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    • Livestream >
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  • MINISTRY
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    • Crossroads
    • ADULT >
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      • Men's Ministry
      • Try Something New
    • Congregational Care >
      • About Congregational Care
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      • Hands and Hearts Ministry
      • sonshine
      • Meal Ministry
      • Muffin Ministry
      • flower delivery
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    • Our Story
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Sanctuary & Ashantilly Renovation Updates

December 2020 Update

The work is not yet done but the finish line is in sight. Although our sanctuary and Ashantilly Wing are still very much a construction zone with plenty of dust, equipment, and remaining tasks to be accomplished, it is beginning to feel more and more like the completed vision we set out to realize when this project began over twelve months ago.

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Much has been accomplished since our last video update to the congregation in August including:
  • Flooring installation completed throughout entire construction zone.
  • New pews and liturgical furniture have been delivered and installed.
  • Construction of a new library in the existing "chapel" space is underway.
  • Pathways have been paved and outdoor landscaping has commenced.

The big question we know is on everyone's mind is, "When will it be done?" Currently, the contractor hopes to complete their work sometime this month, which will be followed by the installation of our organ in January. This means the earliest we expect the renovation to be fully complete is likely late-January or early-February 2021.

Thank you for your continued prayers, words of encouragement, and support of this important project in the life of our congregation. As always, please feel free to contact any of us with any questions you might have about the renovation.

In Christ, 
SSPC Building Committee
Tom Baltzell (Chair), Karen Schmidt, Matt Hodgdon
Alan Dyer & Rhonda Hambright (Staff Participants)

August 2020 Update

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On August 8, over one hundred friends and members of St. Simons Presbyterian walked through the doors of the sanctuary in small groups for the first time in nearly a year as part of our Sanctuary Tour Day. It was a great day of seeing everyone, answering questions, and hearing the excitement grow as we dream together how these spaces will help to shape and guide the ministry of our church for many years to come.

Realizing that not everyone was able to attend, we have put together another video update to bring you up to speed on all that is happening behind the construction fence facing Kings Way. Be sure to watch to the end where we try to answer the Top 4 Most Frequent Asked Questions. 

Most of all we want to say: thank you. Thank you for your prayers, your words of encouragement, and your continuing support of this important project in the life of our congregation. As always, please feel free to contact any of us with any questions you might have about the renovation.

In Christ, 
SSPC Building Committee
Tom Baltzell (Chair), Karen Schmidt, Matt Hodgdon
Alan Dyer & Rhonda Hambright (Staff Participants)

May 2020 Update

Even in the face of a global pandemic and temporary cancellation of in-person activities at the church, the renovation of our Sanctuary and Ashantilly Wing has continued in earnest. Below you will find a video tour of the construction zone along with updated renderings that reflect what the finished spaces will look like. 

​As you will see and hear in the video tour below, there are four key design decisions that have been made since our last update:

  1. Flooring: After extensive research and deliberation, the decision was made to use wood floors in the chancel and porcelain tile floors throughout the rest of the sanctuary space. In addition to helping make the overall space feel much lighter and open, porcelain tile floors have the added benefit of being a much lower maintenance surface (e.g., holds up better in a sandy environment and will never need to be refinished), enhances overall acoustics of the space, and is priced such that we are now able to extend the same flooring throughout the gathering space and renovated Ashantilly Wing.
  2. Pews: The custom made pews in the sanctuary will be constructed of sapele wood with light color seat cushions. The backs of the pews will also be painted a soft white to further help make the entire sanctuary space feel lighter and more open. The end panels on the new pews have been modeled after the pews that were in the sanctuary prior in order to bring some of the old space into the new.
  3. Organ Case: One of the key features of the new sanctuary are the exposed pipes lifted about the chancel. After researching many other churches with similar architecture and style to ours, the decision was made to paint the organ case to better fit the overall feel of our space.
  4. Cross: The focal point of the chancel will be suspended cross that will hang above the chancel. The same IHS medallion that was at the center of the cross in the old chancel will be taken and installed at the center of this cross representing the fact that though the space may be different the love of our God is the same.

What began as a vision over five years ago is now becoming reality. We are building for the future mission and ministry of our congregation through spaces that will better connect us in worship, fellowship, and mission to the community and world far beyond the walls of our campus. Thank you for helping make this vision possible. 

In Christ, 
SSPC Building Committee
Tom Baltzell (Chair), Karen Schmidt, Matt Hodgdon
Alan Dyer & Rhonda Hambright (Staff Participants)
Budget Summary (as of 5/28/20)
Total Est. Project Cost: $4.57 million. This includes:
  • Sanctuary/Ashantilly Construction Contract
  • New Organ, A/V, and sanctuary furniture
  • New roof on entire campus
  • New library space
  • Music Attic Connector Construction (summer 2019)
  • Architect and Consultant Fees
  • Social Hall Worship Planning and Prep
Total Pledged: $4.05 million
Total Pledges Received: $3.40 million
Total Pledges Outstanding:​ $647,000


Project Timeline
The project contractor, RH Tyson, currently projects completing construction sometime in early November 2020. Once they are complete, installation of the pews, chancel furniture, and organ would begin. As such, we currently do not anticipate a fully complete space to be ready for use anytime before December 2020. This timeline is, of course, subject to change depending on variables related to the pandemic which could create delays on certain aspects of the project in coming months.

January 13, 2020

Things are beginning to take shape as we pass the three-month mark since the beginning of the renovation of the sanctuary and Ashantilly Wing. Up until now, the bulk of the work has involved old walls coming down and materials going out. Now we are beginning to see new walls going up and new materials arriving on-site. This month’s Renovation Update details work completed to-date and outlines several of the key tasks that will be accomplished in the coming weeks. Also included are several photos detailing the progress and updated renderings of what the renovated spaces will look like upon completion. A special thank you for the continued hard work of our Building Committee members – Tom Baltzell (chair), Karen Schmidt, and Matt Hodgdon – who are meeting nearly every week to help oversee and finalize plans for this transformational project in the life of our church. 
 
- Renovation Transition Team & Building Committee
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Updated Interior Renderings (As Of January 10, 2020)

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Past Renovation Updates (Click to View)

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November 2019 Renovation Update
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September 2019 Renovation Update
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June 2019 Renovation Update
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May 2019 Renovation Update

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January 17, 2019
Winter Update from Rev. Alan Dyer

There are some exciting developments to share with you about the progress of the “Heart and Soul Capital Campaign” and the planned renovation of our campus. First, we are delighted to announce that the campaign has now surpassed $3.5 million in pledged giving. You will find a note below from the campaign committee about the status and ongoing work of the campaign. We are grateful for every pledge of support – thank you!

While we are very encouraged by the strong response to the campaign, the session is also aware that at this point it is does not seem likely that we will reach the original $7 million target to fully fund a sanctuary renovation and build a new Ashantilly Wing. As such, at their meeting on Tuesday, January 15, the elders approved a plan that prioritizes the renovation of the sanctuary while holding off on the construction of a new Ashantilly Wing. This plan allows us to move forward in a timely and financially responsible manner with the important work of renewing and enhancing our worship space. As part of the project, we will also refresh and update the existing Ashantilly Wing which houses several important mission ministries of our church including the Hunger Action Team and music ministry.
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Please visit the back hallway where a board displaying the modified design will be available for your reference. Construction could begin as early as this summer. Not surprisingly, there is a lot of planning and work to be done between now and then. In the coming weeks and months, you will be hearing much more from the session, capital campaign committee, and other groups helping to lay the groundwork to make the vision reality. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to let me or any member of the session know.

Friends, I am incredibly excited about what the approaching renovation represents for our ministry together. I fully expect the completion of this project to represent a transformative moment in the life of the church which will help strengthen our common witness for Jesus Christ in this community and beyond for decades to come.
May 4, 2017
Spring Update from the Sanctuary Renovation Taskforce


At a congregational meeting in January, we presented to you about the work of our group over the past year. Specifically, we shared a vision for a renovation that will address the challenges of our existing sanctuary while enhancing aspects of the space to better connect us in worship and mission for many years to come. You can view a video of that presentation as well as find more information about the history, challenges, and vision below on this page. 

Since late January, our group has met four times including three meetings with Robert Ussery and Cory Rule of Ussery-Rule Architects, a local architectural firm hired by Session. Robert and Cory have taken a thorough look at our sanctuary and its adjoining spaces as they guide the Taskforce towards a final design. Although we are still a few meetings away from being ready to present a final vision and cost estimate to the congregation, we want you to know that the excitement within our group is building with each of our recent gatherings. It is a unique and wonderful feeling to see a plan coming together that will not only dramatically update our worshipping space for the 21st century but also literally bring us closer together as a community of faith through (among other things) an expanded chancel, wider transepts, and improved sight lines.

​Please remember that we value and solicit your input, questions, and concerns as part of this process. The committee will receive and discuss any submitted questions or input using the provided comment box at each meeting. Individual members of the Taskforce are also always happy to answer your questions. Additionally, we remind you that there is a Capital Campaign Committee that is working parallel to our work. As soon as a renovation design is completed and approved by Session that group will begin its work in earnest (likely sometime late summer or early fall).
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January 25, 2017
Winter Update from the Sanctuary Renovation Taskforce


​On Sunday, January 22, 2017 the congregation gathered during the Sunday School hour to receive a report from the Sanctuary Renovation Taskforce, which has been working hard since January 2015 to plan for a future renovation of our worshipping space. The presentation included an overview of some of the challenges/problems facing our existing space as well as a vision for how we might renovate and refresh the sanctuary to better provide for our worship in coming years. At the conclusion of the report, a congregational meeting was called to receive and approve a new capital campaign committee. This committee will soon begin the work of beginning to assemble materials to share with the congregation and help raise the funds for this needed renovation.
Video of the meeting held on January 22, 2017 where a report of the Sanctuary Renovation Taskforce was presented and a Capital Campaign Committee approved.

History and Challenges

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The last significant renovation to our sanctuary took place in 1984. Since then, members of the congregation and session have noted a growing list of challenges that would be addressed in a renovation. Some of these existing challenges include outdated flooring, inefficient windows, inadequate lighting, and pews in need of refinishing. More significantly, the chancel and choir loft areas are very small and inflexible, sight lines in the transepts are limited, the side aisles in the main part of the sanctuary are narrow and unsafe, and the rear of the sanctuary lacks a restroom. 

Renovation Vision

The goal of a renovation will be to retain the charming character of the existing sanctuary while also making it a more connected and flexible space to worship. Proposed changes include expanding and opening up the chancel area, growing the size and ceiling heights of our transepts, and adding a restroom at the rear of the sanctuary. A renovation will also include updates to all the surfaces (pews, flooring, lighting, etc.). These updates will allow our church to better welcome and accommodate the needs of all worshippers including those with physical limitations. 
*Please note that these are only initial concepts. A final design will be reached with the help of an architect and the approval of session. 

Next Steps

At the end of 2016, the session approved the hiring of a local architect firm - Ussery-Rule - to help further develop the vision created by the Renovation Sanctuary Taskforce. The architectural team will soon begin doing their assessment and generating building documents as well as helping to determine the total cost of a future renovation. This work will assist the the Capital Campaign Committee in preparing to ask the congregation to support the renovation.

Members of the Sanctuary Taskforce:

  • Karen Schmidt
  • Tom Baltzell
  • Thad Truett
  • Brenda Jones           
  • Jack Hartman
  • Kate Buckley
  • Maddie Shafer
  • Mary Bryan DeLoach
  • Leslie Carlton
  • ​Rhonda Hambright (ex-officio)
  • Bob Brearley (ex-officio)
  • Alan Dyer (ex-officio)

Members of the Capital Campaign Committee:

  • Mel Baxter
  • Lillian Clarke​
  • Jack Hartman
  • Teresa Hodgdon
  • Brenda Jones
  • Kevin Lokey
  • Dennie McCrary
  • Judy Scarlett
  • Alan Dyer (ex-officio)
  • Jeannine Torbert (ex-officio)
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St. Simons Presbyterian Church / 205 Kings Way / (912) 638-2220 / Copyright 2016 / All rights reserved