For more than a century, members of the United Protestant Church have helped their fellow townspeople.

Now, they say, they could use some help.

The church basement sustained heavy damage in 2009, when the nearby Sterling Pond section of the Moosup River overflowed because of heavy March rain. It sent water cascading across Church Street into the small church. The water was removed from the basement, but it had damaged the floor enough that the wood had to be removed.

The floodwaters also left heavy mold about 2 feet high on the basement walls, which also had to be ripped out.

“The walls were built with tongue-in-groove boards that were heavily nailed together,” church member Bruce Glaude said. “That made it difficult to remove the damaged boards without causing some harm to the remaining sections of wall.”

Pastor Bonni Piccione said church leaders were unaware they could have applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assistance until the application deadline had passed. She said the church also did not have flood insurance.

Glaude said he hopes the church will be able to pour a new concrete floor in the basement and is looking for donations of wood, especially two-by-fours and drywall to fix the basement walls.

“If contractors have wood left over from jobs and would be willing to donate it to the church, we’d be truly grateful,” Glaude said.

He said workmen are scheduled to overhaul the furnace in the basement this week, including redesigning the heating system to create separate zones for the basement and the sanctuary on the main floor of the church. Presently, the sanctuary has only a large grate in the floor near the pulpit where heat rises from the basement.

“Sometimes we all gather as close to the vent as possible for our worship services,” Piccione said with a laugh.

The United Protestant Church has been part of Sterling for 115 years, opening for worship services and other gatherings in 1896 on land donated for its construction two years earlier. In its early days, it was a vital part of the Sterling village community, members say.

Church treasurer Mary Brown said a history of the church indicates it has a lengthy record of helping local causes.

“Our church donated money to help with the construction of St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church next door,” Brown said.

St. Joseph was among several churches closed in 2009 by the Diocese of Norwich. A “for sale” sign now sits on the front lawn of the church.

Piccione said the small congregation of about 25 members, 20 of whom are active, knits mittens, gloves and hats for local schoolchildren each year, contributes to food drives at Project PIN, the food bank that serves the Plainfield-Sterling area, and helps in other community causes.

If funds can be raised, Piccione said, the congregation wants to refurbish the kitchen in the basement so it can serve suppers again and host other fundraisers.

“We’d also be able to offer our basement facilities to community groups such as Boy Scout or Girl Scout troops or other organizations looking for a place to call home,” Piccione said.

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Sterling church seeks help with basement repairs

Hilton Head Island has grown up with First Baptist Church, which celebrates its 50th anniversary today.

The first gathering of the congregation -- six years before it officially became a church-- was held in the home of Lois and Norris Richardson. That Sunday school meeting of 56 people came only a few weeks after the Richardsons opened a grocery store on an island so remote it initially had more wild boar and alligators beating down its door than customers.

Business was so slow at the market that Lois Richardson had time to become Charles Fraser's first employee in Sea Pines.

But their Forest Beach Market would evolve into Coligny Plaza with more than 60 shops and restaurants.

And the church on South Forest Beach Drive would evolve into one known for missions, particularly on the beaches.

Its Easter sunrise service on the beach attracts close to 1,000 people. And in 1991, it was named the national Resorts Missionary Church of the Year by the Southern Baptist Convention for programs involving as many as 15 summer missionaries meeting people on the beach, at ball games and in a coffee house at Coligny Plaza where they performed music and skits.

"It enabled the church to touch a lot of lives outside the four walls of the church," said the Rev. Felix Haynes Jr. of St. Simons Island, Ga., the pastor from 1979 to 1994.

First Baptist calls itself the "visitors' church" because waves of vacationers from all over the world pass through each year.

"We've always been visitor-friendly because we're visitor-located," said the Rev. John F. Keller, pastor for the past 18 years. "We're by the beach with short-term rentals all around us."

But in its first meetings, there were no walls to hold missionaries in or visitors out.

They worshiped on the ground-level cement slab beneath the Richardsons' home on the ocean on Bayberry Lane.

A NEW SONG

It all started about the time Hilton Head Island got its first bridge, in the spring of 1956.

Virgil Woods went to Ridgeland Baptist Church concerning a mission Sunday school on the island.

When the Richardson family of five moved to the island that summer, they offered their new home to be the church's temporary home and put up signs in the store inviting people to come.

Lois Richardson recalls that they borrowed chairs and benches from the Ridgeland church and her son, James N. "J.R." Richardson Jr., then about 11, had to set them up and take them down every week.

She says the collection was never more than $10.

When a man with three young girls came to work for the island's chamber of commerce, the girls attended the new church and played with the Richardson children during the week. One day Lois Richardson overheard them downstairs pretending they were holding church.

"(J.R.) said he'd be the preacher and one of the girls said she'd lead the singing," Lois Richardson said. Another girl asked what they were going to sing. And the song leader said: "You know we're going to sing 'Hound Dog.' "

FULL CIRCLE

The church became a mission of the Baptist Church of Beaufort and built a small sanctuary across from the old William Hilton Inn.

It incorporated on its own on Feb. 18, 1962, with 37 charter members. It has always been on South Forest Beach Drive on land donated by Fraser and his family's Sea Pines Co. The Frasers donated land for several other churches, as well.

The late Rev. Wilford M. Lee was a beloved figure as he led the church from 1968 to 1979, a period of much growth and construction.

Today, Keller sees new challenges for his church as the island changes, as well as the church at-large.

"In the early church of Acts, they were turning the world upside down," Keller said. "Today in many ways the world has turned the church upside down. With the church seeming to be so needy, it's almost as if it feels it has to be like the world to attract the world. It used to hold much stronger to doctrine."

He said his church is "more of a Bible-focused, Christ-centered church."

Haynes said its first half century has been marked by "being alert to ways it could minister way beyond its location, being sensitive to its unique setting, and touching a lot of lives."

And while the island has grown up with First Baptist, things seem to have come full circle. Just like 1962, the island finds itself peering into an uncharted transition, Keller said.

"The island is pretty much built out. What is it going to be in years to come? What should we be doing today to help shape that? We really need to pray for the leaders in our community."

Follow columnist David Lauderdale at twitter.com/ThatsLauderdale.

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First Baptist Church of Hilton Head Island

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Baptist church flows with change for 50 years

FLOYDS KNOBS — Wow.

That may be the best way to describe St. Mary of the Knobs’ new home. It’s a word St. Mary’s priest, the Rev. Mike Hilderbrand, expects to hear a lot in the next few months about the under-construction church.

“It’s a term I think people will use for a long time,” he said while glancing at the interior of the structure.

Construction crews are putting the finishing touches on the new church, which will be dedicated at 2 p.m., March 25, with a Mass which will include the bishop and several visiting priests. The new church will replace the one built in 1907, which seats 350 people. The new church seats 964 and helps accommodate the tremendous growth the parish has experienced in recent years.

“This is for future generations, just like that church was built for that generation,” Hilderbrand said.

HOW THEY GOT HERE

It’s taken a lot of work and effort to get to this point, according to both Hilderbrand and J. Patrick Byrne, a member of the church’s executive committee. The idea of building a new church or activities center was first brought up in 2005 when a parishioner donated 33 acres of land adjacent to the current church off St. Mary’s Road. In 2006, under the leadership of the Rev. John Geis, who has since retired, a fundraising effort began.

“In April of 2006 we met with Father John and the archbishop [Daniel Buechlein]. The archbishop shared with us that it was his vision to build a new church and activities center on the property,” Byrne said. “We put together a feasibility study and it was about 50/50 among members ... some members said we needed a new church and others wanted an activities center. We decided to do it all together instead of two stages.”

A capital campaign got under way in 2007. To date, the church has received $11 million in pledges with $7 million already collected. The church borrowed money from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis to build the two structures and Byrne hopes to have the loan and all of the pledges collected by 2018.

Two Floyd County construction companies — Koetter Construction and AML Inc. — teamed up on the project. Koetter is constructing the church while AML Inc. built the Geis Activities Center, named after the church’s former priest. It opened last year and includes a basketball court and walking track. Owners of both companies are members of the church.

“Everyone has worked together and within the budget,” Byrne said. “We are really blessed, both the Bob Libs family [AML] and Koetter family are very involved and active in the parish.”

Byrne said the two facilities were built with the “vision of the parish” in mind.

“We were very careful, and documented everyone’s concerns. We wanted the parish members to take ownership in this project,” he said.

WHAT GOES WHERE

Marilyn Merkel, coordinator of liturgy and music, said the church was built using guidelines established by U.S. Catholic Bishops as far as where items are to be placed inside the structure.

“I think we were able to educate the parishioners with what the bishops’ directed us to do,” she said.

One feature of the new church is the high ceiling — 65 feet from floor to ceiling, and the semi-circular position of the pews.

Byrne said the church received pledges from more than 500 families in the parish as well as from people who do not have ties to the church. Hilderbrand, who has been pastor at St. Mary of the Knobs for less than two years, says there are about 1,000 families who belong to the church.

St. Mary of the Knobs is the oldest church in the Archdiocese of Indianapolis and was founded in 1823. The church has had four structures and the new church sits less than a mile from where the original log cabin church sat.

The church was founded by German and French settlers who wanted to avoid malaria and other illnesses in New Albany and migrated up the hill. Byrne’s great-great grandfather, Thomas Piers, donated the land for the first church.

There is also a connector building being built between the church and activities center which will be a shell until it’s completed in the future. It will be used as a fellowship hall as well as house some church offices.

ACTIVITY TIME

Along with the two new buildings, a softball and baseball field have been built on the property along with a football/soccer field with goal posts and a scoreboard. St. Mary of the Knobs Catholic School has students from pre-kindergarten to grade six, but there is hopes of adding a junior high one day. The entire complex, church, school, activities center and athletic fields sit on 92 acres.

“This is a multigenerational complex, not only for the present but also for future generations,” Hilderbrand said. “This is built on the shoulders of so many people. It’s exciting ... I inherited it. So many hours of work has gone into this project.”

Byrne said the Geis Activities Center has been a hit with parishioners.

“It’s been phenomenal,” he said. “We had to look at our long-term needs. Our old [school] gym had no seating capacity, and now the Geis center has so much going on. You can walk in there and see kids playing basketball and people on the walking track at the same time. Different age groups are enjoying the center.”

The current church will continue to be used after the new structure is open for weddings or other events.

“It’s been overwhelming,” Byrne said of the cooperation and entire scope of the project. “From the beginning, there is no doubt the Holy Spirit is directing us. This has gone way beyond my expectations. We visited other churches in 2006 to get ideas but this has turned out to be so much more.”

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Growing faith: St. Mary of the Knobs has room to flourish with new church building

15-02-2012 20:59

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Church construction Part 1 - Video

April 27, 2001

Construction at St. Clement's Church, 1510 Bopp Road, is causing parking problems on neighboring streets in Bayberry Subdivision.

Jennifer Janson, subdivision trustee, told the Des Peres Board of Aldermen on Monday that some residents along Kendon Drive had asked her to bring their concerns to the board.

"There is a walkway between the neighborhood and the parish. Many people are parking along Kendon and using the sidewalk to go to church. Also, during the week, parents are picking up and dropping off their children," Janson said.

Janson suggested that maybe the city could just allow parking on one side of the street.

"I would just like a solution that works," she said.

Des Peres Public Safety Director Bill Bridges said his department had gotten other complaints about the parking situation.

Denis Knock, director of public works, said the new addition and auditorium which the church was building, would take another year-and-a half to complete.

"With the construction, this is a quick way to drop off and pick up the kids, and leave the church on Sunday. We'll be looking into this and will make a report to the board," Knock said.

Janson also asked the board about the possibility of putting a sidewalk in an easement area between the subdivision and Harwood Hills.

Janson, who said she had just lived in the subdivision for two years and had no background on the former sidewalk request, said residents who would like the city to put a sidewalk on the easement had approached her.

"Now, they're afraid to use the easement. The gentleman who lives next to that property has hung a 'No trespassing' sign at the end of the street and has planted some bushes, and this really is an easement," Janson said.

Knock said the property in question was an old "paper street."

"One time we had approved the sidewalk, but the property owner who abuts that property said he didn't want it. No one else showed up at the meeting to speak in favor of the sidewalk, so we let it go," Knock said.

Knock said the city would take another look at the files.

"It may be that we'll have some more meetings on this matter if other residents want the sidewalk," he said.

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St. Clement's Church Expansion Causes Parking Woes For Neighbors

15-02-2012 08:53 01.29.12 Service with Kelly Stickel, Victory Church, Lethbridge, AB. Renewal breaks down our resistance to God's rule in our life. A renewed mind results in a transformed life. In other words, to the degree that we get in on this process of renewal is the degree to which we will have success and experience transformation. In the conclusion to the series Pastor Kelly talks about part two of the renewal process.

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01.29.12 Character Under Construction - pt 5 - Video

FAITH IN QUESTION: Citilife Church senior pastor Jonathan Oastler says the dispute over the Masters hardware store development on Hume St has him questioning his faith in Toowoomba Regional Council.

Nev Madsen

Should all development applications be publicly notified and open to public objection?

COMMUNITY church and school officials claim their objections to a massive Masters hardware store development were ignored by Toowoomba Regional Council.

A public meeting will be held on Sunday in an attempt to rally support before the matter is be heard in the Planning and Environment Court in Brisbane on March 7 and 8.

The Christian Outreach Centre, which owns the Christian Outreach College and Citilife Church, was notified in 2009 that there were plans to develop the vacant lot next to the college.

Senior pastor Jonathan Oastler said the centre had co-operated with the developer McNab and Toowoomba Regional Council in the early stages of the development.

However, senior pastor Oastler claims issues arose when McNab lodged changed plans with council last year.

Despite lodging an objection, senior pastor Oastler claims Toowoomba Regional Council ignored the concerns, which centred on traffic and noise impacts.

The development was approved in November last year.

Senior pastor Oastler said he had lost confidence in Toowoomba Regional Council's development approval process.

"We found out before it was approved, we objected and yet council approved it anyway," he said.

"We believe the court case in March will result in a positive outcome for us."

Senior pastor Oastler said the issues were compounded when Toowoomba Regional Council moved to resume a strip of land along the college's northern boundary.

He said the resumption of that land would block the college's plans to build a childcare centre and grandstands.

"We communicated with council about the massive impact this would have, but council went ahead anyway."

A Toowoomba Regional Council spokesman said the matter was "a complex one" and declined to comment in detail because it was before the Planning and Environment Court.

"On the one hand there is a developer who has a legal right to develop his or her land, and on the other a neighbouring property owner with the legal right to protect his or her interests," the spokesman said.

"Adding to that complexity there is a need for an essential infrastructure easement to service both properties, as well as potential further development in the area into the future.

"Council is trying to facilitate a without-prejudice discussion between all parties in an attempt to reach a fair and reasonable outcome."

McNab also declined to comment in detail because the matter was before the Planning and Environment Court.

However, the company did inform The Chronicle that it had "all the relevant development permits for a material change of use, operational works and building works to commence and complete the construction works on the Hume St site'.

The public rally will be held at 2pm this Sunday at the Christian Outreach College's multipurpose hall.

Continued here:
Church angry at council decision

About 15 years ago, the historic Grace Episcopal Church on High Street faced the possibility of closing its doors to parishioners for good. Church attendance dwindled, maintenance problems mounted and the Episcopal Diocese deemed it a “troubled parish.”

Without the resources to maintain the 143-year-old building, rainwater began seeping in through the roof and between the field-cut stones that make up the exterior, damaging walls inside the sanctuary.

A dramatic shift occurred in the last few years, however, because last spring the church managed to raise $700,000 in just four months for its capital campaign to restore the historic building.

“We spent years going after grants,” said the Rev. Noah H. Evans. “There was not a lot of money in state grants so the parish had to pull together and raise the money ourselves.”

With the first phase of renovations now complete, Evans points to the lay leadership’s active persistence as the impetus behind the church’s rejuvenation.

“The parish became invigorated in its mission,” Evans said. “Lay leadership became strong, reached out to the diverse families of Medford and embraced a radical welcome of all people.”

While Evans credits parish members for the positive changes, parishioners like Wes Foot, who chairs the church’s building committee, turn the blame back on their pastor, who assumed the post in March 2008.

“I think our current rector is just the kind of man to inspire this kind of stewardship and taking care of our building,” said Foot. “I think that’s the biggest thing that’s happened.”

Over the last 15 years, average Sunday attendance more than tripled, increasing 25 percent in the last two years. Annual giving grew more than 30 percent in the last three years under Evans’ leadership, despite the economic downturn.

Phase 1 complete

The Grace Church restoration project encompasses three phases: sealing the exterior and replacing damaged inner walls, restoring the bell tower and “greening” the church with new environmental features like LED lighting and solar panels.

The first phase, which just wrapped up, took on the most pressing issues facing the church, namely leaks and water damage.

“We had a lot of water leakage either through the walls by rain or from the roof leaking at the upper level and it damaged the interior walls,” said parishioner Warren Ramirez. “Interior walls were stained and plaster was damaged. Our primary concern is finding a way to waterproof the outside of the building.”

The contactor assigned to the project, The Architectural Team, “repointed” stones, or reapplied mortar around the original outer stonework, to prevent water from seeping back into the church.

Architect Michael Fontaine said the biggest challenge with a project like this is making sure the appearance stays the same while using newer materials that provide a longer lasting structural lifespan.

The church is the oldest standing building designed by Henry Hobson Richardson, the famed 19th century architect who also designed Trinity Episcopal Church in Copley Square, Boston. That’s one reason why it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For the first time in decades, Grace Episcopal parishioners got a peak at the church’s exposed back wall where waterlogged plaster was torn down and replaced.

Tiles were also replaced on the roof with shiny copper flashing, and an ice and water shield was reapplied beneath part of the roof to prevent future leaks.

The second phase of the project, which consists of restoring the 90-foot-tall bell tower, will take place in the spring of 2012. Parish historian Allison Andrews pointed out how the tower, dating back to the 1880s, remains one of the largest in the city.

“It was meant to be used as a fire bell for the city of Medford, but for some unknown reason it was never used,” Andrews said.

Andrews also pointed out how the field cut stones that make up the exterior climb all the way to the top of the tower, unlike the rest of the building. Andrews regards the stones as one of the church’s most fascinating historical and architectural features.

“It’s built with uncut filed stones and natural boulders,” Andrews said. “They jut out at various angles and some stick out more than others, giving a very textural effect.”

Andrews added the church’s most famous parishioner was Amelia Earhart, who moved to Medford with her mother and sister in the 1920s.

Another significant historical feature of the church includes a famous piece of stained glass in the sanctuary called “Rebecca at the Well,” which was created by American artist John LaFarge.

With parishioners like Jonathan and Alicia Hunt, who have organized “green up/cleans ups” at Medford parks and supported other green initiatives around the city, adding an environmental component to the historic renovation seemed almost inevitable.

Jonathan Hunt said the church currently uses two commercial-scale boilers that are about 40 years old. Replacing them with two similarly sized, high-efficiency boilers will save the church 10 to 15 percent on its energy consumption.

The church will take other steps to increase efficiency as well by installing interior storm windows to help insulate the building. Hunt also worked in concert with Andrews to find appropriate, higher-efficiency lighting for the church.

“The lighting levels are not where we want them to be, especially for aging members of the parish,” Hunt said. “People won’t see the direct light. It will increase the ambient light levels and make the stained glass more visible, but it won’t be obvious as to the light fixtures in the historic place.”

The church will also lease part of its roof space in the newer wing for solar panels, which will offset 25 percent of the building’s electricity usage. Hunt said the solar panels not only save electricity but will also include a monitoring station to get more parishioners and community members interested in renewable energy.

“It’s about doing what we can to meet our needs now and in the future, but it also helps our parishioners be better stewards of the environment,” he said.

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Medford church receives much needed face lift

Debt-free church nears completion Our Lady of Guadalupe gets a new ...

Stepping from the 40-year-old Our Lady of Guadalupe church to the new one — which is in the last stages of construction — one sees a striking difference in the light.

The old church is dark even on a sunny afternoon, while light pours into the new building from windows seen and unseen, shimmering on a white tile floor still being laid down.

"The light is wonderful," said the Rev. Roberto Saldivar, the church's pastor, on a recent tour of the construction site. "It just highlights the beauty of everything. ... The chapel is my favorite thing. It has the highest ceiling in the building, and it's so open, so it just brings you into a different prayer atmosphere."

Our Lady of Guadalupe, a Catholic cornerstone in Oxnard's La Colonia neighborhood, is on track to be finished by a self-imposed Feb. 25 deadline. Archbishop Jose Gomez, the new head of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, is scheduled to lead the first Mass there on March 28.

By the time construction ends, the church expects to have raised the last of the $7 million construction budget and cleared the last of its debt on the project, Saldivar said.

The most recent major donation was $100,000 from the Gene Haas Foundation, the charity arm of Haas Automation Inc. in Oxnard that makes computer-controlled machine tools. That brings the Haas Foundation's total contribution to $1.1 million, Saldivar said.

"We were planning to just have concrete floors because that's all we could afford, but that $100,000 grant paid for the tile floor," Saldivar said. "We just had to match it by raising our own $100,000, and we did."

Gene Haas, founder of the company, said former Ventura County Supervisor John Flynn, a member of the church's fundraising committee, approached him about donating years ago when planning was starting for the new church.

"I said I'd be glad to help, and he came up with a round figure of about a million dollars," Haas said.

Haas isn't a parish member but was raised as a Catholic.

"A lot of the workers here (at Haas Automation) go to church there, so it was just kind of a community thing," he said. "Someone asked for help, and we did what we could."

Haas' willingness "to donate whatever amount we needed was truly incredible," Flynn said in a statement.

Most of the money for the project came from parishioners of the church, which is in one of the poorest sections of the city. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which includes Oxnard, loaned the parish the money, but Our Lady of Guadalupe has been paying it back with the donations, Saldivar said.

"This community has generated over $5 million," he said. "We're talking about agricultural workers and these very humble people. ... It's not easy to raise that much money in a poor parish."

When the project ends, parishioners will have a good deal more elbow room. Saldivar said the church now holds about 600 people. To accommodate them, Our Lady of Guadalupe holds 11 Masses every weekend and two on most weekdays.

"It's standing-room-only most of the time," he said.

The new facility is about 17,000 square feet and will hold 1,300 people. Saldivar said he will cut back to nine Masses per weekend.

About 90 percent of church services are conducted in Spanish, Saldivar said. He hopes the new church will prompt some English-speaking people who live nearby to visit.

"We do have a couple of bilingual Masses and one in English, and we would like to do more," he said.

When the new church is done, the old one will be converted into a parish hall for meetings and other events. The existing parish hall will be turned into offices.

Then Our Lady of Guadalupe will focus on its school, which sits in the shadow of the new church. It needs to be renovated, which will cost about $4.5 million. The parish will start fundraising for that project as soon as it's finished with the new church.

"Now we start over and do it again," Saldivar said.

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Oxnard community rallies to pay for $7 million church in La Colonia

POSTED: 4:24 pm EST February 14, 2012
UPDATED: 4:48 pm EST February 14, 2012

OVIEDO, Fla -- A historic Central Florida church on the brink of foreclosure could be saved.Bank of America and the Mission Road Church of God in Oviedo are now working on a possible settlement agreement after the church's pastor said the bank refused to negotiate for almost a month.The church's attorney is now working with the bank's attorney and it will be up to the bank to accept the offer."This is great news. We just have to see if we can come to a final agreement. It's been a nightmare for all of us," said Pastor Larry Perkins.The church has been trying to keep the doors open for its community. The 76-year-old institution faced struggles in 2005 when the general contractor who was a year-and-a-half into construction and renovations suddenly died."Everything stopped and the bank and I talked," Perkins said.Perkins and other members cashed in their 401(k) accounts and raised money to keep the day care, free tutoring sessions, learning center and more up and running."If it closed, I'd have nowhere to take my son. I tried other places and I couldn't get in," said parent Mildred Clarke.Bank of America said the church has been in default since 2008 and currently owes in excess of $1.9 million."It took all the way until December 2011 to get someone to say, 'Hey, I'll finance you,'" Perkins said.A spokesperson for Bank of America said after rounds of extensions, discussions and three foreclosure sale dates, time was up.One of the church's longest standing members, 84-year-old Ollie Bell Davis, said she kept the prayer lines open."I prayed to the Lord every day and every night, and every moment in the day that I could," Davis said.

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Church Facing Foreclosure Could Be Saved