The Early Years and Growing Needs (1970-1989)
The church building we worship in today was constructed in 1970. Between the date we formally moved from our downtown Osterville building to this lovely new campus, the congregation grew exponentially. We had added a worship service, and the Sunday school had more than doubled enrollment. Parking was very difficult as people remained after the first service for fellowship, leaving no place for the second service attendees to park. Our Sunday school was using three buildings for classes, and we were putting up chairs in the sanctuary, especially on holiday Sundays. We were becoming increasingly uncomfortable with the fact that the building was very unfriendly to anyone with mobility issues.
Planning for Expansion and Accessibility (1989-1994)
In 1989, a building committee was formed, and we began plans for an addition. It was planned in phases. Phase one was for more parking space and an entrance to the church from Main Street. Before that, we had only the Pond Street entrance. That phase was completed in the fall of 1994. Despite the untimely death of our beloved pastor, Blaine Taylor, during the capital campaign, we raised more than enough money to construct the new entrance and the parking lot that is near the current playground. Donations completely funded this project including the planting of trees along the new entrance way.
Phase Two: A Major Addition Takes Shape
The many plans for Phase two included an elevator to make the building completely handicap accessible, an enlarged sanctuary, an added balcony, a multipurpose room to be used by the choir and other church activities, two new offices, enlarging the office of the secretary, two basements, a handicap restroom, and a large entry room we now call the solarium. This project was completed in the summer of 2002. A third phase was planned to build a new wing for an enlarged fellowship hall and kitchen, Sunday school classrooms, and a basement youth area. As we began to utilize the new space, we realized that double sessions of Sunday school were working to reduce overcrowding and we could use other new areas as well as existing buildings for youth activities, so we put Phase three on hold.
Architectural Planning and Early Fundraising
As the building committee met, we realized we needed an architect to help us plan the addition. Ethel Riedell gave $5,000 to the building fund to engage the services of an architect.
After the completion of the new entrance and parking area, we continued discussion of the feasibility and scope of the addition. A model of the project was made and displayed prominently.
The Promises to Keep a Capital Campaign (1999-2000)
In 1999 we hired a building consultant to see if we could raise enough in a capital campaign to do an expansion. He said we should enlist the help of a professional so we hired Resource Services to help us with a capital campaign for which Heather Wolfe was the program director. Wayne and Alyce Hayden chaired the campaign.
We produced the Promises to Keep video which inspired the congregation to give generously. Many sub-committees coordinated the various aspects of the campaign that included presentation dinners at homes, a large gathering at a conference center in Hyannis, prayer groups, brochure design, and mailing of information. We met with the District Board of Church Buildings and Location and they approved our plans.
By 2000, we had $575,000 pledged for the Promises to Keep a Capital Campaign. Ernest Myers from Resource Services said, “Let us plan for the people that God intends to send to us.”
Construction Begins and Challenges Arise (2001-2002)
The construction cost was bid at $795,000 by MHD Construction. It was to be a difficult project. We were removing a good portion of the back of the church and the entrance to the offices at the front. There were multiple difficult tie-ins to the existing roof lines, and we wanted the project, when it was completed, to look like it had all been constructed at the same time. We also needed to have everything continue as usual with the preschool operating without interference, services continuing weekly, meetings happening as scheduled, and office work running smoothly.
In the spring of 2001, we had a groundbreaking ceremony. Rev. Stephen Stolle was our pastor who had led us through the entire process since 1995 when he was appointed by our bishop to help us realize our dreams. We got a loan from the United Methodist Foundation to begin the building project as pledges were coming in. Our architect, Owen Gunn, had moved to Rhode Island so we had to work very closely with the contractor Mehdi Hosseini (MHD Construction of Yarmouth) and his foremen.
The Steering Committee was on site almost every day as we struggled with delays and unforeseen problems. The cost went to $1,032,867.
Construction Enhancements and Building Improvements
We had to repair the leaky steeple which they found when they built the balcony. We added the basement under the solarium for the Lend a Hand group, vinyl siding and trim on the entire exterior of the church, a redesigned chancel area, audio visual equipment, new furnishings for the solarium, choir room, chancel, and balcony, and more. The Trustees gave another $50,000 from Endowment Funds for the upgrades.
The church was converted from oil to gas heat during construction with a high efficiency boiler. A project that was projected to take six months extended from summer of 2001 to summer of 2002. We worshipped in Fred Curtis Hall while the sanctuary was under re-construction. The Lend a Hand group, which had been started by Jim MacInnes in 1995, helped keep the costs from escalating even further.
A Transformed Sanctuary and New Spaces
When it was finished, we were thrilled with the additions. The choir had their own room, our sanctuary was enlarged with two more rows of seating that included shortened pews for wheelchairs and a ramp to the chancel. The balcony was added and the choir loft was reconfigured, and speakers for the organ were placed on either side of the back of the chancel. We had nicely blended in the ceiling where large beams had been removed and a new ceiling installed. The new wood background for the cross looked just like the one removed in the demolition of the entire back wall of the sanctuary. A larger and removable communion rail was installed.
We loved the beautiful solarium with the sun filtering through the skylights. The little kitchen and handicap bathroom were a blessing and the new office for Heather was a dream come true for her. She had worked for the church since 1981 with no dedicated office space. Our secretary now had room for the copy machine and other equipment as well as much more storage and workspace. Our pastor had a new office, and both were air conditioned. The Lend a Hand had much needed space for all their projects and materials. The “north basement” was filled within a year. We had an auxiliary air circulation and heating system for the sanctuary. The cherry on the sundae was the elevator that reached all four floors!
Managing the Mortgage and Financial Stewardship
Now we had to budget to pay the balance. We rolled the mortgage into the yearly budget.
In 2007, Louise Toler led us in the “You Are the Church” campaign to reduce the mortgage. At least $81,000 was received. We were experiencing high interest rates with our loan from the United Methodist Foundation so we signed a new mortgage with Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank.
In 2008 Ethel Riedell gave a gift of $4,000 towards mortgage reduction. That same year, Pastor John Holt was assigned to our church. The parsonage that the Stolles had lived in was sold in 2009 as Pastor Holt bought his own home. We paid back the Endowment Fund $47,000. We started a parsonage fund at the UM Foundation for $70,000. With the remaining proceeds from the sale, $106,000, we paid down the church mortgage. The mortgage was reduced to $162,000 in just eight years!
Honoring Generosity and Legacy Gifts
In 2018, Louise Toler celebrated her 90th birthday at the church with a party that she funded. It included entertainment and a reception. In lieu of gifts, Louise asked for donations to reduce the mortgage. The amount raised was over $2,300. Louise died on December 26, 2021. Donations of over $5,000 were made in her memory. She also left a legacy of annual gifts to the mortgage reduction on her birthday and at Christmas each year.
On November 4, 2025, our beloved Lois Taylor, wife of the late Blaine Taylor, died. The family asked that donations be made to the fund to reduce the mortgage. The outpouring of donations was more than enough to cover the entire remaining balance of the mortgage.
A Moment of Celebration and Gratitude
So today, January 25, 2026, we are celebrating! Of course, many other people have been instrumental in the construction and funding of our beautiful addition. We thank all of them.