In 1874, a group of faithful Methodists built a church not just for themselves, but for generations to come. More than 150 years later, we are the recipients of their trust and generosity.
The 1874 Project is our opportunity to care for that legacy. This is not about expansion or extravagance—it’s about stewardship. Our historic space has supported worship, mission, and community for decades. Now, with real needs impacting safety, accessibility, and hospitality, we are called to care for this space faithfully and prepare it for those who will come after us.
Garden Level
Some of the building’s most serious issues are structural. Hidden beneath old wood floors and behind plaster walls the dirt and limestone foundation is deteriorating. Repairing it isn’t optional if we want the building to last, but the timing is still ours to choose. If we wait, we risk losing use of Fellowship Hall and the Garden Level, limiting ministry and increasing both cost and disruption. This is our chance to act before urgency becomes crisis.
These images are along the south garden level wall (Route 56) where the floor has sunk 3+ inches and it’s where chipmunks like to hide.
Garden Level Accessibility
This project is also an opportunity to:
- Improve or add accessibility
- Eliminate dead or limited-use space (especially in Fellowship Hall.)
- Increase flexibility for ministry and community use
- Install plumbing and modern electrical service
Project Scope Garden Level
- Create multipurpose space with storage and A/V in Garden Level
- Replace failing Garden Level foundation with concrete floor and vapor barrier
- Upgrade wood structural supports under Fellowship Hall with steel beams
- Add hallway connecting 2nd Street entrance to Atrium
- Make entire 1874 building fully accessible (ramp, flat entry, accessible restroom)
We are creating a large multipurpose room with partitions. With room for about 50, the large space can be a chapel, Sunday School classrooms, a big meeting, or small groups. A new quiet room will be added along with storage and a serving counter with mini fridge and sink.
Future Uses of Garden Level Space
AI Generated. Note that the Chapel will be oriented on the east side of the space.
Fellowship Hall / 2nd Floor
Fellowship Hall Challenges
- Flooring in Fellowship Hall is spongy and has degraded in spots.
- Balcony Pews are considered unsafe and have been cordoned off for 10 years.
- Lighting panels are breaking down and are confusing.
- Storage and organization of coffee bar is challenging.
- Access to storage behind coffee bar is considered unsafe to some.
- Audio System is antiquated and we have difficulty running meetings and events that need video.
Fellowship Hall Project Scope
- Remove Balcony Pews
- New Coffee Bar on East End of Fellowship Hall
- Open area behind current coffee bar (previously was the chancel area) and open up as small stage area
- Fix and restore ceiling
- Upgrade lighting
- Replace flooring
- Update electrical
- Upgrade Audio-Visual Systems
- Refresh Bell Tower Stairway
Not Architecturally Accurate.
Convert Coffee Bar to Stage
- Structural beam at the base of the current coffee bar can’t be removed
- Beam creates safety issues and limits usability
- Area was originally part of the chancel and pipe organ
- Opening the space creates a small but acoustically strong stage
- Ideal for presentations, music, and gatherings—especially with upgraded A/V
- Responds to frequent community requests for performance-ready space
Not Architecturally Accurate.
Remove Balcony and Relocate Coffee Bar
- Balcony is unsafe and is underused “dead space” that no longer serves its original purpose
- Removing it adds usable square footage and opens up the room
- Relocating the coffee bar allows us to design for how we serve coffee today
- New layout includes cabinet storage for mugs, dishes and supplies
- Creates space for multiple people to work comfortably
- Improves overall flow, function, and flexibility of Fellowship Hall
Renderings of Future Uses of Fellowship Hall
For 152 years, this space has been a place of worship, mission, and community life.
It has hosted prayer and praise, service projects and rummage sales, quiet reflection and joyful gathering. It has been used so fully, so faithfully, that the floors themselves are beginning to give way.
These images are AI-generated, but our calling is not artificial. We are called to illuminate our community with God’s grace.
Now is the moment to strengthen what has carried that calling for generations so that this sacred, shared space can continue to serve long into the future.
