Capital Campaign, 2007-2010

Throughout our 167-year history, Pleasantville has been a church community that embraced the future by building new facilities to meet the congregation's ever-changing needs.  In the fall of 1840 a small group of farmers passed a resolution to organize a religious society in the tradition of the German Reformed Church.  A few weeks later, this group began meeting in the County Line School House.  In the spring of 1841; a brick church, costing $3,000, was dedicated.  Just like the surrounding community, the church grew and prospered.

In 1898, after tearing down the brick church and worshipping in a tent, our present stone sanctuary building, costing $7,000, was dedicated. In 1915 the Sunday School Annex (now the Overflow Room or current rear of the Sanctuary) was built, costing $2,207.  By the 1950's, lack of space for church programs prompted the congregation to build the education building and fellowship hall,  née Lentz Hall, costing $112,000.  This addition was was dedicated in 1957.  In 1988 the main building was enlarged to accommodate offices, a ramp to provide access for all, the narthex, music suite, and a children's library, costing $472,000.  It is clear that past generations have been willing to make a heartfelt commitment to the future of Pleasantville.

Today Pleasantville is an expanding, thriving faith community that has outgrown our present facilities, especially our worship space.  Our leaders have examined many alternatives, including two services with concurrent Sunday schools.  Now our physical plant is limiting our ministry and in order to strengthen our ability to be a blessing to the community we have decided to build some new facilities, including a new, larger, sanctuary that will be able to accomodate our existing congregation and future growth.

Our current sanctuary, although beautiful, cannot be physically expanded to accommodate more members. We have tried many ways in the past twenty years to address the need for more space, including two services with concurrent Sunday Schools.

Being able to see and hear everything during a worship service is, obviously, important.  Our existing sanctuary has those qualities by design.  The rear, overflow area, originally the 1915 Sunday school addition does not have those qualities.  We will retain our existing, beautiful as a Chapel, restoring it to its original dimensions for smaller worship services.  We do need a larger new sanctuary to provide the same quality of worship for all members now and in the future.

Imagine how wonderful it would be to sit in the back of either sanctuary and be able to see and hear our ministers and the inspiring sounds of our musicians and choirs.  Imagine the power of our community's voice each week welcoming visitors and members alike.  Imagine one Sunday school time each week for our Christian education.  And imagine what a celebration it will be when the construction of the new sanctuary coincides with the 170th anniversary of Pleasantville!

The Church Council formed a Steering Committee in the spring of 2004 and charged it with gaining clarity of the mission of Pleasantville and its vision for the future.? The committee affirmed our mission and conviction that growth will come with worship as the centerpiece.? A building expansion with a new sanctuary was recommended and an architectural firm captured the defined space requirements in conceptual drawings (shown at right; the lower drawing shows elevation when viewed from Limekiln pike--note that the new construction at the left would be set back relative to the existing church shown at the right).?

The scope of the project is contingent on available funds and can be phased.

Our plan focuses on a new sanctuary accommodating 500 people and new space to expand our music program, Christian Education, staff offices and opportunities for fellowship.

Preliminary estimate of building costs by phases including a 15% inflation assumption:?? ?

Total Cost $3,467,000

Our Capital Campaign Vision Goal of $3,500,000 is challenging but reachable.? Giving potential varies widely in our congregation.? Each of us is challenged to pray about our financial commitment and to stretch to new levels of giving.

When you are considering an amount to commit to the Capital Campaign, consider your individual and family circumstances and responsibilities.  Some of us can give from our monthly income, some from accumulated assets and some from both sources.  All of us can be creative as we make our giving decisions!

Consider, for example, these ways of finding financial resources you could dedicate to the Capital Campaign:

Your personal accountant would be a resource to direct giving strategies

All of us, without exception, can give something to this Capital Campaign over the next three years (or four tax years).  Every gift is important, welcome and significant in the eyes of God.

Dear Friends,

After years of visioning and dedicated planning the time has come for us to launch our Capital Campaign: Faith Leads Us Forward!

For over 165 years, God has blessed Pleasantville United Church of Christ with an abundant Spirit and a powerful ministry.  In every generation this congregation has served the community and the world both faithfully and well.   Now it is our turn to step out on the Word of God and imagine together what is possible when faith leads us forward!

Worship is the center of our common life.  It is the place we are nourished and fed by both Word and Sacrament.  Today, we are given the opportunity to join with one another in a great adventure: creating a beautiful and lasting new worship space, large enough to embrace those who are already here and those who are yet to come.

When faith leads us forward we are capable of great things. When worship becomes the center of our life together, all things are possible.  I believe it is time for us to move forward in faith.  I believe it is time for us to move forward in trust.  I believe it is time for us to do our part so that the power of God at work within us may be made manifest and strengthened in the world.  My friends, we have been blessed, and we are called to be a blessing to others.

So let us move into the future God intends for us with courage and purposefulness and joy.  Let us bear witness to a world that can be transformed by the power of Christ at work within us.  And let us discover, together, what can be when faith leads us forward!

With you in ministry,
Pastor Hilary

1840: Brick Church erected for newly established Pleasantville German Reformed Church.

1898: Brick Church was torn down. New Stone Church (our current sanctuary) built.

1915: The Sunday School Annex (now the Overflow Room or current rear of the Sanctuary) built.

1934: German Reformed Church merged with Evangelical Church and the church became Pleasantville Evangelical and Reformed Church.

1957: Education Building including Lentz Hall dedicated.

1957: Merger of Evangelical and Reformed with Congregational Christian Churches formed Pleasantville United Church of Christ.

1966: Decision to hold two worship services every Sunday.

1969: Pleasantville Nursery School established.

1965 - 1973: Church membership grew more than 50% and giving increased more than 100%

1985: Part time position of Minister of Visitation filled.

1997: Full time Associate Pastor called.

1998: Two Sunday Church School sessions established.

2000: New Century I Committee recommends more space effective ministry.

2005: Steering Committee acquires conceptual drawings for addition including new sanctuary.

2007: Congregation approves Capital Campaign to reach Vision Goal on the 170th Anniversary of Pleasantville Church.