks the warmth we hope the chapel would inspire. Project History Plans for the development of a chapel and music building have
been evolving over the past four years, with the following major
decision points and milestones: Costs and Design Per Church Conference directions, design concepts for a chapel and music building to be built to the west of our Sanctuary were developed by Neil Larson and the architectural firm of Larson/Carpenter. The current design includes a 1-story, 6,800 square-foot building with 100-seat chapel, 125-person music rehearsal room, choir robe storage, music library, music offices, kitchenette, and rest rooms. Final approval from both the District and the church is needed prior to actual construction. The current design and construction cost for the chapel and music building was preliminarily estimated at $2.8 million. $800,000 has already been pledged for the project through designated funds. While the church’s ministry is expected to reap positive benefits from the project, current programming should not be affected. Remaining expenses would come through alternate sources, such as estate gifts and planned giving sources. First Church does not intend to fund the chapel and music building with another capital campaign. Over the past several months there have been members of our congregation who have indicated a willingness to financially support the development of the chapel and music building. It is with this generosity, in addition to memorial gifting and naming opportunities, that we can make this building a reality. Please contact Tom Hamilton or Russ Stai if you are interested in supporting this exciting project. Once the building has been completed, it is expected to generate enough income from events (e.g. weddings) to offset its maintenance costs. Parking Concerns have been raised regarding parking to the west of the Sanctuary. The plan calls for reconfiguration, relocation and limited reduction of current parking spaces. All west side parking would be dedicated for senior and disabled drivers, and a parking assistance program, including a six to eight person shuttle, is being considered. Visions for Tomorrow With 2004 being our church’s 40th anniversary in Mission Valley, wouldn’t it be nice to complete this magnificent plan and dream? The construction would be highly visible in Mission Valley, and is truly an opportunity to create a "buzz" in the community and attract new members. |
After several months of
construction, the Chapel and Music Buildings are almost complete
and ready for occupancy. Completion is now expected to be in
late April due to some upgrades that were originally taken out
of the budget, but now seem to be appropriate for this wonderful
project. They include glass doors and a curved canopy for the
entry to the Chapel foyer and brass-like doors into the Chapel
itself. The chairs for both buildings have been ordered and
will be delivered prior to completion. In no time at all, both
of these facilities will be available for use whether for choir
practice and Christian Studies in the Music Room, or weddings
and memorial services in the Chapel.