Due to the deteriorating church building, many steps were taken in 2006 to discover whether it was more cost efficient to renovate or build a new church. Finance and Property, lead by Al MacIntyre dedicated many months of investigation and meetings and weighed all the pros and cons. When the cost figures were submitted, a congregational meeting was called and it was then voted to build a new church rather than renovating. It was then decided that two teams should be formed to continue this exciting journey.
In January of 2007 the teams were introduced:
The Design Team: Chair-Katherine Schaefer, Shelley MacLeod, Bruce Montgomery, Greg Walker and Nita Ellis
The Fundraising Team: – Chair Susan Cameron, Don Groom, Earith Ramsay, Marilyn Martin and Jacqeline Mair
The Design Team’s goal has been to help plan a church building that will meet our present functional needs as a congregation while allowing some flexibility for future space needs that new growth and programs might require.The Design Team did research for several months before beginning to plan as directed by the Finance and Property committee. They accumulated a lot of information from many individuals and church groups and had a suggestion box. They visited many newer churches in PEI and other Provinces and recorded the features they thought would best serve our needs.
In the summer of 2008, Finance and Property contracted a company called “Campaign for Coaches”. This group met with Finance and Property, Session members and some congregational members. With their help and several volunteers from the congregation the “Faith in our Future” campaign moved forward and with this a new revised fundraising team:
Faith in our Future Team – Chair-Susan Cameron, Rev Vicki Homes, Al MacIntyre, Roxanne Campbell, Don Craig, Nancy Harvey, DR Morrison and Mary Wilcox
All congregational members were contacted and visited if possible to discuss this new and exciting time in our church. With the visits calculated it was arrived at the feasibility and budget of our new church. Moving through “Our Faith in our Future” campaign was a exciting time as well as a time for questioning and reflection and a test of Faith.
Rev Vicki said it best “ In many ways this campaign has caused us to stop and reflect on who we are, what we hope to be and how we will achieve that goal ”.
Pam Campbell, the church’s Music Director wrote a beautiful song for our campaign “Faith in our Future” with Nancy Beck. The music composed by Pam and Nancy wrote the words. This was also a fundraiser for the new church by selling the autographed CD.
When the fund raising efforts were concluded, Session presented a budget to the congregation and the Design Team so more revisions were necessary on the new church plans. By 2009, Session directed the Design Team to continue working on the Coles Associates church plan and to try to identify ways to lower the projected building cost.
When the church design is put to tender, building contractors will be able to give a more accurate figure. The Design Team believes that the “Adapted church design” has a very good but modest functional design. The church must move forward and have Faith in our Future!!!
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