Refresh renovation project

Loving god by serving people better with our building!

After a few years of prayerful study and input in the midst of exciting growth in our ministries, we have engaged MA Design architects and O'Brien Robinson General Contractors to refresh our building with renovations that will help us to better serve God and people through our facilities. It is an exciting time to partner together and see God at work! For financial info and to give, see ourcornerstone.org/serve. 

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NEWEST UPDATES

May 3, 2026 handout and announcements

Things have been moving along successfully as planned to this point. Everything has moved slowly and deliberately over the past few years, but the next three months may feel like a whirlwind of excitement!


2026-2028 SERVE Capital Campaign Update:

  • As of 4/28/2026 we’ve had $1.467 million given out of our ~$4 million pledged!
  • Ongoing SERVE updates found at ourcornerstone.org/serve


2026-2027 REFRESH Renovation Construction Update:

News for ALL:

  • Starting Sunday, May 31, worship will be in the Burnside Family Life Center for both 9am Traditional and 10:30 Contemporary worship services.
  • Starting in June, the sanctuary and half of the rest of the building will begin to be cleared of items to make them ready for July construction, at which time likely ½ of our building will be unavailable for use due to construction.
  • We’re exploring various possible locations for our ministries during the 13 months of construction, both on-site and off-site. It’s both complicated and exciting, so thank you for your patience and grace during this time. It is truly going to help us improve the ways we can serve both God and people!

News for those involved with Vacation Bible School / VBS:

  • VBS will start and end each day in the sanctuary June 1-4, then from June 8 onward the sanctuary will be completely closed for renovations.

News for those who want a pew or part of one:

  • The pews in the sanctuary, hallways, and chapel will be available for anyone to take as-is, at one’s own risk, via one’s own efforts. The pews in the sanctuary will only be available for removal between June 5-7.
  • Please note that while they hold sentimental value for some of us, they are also very long, very heavy, not easily disassembled or moved, and many are in disrepair.
  • Therefore, please notify the church office by May 15 if you would like to take one or more of the pews, and we will explain procedures and schedule a time when you can come remove and transport them with whomever is helping you. Thank you!

Area Closed

For your safety, the chapel is closed while pews are being removed as part of our renovation work. Please use the Prayer Room off the Sanctuary.


Please do not enter this area until construction is completed and the space has been reopened.


Through it all, we thank you for your patience and cooperation as we work to SERVE and REFRESH for future generations.

WORKING TIMELINE

As of May 3, 2026

MAY:

  • May 15: Deadline to tell the office you will take a pew or pews. 
  • May 24: Last Sunday in Sanctuary for worship before moving the 9am Traditional Worship service into the Burnside Family Life Center at 9am for 9 months.
  • May 31: Start having both the 9am and the 10:30 worship services in the Burnside Family Life Center (gym) during the first 9 months of renovations.


END OF MAY THROUGH ALL OF JUNE:

  • Architects (MA Design) complete the construction drawings.
  • General Contractor (O’Brien-Robinson) does the final cost estimations and starts to arrange sub-contractors and permitting.
  • Phasing of the project finalized, discussed with fire marshal, etc.

JUNE:

  • June 1: Begin a lease with the City of Marysville to rent the former Eufinger Law building across Court Street from our current offices to be temporary office space. The offices will likely be closed temporarily some time in June during the transition.
  • June 1-4: Vacation Bible School.
  • June 5-7: Removing or covering items in the sanctuary, including pews.
  • By June 5: Construction financing finalized with bank.
  • June 8: Asbestos abatement begins (removing floor tiles whose glue has asbestos in it, in the sanctuary and balcony floors).
  • Throughout June: Vacating the 11+ office rooms, and ½ of the rooms in the rest of the building in preparation for July construction.

JULY-DECEMBER:

  • Phase One construction: While the exact rooms that will be unavailable for use during construction will be identified in June, the sanctuary, chapel, and approximately ½ of the building’s remaining rooms will be renovated in this time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Thank you for visiting our FAQ page for the Cornerstone SERVE campaign. Our goal is to address questions that are pertinent to the project. If you would like to submit additional questions, do so by sending an email to info@ourcornerstone.org. Thank you for your interest in and support of this important project.

  • To serve children and families:

    • Children’s ministry (nursery through 4th grade) move to the second floor
    • New children’s welcome center, nursery, and toddler room with a restroom
    • New sensory room for children with special needs
    • Refresh the other children and preschool rooms
    • Remodel of the preschool restrooms to allow for improved accessibility for preschool children

    To serve low-mobility friends:

    • New accessible restrooms on same level as the sanctuary
    • New accessible family-style restroom near BFLC entrance
    • New elevator to sanctuary from Court St.
    • Improved wayfinding signage

    To serve youth and all adults within and outside of the church:

    • New café with plumbing and two new first-floor gathering areas with natural light
    • New multi-use room with natural light
    • Refreshed youth ministry rooms
    • Traditional sanctuary upgrades including wooden wall enhancements, new seating, renovated stage with handrails and movable pulpit, improved flooring and lighting, balcony and bell choir safety improvements
    • Newcomer hospitality improvements including better exterior and interior signage, fresh paint, new flooring, safety and security enhancements
    • Kitchen ventilation and electric power improvements
    • Office space renovations
    • Chapel enhancements for usage as Prayer Room

  • Overall, we are updating many items which should actually lower our current maintenance costs. For example, the new flooring will be less expensive to maintain. There will, however, be some minor added maintenance costs (such as cleaning additional restrooms) that can be absorbed in the annual budget.

  • There are no changes to the exterior of the building in this project. However, the exterior signage will likely be updated. We are not adding any square footage to the building.

  • These ongoing improvement projects will be budgeted and completed through the Facilities Maintenance Team, much like the multiple air handlers have been replaced in recent years. The gym floor is a project that has already been researched by the Facilities Team independent of the building project.

  • We explored installing a ramp down to the prayer room/chapel area from the sanctuary and found a major structural issue that will prohibit us from doing this, both from a cost and means of completion standpoint. We are disappointed that this may cause an issue for some of our low-mobility friends. We will make sure that there is always a prayer team member available in another area of the sanctuary to pray with anyone for whom this creates an issue.

  • Parking has not been studied by the building committee at this time. However, with the installation of the new elevator near the Court St entrance, we will be looking at how to improve accessibility into this entrance.

  • The overflow area in the sanctuary will be used to install new restrooms and the new elevator, so this seating area will be eliminated. However, the Narthex wall will be removed in order to allow for some additional seating in the back. Our goal is to maintain the current capacity as best we can.

  • There are no plans to change the seating in the BFLC. The seating in the sanctuary will be upgraded as a part of this plan. Maintaining the traditional feel of the sanctuary is a high priority, so any seating option selected must meet this requirement. The final decision on seating in the sanctuary has not been made at this time.

Frequently Asked Questions - Sanctuary

One of the major areas of renovation will be the sanctuary. Maintaining the traditional feel of the sanctuary is a high priority. Many of the details have not been finalized yet. We will continue to update you as new information becomes available. If you wish to discuss these topics in further detail reach out to one of the Building Committee members (names can be found at the beginning of the FAQ page).

  • A new elevator will be added near the Court Street entrance to the church that will provide direct access to the sanctuary area. The current elevator at the 6th Street entrance will remain the same and can still be used. We are studying how to improve access to handicap parking from the Court St entrance.

  • The need for an upgrade is being discussed but has not been decided upon at this point.

  • Plans are being made to relocate and reuse the stained-glass windows that were removed as part of an earlier renovation. The plan is to include them along the wall that separates the sanctuary from the new bathrooms.

  • There will be railings on both sides of the steps out of the sanctuary.

  • A new accessible bathroom area will be created where the prayer room is currently. This will be accessed by walking back to the narthex, then turning right like you are heading to the choir room and turning right before the ramp. Soundproofing will be added in the wall between the restrooms and the Sanctuary.

  • The height of the altar does not change but the stage height will conform to 28-inch height, which will improve viewing for those folks in the back. The current lectern and pulpit will be removed and replaced by a movable pulpit. We are hopeful that some of the wood and design elements from the current pulpit can be used in the creation of the new pulpit to help with maintaining the tradition and feel of the current sanctuary. Handrails and wider steps will be added to the stage area to improve safety and accessibility.

  • Acoustics are an important element for all the music in the sanctuary. We will be studying the impact of structural changes on acoustics and plan to seek help with that if necessary.

  • We understand that there are several concerns with the lighting in the sanctuary area, including poor lighting in the stage area and the hanging lights obstructing the view of the screens and bell choir area from the balcony. A lighting design that would address these concerns is on our radar but has not been completed at this point.

  • Currently, the only change being planned to this area is a see through glass railing that will be added to improve safety.

  • A see through glass railing will be added to improve safety in this area.

  • The seating in the sanctuary will be upgraded as a part of this plan. Maintaining the traditional feel of the sanctuary is a high priority, so any seating option selected must meet this requirement. The final decision on seating in the sanctuary has not been made at this time.

  • Flooring will be updated but the decision about what will be used has not been made.