Lord, what do you want to do through me?
For over 150 years, First Presbyterian Church Fort Collins has sought to be “the heart of the city.” We do this by proclaiming the good news of the Gospel, by opening our arms to offer fellowship and Christian nurture, and by committing ourselves to Christ’s mission in the world. Our facilities, built through the generous contributions of those who went before us, are critical to realizing our vision and mission. Today, it is our turn to be good stewards of the future God intends in and through this place.
A Growing Need: Modernizing for our future
Our education wing, built 65 years ago, has served generations of children, youth, and adults within FPC. It has also become an essential gathering place for numerous community organizations seeking a warm and welcoming space. However, time has taken its toll. The building faces limitations that hinder accessibility, functionality, and energy efficiency. These limitations increasingly restrict our ability to serve the congregation and community effectively.
Building a vibrant community center
FPC envisions a future where our education wing is transformed into a vibrant community center, serving both our congregation and local partners. The building will enhance and extend our existing focus on children and youth, music and the arts, teaching and learning, fellowship and mission.
vision
We seek to be a Christ-centered, open and welcoming community, addressing the challenges of our time.
The renovation project will enable us to better facilitate the activities of our own congregation, expand opportunities for mission partnerships, and provide significant cost and efficiency benefits. Our plans have been developed following significant consultation with community partners, with an eye toward making our facilities more inviting and functional.
Built in 1959, our education wing has served us well for over 60 years, but it has many serious limitations. Church leaders believe this project is urgent, given the widening gap between what we can currently offer in the existing building and what we and our partners need. We want to be ready for those who will walk through our doors tomorrow before we know exactly who they will be.
Priorities
accessibility
preservation & sustainability
hospitality
To ensure that everyone can participate in events and meetings, we will add an elevator. In addition, we will provide restrooms that meet ADA standards.
To enhance safety, we will install a fire suppression system and abate asbestos. To improve comfort and responsible resource management, we will add an energy-efficient air conditioning and heating system.
Completion of the first two priorities will allow us to offer more functional spaces for childcare, classes, meetings, as well as additional office space for nonprofit mission partners. In addition, we plan to create a new chapel in the choir rehearsal room, which will continue to serve the choir as well.
Since the feasibility study estimates that we can likely raise between $4 and $4.5 million from the congregation, we are identifying strategies for increasing revenues and/or cutting costs. At the conclusion of the ongoing capital campaign, we will assess what has been pledged and match the scope of the current project to our existing capacity. The more generous we can be as a congregation, the fewer compromises on our top priorities we will need to make.
Session has discussed a variety of other improvements that are not included in the above cost estimates. When and if sufficient funds are in place, we hope to:
remove the current ramp to the second level to allow for a “grand hall”
install solar panels
repair and/or replace windows
upgrade the parking lot, and
complete the transformation of the choir room into an inviting chapel
Sharing the Space
A planning team made up of members of Session and staff has developed a plan for how various spaces in our renovated building will be allocated. Each floor has its own ministry emphasis. All three floors will have shared meeting rooms.
FIRST FLOOR: MUSIC MINISTRY
The bell choir will continue to use their existing rehearsal space in Room 102
Music storage space will be added where Matthews House now has offices,allowing the current choir robing space to become an open entryway to the chapel/choir rehearsal room
Room 103/105 will continue to serve as a large meeting space
SECOND FLOOR: CHRISTIAN EDUCATION
for Children and Adults
Our nursery and children’s ministries will be based here
A reconfigured Room 209/207 will continue to serve as the primary adult education classroom
The library will remain in its current location
An additional large meeting room will be created by joining Room 206 and 208
THIRD FLOOR: MISSION PARTNERS
Office space for mission partners will occupy Rooms 305, 306, and 308
Room 307 will be a shared conference room
Three shared meeting room spaces will occupy Rooms 301, 303, and 304
“Every Sunday, [our sons] can’t wait to get in the car and head to church for Sunday School. They love the friends they’ve made, the teachers that care for them, and having a place where they are encouraged to be themselves and to grow.”
Projected Timeline
JUL 2024–OCT 2024
Campaign and pledging
Initial design work with contractor and architect
NOV 2024–SPRING 2025
Final construction documents prepared
Plans submitted to city for approval and permitting
Move and store items from the building
SUMMER 2025
Estimated start of construction
SUMMER 2026
Construction complete (approximately one year)
FALL 2024–END of 2027
Pledge fulfillment period
Pledging
If you have not already, you should soon receive two pledge cards, one for the capital campaign and one for your regular pledge to our church’s annual operating budget. They are different colors so that you can keep them straight. Your pledge to the capital campaign is separate from and in addition to your pledge to the annual operating budget.
While some individuals or families may decide to make a one-time gift to the campaign, more typically pledges are made over a three-year period. They can be broken up into monthly payments, much as you might already do with your pledge to our annual budget.
Some in their 70s or older may choose to give annual, tax-free required minimum distributions from their IRA or 401k or 403b. At any age you may give tax-free donations by transferring stock shares or mutual fund shares directly to the church.
All gifts — from small to large — will help us meet our goal.
“Lord, what do you want to do through me?”