In 1766, the Congregational Church was founded in the Boothbay region as a place of worship, education, justice and service to neighbors. A meeting house was completed in Boothbay Center the same year and the congregation eventually relocated to its home on Townsend Avenue, the present sanctuary being built in 1846. The widening of Route 27 necessitated moving the sanctuary in 1990, and at that time revisions were made to the fellowship hall, educational space and offices.

Now, after six years of careful study and many congregational meetings, a plan for addressing 21st century needs was designed to improve accessibility, to make the facility safer by bringing it up to code (currently not in compliance), and to make the church building more effective for its ministries. The plan includes:

1. Remodeling meeting space for the Sunday school to provides inviting, integrated space for children and youth in the church and for groups such as Healthy Kids.

2. Expanding space for the Food Pantry (serving more than 200 families each year) and improving meeting space for church and community groups to improve privacy for groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Taking the Blinders Off (family members dealing with addiction). 

3. Providing safe, efficient access (via elevator and widened staircase) to all three levels of the building (tall people currently "duck" to traverse main stairwell).

4. Meeting all current code and ADA requirements, adding a sprinkler system (an important feature for a public space that is nearly 170 years old).

5. Providing an efficient updated heating system for the entire building. System updates include HVAC (converts church to propane), electrical, drainage, plumbing and lighting.

6. Creating secure entrance to the offices and general building spaces. The plan relocates the church office to allow people entering from the parking lot to feel welcome and knowledgeable of how to get where they need to go, while providing appropriate security for those in the building. 

Support for this renovation among the congregation and the community has been overwhelming. Though the church prepared for a multi-year capital campaign to raise the funds for the project, nearly 85 percent of the funds needed to complete the project were pledged within the first month of the campaign and nearly half of those pledges have already been realized.

Although benefits to both church and community are great, the church understands the project will interrupt “normal” life for the church and its neighbors for a few months and has been communicating regularly with affected groups since last fall to minimize the disruption.

We expect to hold regular worship services in the sanctuary throughout the duration of the project and will accommodate meetings and food pantry activities throughout the summer as well, with minor changes in schedule and meeting space. The planned construction will allow the Congregational Church to continue to be a welcoming and vibrant place of inspiring worship and music, spiritual nurture for all ages, genuine community and meaningful service to those in need.