Born from the devastation of Hurricane Ida, the Renewing, Rebuilding, Revitalizing project began as a rebuild of our worship space. With this well underway, we’re now taking the opportunity to expand our plans with the church’s legacy in mind.
Messiah is dedicated to Growing God’s Family in Downingtown, spreading love and support within our community and beyond.
Our journey began in 1903 when a group of Lutherans founded a new church at 46 West Lancaster Avenue. The facilities have evolved over the years, and in 2021, flooding from Hurricane Ida significantly impacted our building, challenging our missions and ministry.
Now, we are well into the rebuilding process and ready to launch our Faith in Action: Building Our Future Together program.
For nearly 125 years, generations of Messiah members have poured their energy and time into creating and sustaining a vibrant church community. Even through times of challenge and hardship—especially the devastation of Hurricane Ida—our foundation of faith has kept us moving forward. We’re not just reacting to now, we’re planning a welcoming home to see Messiah’s legacy flourish for years to come.
The work we’ve done to rebuild after Hurricane Ida provided us with the perfect opportunity: To expand our plan beyond its initial imaginings. With this expansion, we’re asking for more help from you through our Renewing, Rebuilding, Revitalizing Campaign. This fundraising campaign aims to do two primary things:
- Elevator Accessibility | To provide the ability for all community members to use the second floor offices and classrooms.
- Expanding the narthex | To create a friendly Welcome Center. It will feature inviting spaces with flexibility to better serve Messiah's family and Downingtown's community.
This Welcome Center will not only catch the eye of the community from our prime spot in the heart of Downingtown, it will offer a host of opportunities for gathering and events inside.
- Accessible & friendly.
- ADA-compliant restrooms.
- Cozy spaces.
- High ceilings and large windows.
- Flexible wall configuration.
- Opening & welcoming.
We invite you to play a pivotal role in our Renewing, Rebuilding, Revitalizing Campaign. This initiative is not just about bricks and mortar; it’s about fostering a more vibrant, purposeful community space where we can continue to grow in our faith and put it in action in the Downingtown community. We believe these major improvements are crucial for meeting the evolving accessibility needs of our congregation and the broader community for years to come.
Renewing, Rebuilding, Revitalizing" has been a theme since the early days of Hurricane Ida recovery. With rebuilding now well underway, we see an important opportunity to renew and revitalize our commitment as generous disciples to God and loving servants to our community. Enhance the visibility and welcoming aspect of the entrance on Lancaster Ave, which is the main street in Downingtown. After all, we are Growing God's Way in the heart of Downingtown. Enhance our amenities to create a more inviting space for the community, fostering fellowship and supporting ministry. Have the necessary features to serve those with physical limitations.
Development is all around us as Downingtown is currently experiencing unprecedented growth. The time is right to focus on welcoming in our community. Contractors are already working on the Classroom section so we save mobilization costs that can be as much as 30%.
A new busy area; We anticipate that our new Welcome Center will be a hub of activity as it will catch the attention of passers-by and help to pull people in, foster community, and support ministry.A more accessible facility; Improvements to accessibility are giving more of our spaces multifunctional use.
August/September 2024 | Mobilization and demolition
September/October 2024 | Basement construction and site preparation
October/November 2024 | Foundation and concrete work
November 2024-January 2025 | Framing, steel, and roof installation
January-March 2025 | Exterior and interior rough-in
March/April 2025 | Insulation, drywall, and finishes
May/June 2025 | Mechanical, electrical and final inspections
July/August 2025 | Punchlist items and completion
