Grant Memorial Baptist Church launches major expansion project
WINNIPEG, MB—One of Winnipeg's largest evangelical churches is about to get a $10 million facelift.
Until now the 150,000 square-foot brick building that houses Grant Memorial Baptist Church and Linden Christian School has been keeping a low profile near the corner of Wilkes Avenue and Waverly Street. Few of the rush-hour drivers passing the sand-coloured structure realize 1,100 people use it every weekday, and about 1,400 on a Sunday.
"All they see is this big brick wall," says lead pastor Tom Castor.
Not for long.
This spring Grant Memorial will begin to don its new face: a 25-foot glassed-in foyer crowned with a towering cross. Blueprints for the $10 million project include new classrooms for the school, a second full-sized gymnasium and a high school chapel.
Pinched to the east and west by apartment complexes, the building will expand to the north and south by another 50,000 square feet. And the church auditorium will get a complete makeover adding 200 seats and new light and sound systems.
"It's not the convention centre, but it certainly will be an upgrade," says Castor, adding that the renovation will include "new technology, clearer brighter projection, better sound, larger screens."
Most of the renovations will benefit both church and school, but they've split the fundraising task, with the church shouldering just over half. The church and school are each borrowing $2 million. That leaves the school to raise another $2.5 million and the church on the hook for $3.5 million—a lot of money, even for a church whose total giving last year rang up to $2.1 million. The church rolled out a fundraising campaign last fall urging members to pray and to examine their hearts and bank accounts. They distributed a promotional package that included a pamphlet suggesting ways a family could cut back on personal spending and give $12,744 to the project over three years.
So far church members have pledged $2.8 million.
School feeling cramped
Linden Christian School has 870 students, 80 per cent of whom don't attend Grant Memorial. This year it reached its capacity of three classes per grade.
"We've been adding one class per year for the past 12 years," says principal Rob Charach. The school's flourishing band and choral programs need space to spread their wings, he says, and there's no way the school can meet new provincial requirements for high school phys ed without a second gym.
So far about half a million dollars have been pledged, though the school has yet to officially go public with its own fundraising campaign.
Vision for growth
The church isn't exactly bursting at the seams; there are still empty seats at both Sunday morning services, says Castor. But the project is part of a bigger vision. Four years ago Grant Memorial drafted a game plan for the start of the 21st century. One of its stated goals was to renovate and enhance the church facility to "house projected growth and enhance our capacity to reach our community."
An enhanced facility will draw people in and equip the church to plant more churches, says Castor.
"We believe we have a responsibility as a congregation who's been given much to be generous," Castor says. Grant Memorial regularly plays hosts to major conferences. This month it will host Missionfest Manitoba and a major conference on worship ministry in March. The space is also used for school graduations and events such as symphony performances.
"Our goal is bringing people from the outside, non-church environment into the church," says Castor.
Not all in favour
Not everyone who attends the church feels it's a responsible use of money. "I'm uncomfortable with the project, in general," one church member who didn't want to be named told ChristianWeek. After attending for 13 years, he recently became a member.
The school needs to grow, he says. But renovations to the auditorium and foyer make him uneasy. "To be honest, I have had a difficult time understanding the need for remodeling the church auditorium and foyer. It is a little shocking and almost seems surreal that this has come up."
He feels one of the church's strengths is its small groups. "Every week there are tons of small groups of people who attend Grant Memorial Baptist Church meeting around the city in each other's houses to worship and pray and connect with each other."
Another church member, Francesco Zurzolo, has contributed to the project on top of his regular giving despite initial concerns. "I had to go through a lot of thought to even decide to stay at the church let alone start supporting the project," he says. "[But] I can also understand that every place, even churches, need to update their facilities from time to time."
A graduate of Linden Christian School, Zurzolo agrees that the school needs to build. He also recognizes the efficiency of a church and school sharing a building.
On the whole, pushback has been less than leaders braced for, says Castor. The first architects contracted to draft a plan came back with a design priced at $18 to $21 million. The church asked them to halve it.
"The number we gave them was synthetic," says Castor, "because we knew it would be much less than we probably needed."
"People find a balance between helping others and helping themselves," says Zurzolo. "I would love to see a community that gives generously come out of this project and I really hope that this new expansion doesn't just make it easier for church people to stay at church."
Grant Memorial has pledged one per cent of all capital funds to build churches for congregations in India who don't have buildings.
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