PITTSBORO — A decade ago, the average number of worshipers attending Pittsboro United Methodist Church on a given Sunday morning was 113.
Seven years later, that number — having risen to 260 — had more than doubled, placing the Methodist church among the top 10 percent of growing churches in Chatham County.
Recognizing an imminent need for more space to accommodate not only the documented growth of the church but anticipated growth as a result of new residential development in the Pittsboro area, a church “Visioning Team” in 2013 began assessing the church’s future space requirements.
In 2015, the Church Conference voted to move forward with plans for a major expansion, launching a campaign to raise funds for the planning and building of a new Family Life Center.
On March 1, in the minutes between early- and mid-morning church services, the congregation gathered outside on a grassy, undeveloped southwestern portion of the church’s property, just off West Street in Pittsboro, to break ground for the new addition.
“Come grow with us,” read a banner draped onto a tractor waiting to move dirt. In front of it, a dozen shovels and hard hats awaited a dozen members of the church’s Administrative Council to ceremoniously break the ground on which the new addition will be built.
“The scripture teaches us that the church is the household of God, the body of which Christ is the head,” said Pittsboro UMC Pastor Sara Beth Pannell, addressing the congregation on the cool, sunny morning. “That is the design of the gospel, to bring together as one all of those who are in Christ. Today we come together as one body to break ground for the building of our Family Life Center. It is a holy and sacred space that is meant to help us as a church, as the body of Christ, to fulfill Christ’s mission in this community.”
Lynn Glasser, head of the Capital Campaign raising money for the expansion, called the Family Life Center project “a dream we have all shared, and today we see it becoming a reality.”
More than $2 million has been pledged toward the building effort, Glasser said.
“God is working through you to spread the word through this growing community we all call home,” he said, adding the growing church will provide space “for all of you and for generations to come.”
Clyde Miller, chairman of the church’s Building Committee, recalled that the “journey started back in 2013 when a newly-assembled Visioning Team identified a need for new space.”
A year later, the Building Team was formed.
“A lot has happened in the six-plus years since then,” Miller said. “The road has been bumpy at times, as it always is, but we kept going. The important part is where we are going from here. Our vision is that in five years we will see the new building, we’ll see a nursery full of children and a building full of believers praising God and enjoying the fellowship of our fellow members. Our mission statement clearly defines where we need to go, and that is to grow more disciples of Jesus Christ in faith, hope and love. With the addition of this center, we can do just that.”
The Pittsboro Town Board has approved the building plan for the $2.7 million project, which calls for a 10,883 square foot Family Life Center, including 6,428 square feet of additional worship space; seating for 450; meal space for 350; a kitchen, nursery, reception area, bathrooms, a single multi-use room (choir, meeting, bridal room), plus storage areas.