Floor Plan
Floor Plan (South is at top.)
With Labels
click to enlarge
East Side
View from East
Photo [Dec. 2000]
North Side
View from North
Sanctuary, Section View
Sanctuary Cutaway View from North
Narthex Doors
Narthex East Entrance
Photo [Dec. 2000]
Closer Photo
Narthex Windows
Narthex North Windows
Photo [Dec. 2000]
Architects' Preliminary Drawings
by
Aude, Shand & Williams AIA
Clearwater, Florida
Call to Action
Fellowship Hall Renovation of 2001
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“Come See What God Can Do”
The Renovation and Restoration
of the Sanctuary
of the First Presbyterian Church
of Dunedin, Florida
The Session Moves Boldly
At the November stated meeting of the Session, a preliminary
design representing intensive work with the committee and
the architectural firm of Aude, Shand and Williams that began
in July, received unanimous approval by the session. The session
also approved the renovation of fellowship hall from existing
financial resources to provide a place of worship during the
anticipated renovation and restoration of the sanctuary building.
The session granted permission to Aude, Shand and Williams
to complete plans and specification and approved the formation
of a major funds campaign to take place from January through
March and a general campaign to begin after the approval of
final plans and specifications.
The Time is Now
The sanctuary building, built in 1926, has not had major renovation
since it was built. With the exception of a small renovation
in the early 1960's and the addition of stained glass windows
and narthex, the building is, as it was originally designed.
Addressing Long- Standing Problems
The renovation has in fact, begun with the replacement of
the sanctuary tile roof at a cost of $60,000, the renovation
of the bell tower at a cost of nearly $40,000 and several
“patch jobs” to address the problems of water leakage.
The new plan represents the session’s resolve to work
toward the future instead of continuing to drain the assets
of the church by addressing only emergencies.
Worship Styles are Changing
Since the 1920's worship styles have changed requiring much
more space in the chancel area for a large choral program,
children’s choirs, bell choirs, and special concerts
and dramatic presentations. The sound system needs replacing,
and with it, equipment that can anticipate further changes
in worship styles that will certainly come within the coming
decade: overhead projectors for multimedia, allowances for
video tape recording. The greatest change suggested in the
new design is the 485% increase in the chancel area. The choir
loft will be more steeply graded (so that the voices of the
singers are not directed to the back of the heads of those
in front of them!), the organ console lowered, and the modesty
rail eliminated. The increased visibility in the choir loft
would enable the choir to feel more a part of the worship
service.
The enlarged worship area features a “split chancel”
arrangement, pulpit on the left as worshipers view the chancel,
lectern on the right. The single center aisle arrangement
and changes in the choir areas will permit the choir to process
and recess during worship. The communion table will provide
a “visual center” for the new arrangement and will
be the focus of the chancel area as one enters the back of
the sanctuary.
Furnishings Need Replacing
The committee carefully explored various options for the pews,
among them refinishing and replacing the pew cushions. The
committee discovered that the cost of replacing the pews with
solid hardwood pews was much more cost effective and would
serve to beautify the sanctuary. The communion table, pulpit
and baptismal font also need replacing. The lighting would
be appreciably improved and would allow for dimming and further
effects from a single audio and light control console.
Projects to Preserve the Architectural Integrity
The ceiling of the sanctuary, currently covered with acoustical
tiles, would be covered by wood planking, more suitable to
the style of the original architecture. The current double-aisle
configuration of the sanctuary pews, an apparent attempt to
increase seating in the original design, would be replaced
by a triple aisle/center prominent aisle configuration with
the visual focus on the redesigned chancel. The original design
featured two indented archways on either side of the chancel.
The new design restores this feature.
Up-Dating Entrances
The way one enters the sanctuary tells us that the building
was built in a day when people either walked to worship from
the adjoining neighborhoods, or parked on the street. With
the advent of paved parking, people have left the lot, passed
under the portico and entered the sanctuary through the double
doors opening onto Highland Avenue. Newcomers are often startled
to see 200 pairs of eyes staring their direction when they
arrive!
The new plans call for people leaving the parking lot to be
directed through fellowship hall and then to enter, through
an archway built into the existing bell tower, an outside
courtyard, a formal gathering area, before they pass into
the redesigned narthex. The existing entry would still serve
as an entrance to the sanctuary for the handicapped and an
entrance during inclement weather.
The courtyard area is a gated courtyard of ornamental ironwork.
Gathered crowds can be easily seen from both Highland and
Scotland streets. The space features a water fountain to shield
the area from sounds from the street.
The narthex is to be completely redesigned and will feature
new floor coverings and will be lighted with natural sunlight
from the ceiling. The exterior stained glass windows on Scotland
Street will be enlarged, the existing stained glass used as
an insert, so that a view to the center chancel can be seen
from the street.
Questions and Answers Concerning the Renovation
Why Now?
The session of the church is challenging the congregation
to support the first broadly- based sanctuary project since
the erection of Andrew’s Memorial Chapel in 1888! The
current sanctuary was a gift to church by the Skinner family.
The costly repairs to the sanctuary have, until now, been
covered by estate funds. We have, in other words, been totally
dependent on the generosity of those who have gone before
us. The pews are literally, “coming apart at the seams”,
the pew cushions replaced in the early sixties. Most of the
work accomplished on the sanctuary was a response to an emergency
with little attention paid to the building’s long-term
usefulness. As one of our presbytery executives once commented,
“The grand old lady of the presbytery needs a new dress.”
It’s time not only to address immediate needs, but to
look ahead, ten, twenty, fifty years. It has fallen to this
generation of First Presbyterian Church members to build on
the legacy of the past.
How much?
Although figures are inexact at this preliminary design phase,
a good estimate for the work in fellowship hall and the sanctuary
building is $600,000.
How will the money be raised?
It is the hope of the session that the entire cost of the
renovation project can be entirely funded from the offerings
of the existing congregation. Reserve funds have to be saved
for the major problems that are sure to arrive in the care
and maintenance of older buildings. The session has approved
a major funds campaign in hopes that several of our members
will contribute major, one-time gifts to get the project off
the ground in May. At that time, the rest of the congregation
will be asked to pledge over a three to five year period to
the building fund. The congregation demonstrated the financial
ability to handle an $800,000 renovation to the office wing
and Christian education building some twelve years ago. The
renovations were completely paid for in three years.
Will there be memorial gifts?
Yes. Opportunities range from sponsorship of the fellowship
hall to specific items features in the new construction, to
“pavers” in the new courtyard, to mention in the
planned “Book of Remembrance” and “Tree of
Life”.
Will there be a reduction in seating?
Although the congregation will lose about 40 - 45 seats in
the pew area, a figure based upon 24-inch seating, the congregation
will increase the number of people actively engaged in worship
by enlarging the chancel. The sanctuary currently seats 292
people excluding choir seating. The newly configured sanctuary
will comfortably seat about 250 people, excluding the 30 member
choir. Our current average attendance is 239. Church growth
experts counsel that when a congregation approaches 80% of
its seating capacity, it should go to two services, one traditional,
the other featuring worship styles more respectful of modern
tastes in worship. Likely, after the construction, the church
will move to two services. It is interesting to note that
Peace Memorial that has seating for 1,500, now has two services
with an average attendance of about ours. St. Andrews has
three services in a sanctuary that can seat 600, with an average
attendance just slightly more than our own. Likely, in accord
with most neighboring congregations, our church will move
to two services for most of the calender year.
Come See What God Can Do!
Renovation Committee: John C. Smith, Chair, Jackie Chalk,
Dusty ByRoade, Dawn Cleland, Roberta Gunn, Deborah Kynes,
Ron Legg, John T. Smith, Tina Webb, Consultant.
Funding Committee, Alan Frazer, Chair, Bob Grant, David Walthall,
Newcomb Steuart, Major Gifts, George Campbell, Roberta Gunn,
Carole Anne Agnew
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Floor Plan (South is at top.) 
With Labels 
View from East 
Photo [Dec. 2000] 
View from North 
Sanctuary Cutaway View from North 
Narthex East Entrance 
Photo [Dec. 2000] 
Closer Photo 
Narthex North Windows 
Photo [Dec. 2000] 
