Building for the Ages
St. Martin’s is standing on the brink of yet another invitation to expand the ministries and mission of our Lord and Savior Jesus. The answer to His call is to make His handprint here at the corner of Sage and Woodway larger, deeper, better – therefore empowering us to take His hands and His power into the world around us. This invitation will require that we be generous as God has been generous with us.
Building for the Ages, the name chosen for this great project holds two meanings. The first and most obvious is our commitment to the future as an Episcopal congregation. St. Martin’s is a model congregation among Episcopal churches and we look forward to continued growth as more members join the Parish each year. The second meaning is that we are indeed building to benefit all members of our Parish family, from the youngest to the oldest. Building for the Ages has something for everyone.
If you have any questions about Building for the Ages, contact Ashley Pratka at 346-335-8658 or email hidden; JavaScript is required.
On-line Pledge Card
Parish Life Center
The anchor of the eastern side of the campus will be the new and very exciting Parish Life Center. This facility will provide a larger, flexible space that will accommodate as many as 700 adults, students and children for the Family Table and Altar worship services. The Parish Life Center also will accommodate large group meetings and various events. In addition, the building will house vesting areas, sacristies, an additional bride’s room, print shop, security, maintenance and storage. In close proximity to the educational buildings, the 23,547 square foot Parish Life Center will serve as the hub for younger parishioners and family worship, fellowship and education.
Children’s Ministry Building
The new one-story Children’s Ministry Building will contain 12,633 square feet dedicated to the spiritual upbringing and education of our youngest parishioners. Conveniently connected to the Parish Life Center by a Narthex and fellowship garden, this building will offer controlled check in and entry to nurseries for infants and toddlers, classrooms for children in kindergarten through 5th grade and two activity pods. The classrooms of this multi-use space also will provide a convenient location for adult gatherings and the expanding programs of our Hope and Healing Center.
Christ Chapel
The need for a larger chapel to serve for baptisms, weddings and funerals was answered by architects who re-envisioned the Old Church. They saw a new Christ Chapel in the Old Church by placing a dividing wall between the altar rail and chancel area. Christ Chapel will seat 200, with 150 on the floor and 50 in the balcony. The exterior of the building will be updated to match the exterior of The Church with the addition of seven stained glass windows on each side and a rose window in the chancel. The intimacy and Gothic feel will be enhanced by special lighting and wood paneled ceiling and walls. These updates and renovations encompass 38,501 square feet.
Pastoral Care Center
The Master Plan responds to the growth in our Parish membership, programming and staffing in part with the addition of a new two- story Pastoral Care Center built off of the southern transept of the Old Church. The Pastoral Care Center will be fronted by a new cloister garden and green space matching that of the cloister garden on the eastern side of The Church. Included in this building will be offices for Clergy and program staff, multi-use spaces such as a reception area for 200 people, expanded bride’s room, larger Vestry Conference Room and two second floor conference rooms.
Music Building
Among the great blessings of St. Martin’s is its outstanding Music Ministry. The new Music Building, built off of the northern transept of the Old Church, will provide an exceptional rehearsal space for our adult choirs. Built from the former chancel space of the Old Church, the new rehearsal space will be designed to accommodate choir rehearsals with a 40-foot ceiling that will mimic the acoustic opportunities of The Church. Also, the Music Building will house a fellowship room, choral library, music storage and offices for the traditional worship music staff.
Renovations and Modifications
Included in the Master Plan are a number of smaller – though important – renovations to St. Martin’s Episcopal Preschool, Payne Education Center, St. Martin’s Bookstore & Gift Shoppe, and the Welcome Center that serves a dual purpose as a gathering place for grooms and groomsmen. Minor modifications also will be made to Bagby Parish Hall, Activity Center and Founders’ Hall. Among the infrastructure improvements are a new water-cooled central plant that covers 7,144 square feet to support HVAC, finishing the Riverway Drive build-out and new parking areas. Families enrolled in St. Martin’s Preschool will benefit from a new traffic flow with increased on-campus carpool line for drop-off and pick-up, and an expanded playground near Christ Chapel. A new cloister garden and campus landscaping will help maintain the green and meditative environment of St. Martin’s. At the completion of these projects, our campus will have four interior garden areas and a variety of green spaces that surround the campus. The Vestry has committed to a plan to replace every tree removed with two younger, though mature trees.
Beyond Building for the Ages
Beyond the new construction projects, the Building for the Ages campaign will add as much as $5 million to the Saint Martin’s Endowment. This will enhance our ability to manage the repair and maintenance costs of the campus for years to come. In addition, there will be some funds allocated to support Outreach ministries as an expression of our commitment to the needs of our community outside the walls of St. Martin’s.
What Parishioners Are Saying
About Building for the Ages
“Barbara and I have reviewed the expansive vision of the Master Plan for St. Martin’s buildings and grounds. Clearly, the Parish leadership and those who have worked so hard on this plan for the last two years have not only created a vision to serve the needs of our growing Church, but also taken into consideration the generations to come. We are pleased to support this plan and celebrate with you that our fellow members of St. Martin’s have once again looked with boldness into the future.” – President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Pierce Bush, Honorary Co-Chairs
“We have received such comfort and strength from our church over the years and obviously this plan will enable St. Martin’s to continue and deepen its ministry to all those who come within our doors. But equally important, it will also expand the work of our Lord to those beyond our doors through our growing outreach and mission initiatives.” – The Honorable James A. Baker, III, 61st U.S.
Secretary of State, and Mrs. Susan G. Baker, Honorary Co-Chairs
“The opportunity we have is to help St. Martin’s reach its goal of building structures that will accommodate the parishioners and Clergy for decades to come. We are honored to be a part of this campaign and have no doubt, with God’s help, that all objectives will be met!” – Minnie and Ed Cappel, Co-Chairs
“We have before us a well-designed master plan for our church campus that will enable us to serve even more people, young and old, current and future generations. We are pleased to support the Building for the Ages campaign to help us realize God’s calling for our Parish.” – Sally and David Harvin, Co-Chairs
“We feel the Building for the Ages campaign specifically addresses the needs of families with children. The new facilities and re-organization of the campus will better connect the entire family to worship, ministry and education. It is going to add member and program growth possibilities and increase the energy at St. Martin’s.” – Melinda and Matt Mogas, Co-Chairs
“What a tremendous blessing it is to be part of the leadership effort behind the Building for the Ages campaign. Having been members of St. Martin’s since 2011, we believe our support of God’s work through our Church is one of the privileges of being obedient administrators of His estate and executors of His will.” – Seyi and Tunde Afolabi, Co-Chairs
“We feel that we have a real responsibility and an amazing opportunity to share the kingdom of God with others through our growing church. It is a privilege and honor to participate in this campaign; we expectantly look ahead to the future to see God’s will done through the doors of St. Martin’s.” – Meredith and Mark Barineau, Co-Chairs
“The changes at St. Martin’s are by no means relegated to bricks and mortar. Our congregation has grown dynamically both in number and diversity. These changes are great for all of us and we need to keep that part of our heritage alive. Building for the Ages is doing just that.” – Jeanie and Tom Carter, Co-Chairs
“Past generations established a strong foundation for Parish life at St. Martin’s. As we have been blessed by those who came before, we are honored to build on their legacy so that all those God brings to our doors can receive His blessings here.” – Margaret and Bob Baze, Co-Chairs
“We are so blessed to be part of St. Martin’s family and feel this new Master Plan will help fulfill our mission for many years to come. From our experience with the Altar service, it is clear current programs have outgrown our aging facilities. Please join us in support of this wonderful leap forward for our Parish.” – Wendy and Bill Chiles, Co-Chairs
“St. Martin’s is such a blessing to our family, community and city. Through outreach, worship and pastoral care, this great church is truly an instrument of God’s peace. We are happy to support St. Martin’s however we can to expand its Godly work.” – Christine and Blake Williams, Co-Chairs
“We ask that you join us in making a significant pledge to the Building for the Ages Campaign and work of St. Martin’s in the coming year. Pray, give with grateful hearts and rejoice in the Lord.” – Lisa and George Francisco
“This exciting project is the result of thousands of hours of planning and revision by hundreds of people from St. Martin’s. They have worked diligently together in great harmony for the sole purpose of providing for the growth, prosperity and spiritual fulfillment of church families for generations to come.” – Stacy and Dale Cheesman III
“We give because St. Martin’s makes such terrific use of all its resources, by fostering an understanding of God, by promoting fellowship, by helping us learn more about God’s will for us on earth, and by providing so many resources to so many in need.” – Lisa and Bob Heston