On Thursday, May 23, the Building Committee and the Organ Committee held an all-day meeting with the architect, engineers, and consultants for field surveying and building assessments as the design process for the building project and the organ project has begun. This phase of the design process for the building should be prepared by the end of August, with cost estimates by the middle of September. This puts us on a timeline for construction beginning in spring or summer 2025. The organ builders are aiming to begin organ design in early 2025 for installation in summer 2026 (with building construction complete by that time).

Many thanks to the members of these committees for their commitment to ushering us through this process: Building Committee: Steve Cloud, Chair, Katherine Gunter, Vice Chair, Mark Ahart, Jim Buchanan, Tom French, Steve Harkness, Susie Helm, Boyd Jones, Pat Nordine, Josh Randall, Katherine Touhey, Jack Wood, Carrie Wood, and John Woods; and the Organ Committee: Whit Ayres, Chair, Anne Alexander, Judy Grey, Dave Gunter, Josh Randall, Neil Sampson, and Wanda Worsham.

Read the Full Report

At its April meeting, the Session heard updates from the Capital Campaign Steering Committee, the Organ Committee, the Building Committee, and the Administration & Finance Committee, and took action to move the projects forward. A summary is below; the full report can be read online.

• To date, the Capital Campaign has received $6.2 million in pledges from nearly 100 households; the goal remains $12 million in pledges by early July. Over the next few months, the Capital Campaign Steering Committee will be reaching out to every member of the congregation as we work toward our goal! 
• The Session voted to enter into a contract for the purchase of a custom-designed and installed pipe organ, with installation expected to be August 2026. 
• The Session voted to appoint the following individuals to the Building Committee to oversee the building project, recommended by Chairman Steve Cloud: Katherine Gunter, vice chair; Susie Helm; Pat Nordine; Carrie Wood; Katherine Touhey; Jim Buchanan; John Woods; Josh Randall; Jack Wood; Mark Ahart; and Steve Harkness. 
• The Session approved a architect proposal to begin the initial design phase; after this phase, the Building Committee will then enter into the development design phase with the architect and finalize the process with construction documents; the estimated total timeline to be 24-30 months, which breaks down to 12 months to receive construction documents and 12 months for construction.
• The Administration & Finance Committee began discussions with National Capital Presbytery about the process for a potential bridge loan. At the appropriate time, the A&F Committee will present to the Session its loan recommendation and ask for its approval, as well as its approval to present the loan to the congregation for its approval. 

Read the Full Report

At its March 2 Intreat, the Session reviewed at length the proposed projects for the Capital Campaign, the architect’s preliminary budget recommendations, the congregation’s input, and the financial assessment. The aim of the Intreat was to select projects from the Master Plan for the upcoming Capital Campaign and set a financial goal for the campaign, based on continuing results of a quiet phase of the campaign and an assessment by the campaign consultants from James D. Klote & Associates.

It is important to note that as further level of design proceeds, these issues may develop and shift, but to the best of the Session’s and architect’s ability, the below represents the best priorities from a campaign of approximately $12.5 million. While this is at the top end of what the financial consultants indicate we may be able to raise, the financial goal will be set at this level as a worthy goal for the congregation to unite behind and seek, with God’s help and with our strong commitment, to reach.

Read the full report

In November, the Session commissioned John Milner Architects to develop a high-level Master Plan for Westminster as part of the Capital Campaign planning and preparation. Starting in December, the architects have been working with staff and committees to review the use and needs of the entire church facility to provide a broader, and longer-term context for the Capital Campaign. The congregation was invited to provide feedback on the initial findings, and ideas to enhance our facility over the next five to ten years.

Watch the Recording

As part of Westminster’s upcoming Capital Campaign, the Session approved a motion on November 29th to contract with John Milner Architects to prepare an initial Facilities Master Plan study.  This firm, located in Chadds Ford, PA, has much experience working with historic churches and renovations of public buildings and homes up and down the eastern seaboard.  They have been selected by a small task force chaired by Session Member Spencer Dickerson.

The study will include the following:

• Provide an opportunity for Westminster to articulate our vision for ministry
• Assess space utilization
• Provide further information, visuals and pricing estimates, based on ideas from the recent focus groups
• Provide possibilities drawn from current expertise on security, technology, and environmental issues.

The study will enable the Session:

• To refine and finalize elements for inclusion in the public phase of the Capital Campaign
• To share with individual donors, in future years, who express interest in funding a specific project
• To plan for future campaigns as determined

This process begins immediately and will involve input from various groups in the church as well as from the congregation at large.  It will conclude toward the end of February and will help determine the scope of elements to be included in our Capital Campaign in the Spring. 

The Architectural Search Task Force (Spencer Dickerson, Susie Helm, Steve Denne, and Jordan Taylor) are diligently involved in a search for an architectural firm to lead our process of master planning; they plan to have a recommendation for the Session for this week’s meeting, with a firm whose work will begin almost immediately thereafter.

The Organ Committee, chaired by Whit Ayres, is working with Ben Hutchens to develop a list of organ builders to research and interview for presentation to the Session when the Session is ready to enter a contract, after funding is secured.

We held nineteen Focus Groups between September 17 and October 15, 2023.  Each group will was led by an elder supported by Wayne Spaulding of James D. Klote & Associates, a financial consulting firm assisting us in our assessment and planning. Thank you to all who participated in the focus group meetings, sharing your vision for Westminster and your feedback on the Session’s work.

Watch the Video