Capital Campaign
Expanding Our Vision: A Building that Serves Our Mission
The mission of the Congregational Church of Huntington (CCH) is to share God’s love and to build the beloved community. As a diverse and inclusive congregation, we have a vital role to play not only in the lives of our parishioners but also as a resource for our neighbors on Long Island and beyond.
We need a Life Center that reflects and advances our outward-looking mission.
What You Can Do
As a congregation member, please download, print and complete your Letter of Intent with your intention to give and mail it to the church. To make a single contribution to this campaign, please visit our Donate Now page and select “Community Life Center – Capital Campaign” as the designation.
Fellowship Hall, Church Kitchen, Church Offices
The large all-purpose room adjacent to our sanctuary—known as Fellowship Hall—has served for half a century as a place to meet and greet before and after worship and for convening special events, like our Annual Meeting.
Yet it’s undeniable that over time, the physical structure of Fellowship Hall has deteriorated. Dated paneling, peeling paint, drafty, rusting windows and heavily-scuffed original flooring have threatened the sense of spiritual uplift we all feel at CCH. The deteriorating appearance of the physical space has also made Fellowship Hall less and less attractive as a site for community events.
Our Church Kitchen no longer meets New York Public Health Code requirements, meaning we can no longer host the Peace & Plenty food preparation and delivery program for the underserved that we created and have nurtured for the past 15 years. We have a cramped, windowless conference room and poorly configured office space. Currently, we have a single upstairs bathroom, and we are without updated heating and air-conditioning.
For an overview of our church’s past, please see Our History.
A Chance to Build and Renew
Our new Community Life Center offers us the opportunity to re-energize and expand our mission in a number of ways:
A Building for Service
We want to welcome non-profits to hold programs and fundraisers addressing areas of concern to our congregation, including the environment, justice and peace, LGBTQ issues, poverty on Long Island and human rights.
A Building for Worship
We want to host receptions after memorial services and to offer a welcoming space for baptisms, fellowship meetings, prayer circles, Bible studies and other worship experiences.
A Building for Families
We want to strengthen community support. As nursery schools evolve into all-day universal pre-kindergarten, our Noah’s Ark Nursery School needs a public health-certified kitchen. The Center will also be a welcoming space for families to rent for small parties.
A Building for the Arts
We want to affirm the joy of creative expression. The Center will be a space for performance and visual arts. It will be useful for small arts, theatre and music groups seeking affordable space.
Reference Materials
What Will It Cost?
The total project cost that was presented to the Congregation at a special meeting is estimated at $1 million. In order to raise a portion of funds necessary, The Congregation gave preliminary approval to the sale of a parcel of land adjacent to the Church, which local real-estate experts have estimated will bring in $600,000 to the Church. It was agreed that the sale of property will not disturb our existing Memorial Garden.
That leaves a cost of $400,000 that we will need to raise in special pledges in order to complete the project.
How Will Money Be Raised?
CCH is now engaged in an aggressive three-year fund-raising campaign which will include consultation with all members of the Congregation as well as outreach to friends, families and local philanthropy. The Campaign is spearheaded by a lay-member Executive Team, with professional and administrative support from the United Church of Christ Campaign Services leadership.
You Can Help!
Our Community Life Center will offer countless possibilities for a bright future of great spirituality, learning, growth and service. Please consider carefully and prayerfully – What is the best gift you can give to support the Community Life Center Campaign?
For more information about the Campaign, please contact Pastor Bigelow or any member of the Executive Committee below.
Steve Tremaroli, Campaign Administrator
Peter Lassen, Lead Gifts Chair
Bonnie Dawkins, Commitment Opportunities Chair
Spencer Vibbert, Printed, Digital Materials Chair
Linda Sheldon, Publicity Task Chair
Linda Wright, Administrative Support Chair
Jean Uhl, Group Meetings Chair
Marion Munch, Recording Chair
Nancy Sordi, Follow-up Task Chair
Rev. Mark Bigelow, Pastor, Ex-Officio