OUUMC To Hold First Service After 2-Year Renovation

 

By Alyssa Schnugg
Staff writer
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com

For two years, the congregation at Oxford-University United Methodist Church continued to gather and worship despite signs of heavy construction outside the sanctuary doors. However, the $11 million renovation project is nearing completion.

On Sunday, the new sanctuary and expansion of classrooms and offices will be officially opened when service begins.
“We have a few final clean-up items and over the next few weeks we will complete some punch-list items, but we felt we were at a place where we can now open it up,” said OUUMC Minister Eddie Rester.

The 20,000-square feet expansion included a central atrium gathering space, a 300-seat space for the church’s contemporary worship service, several new offices, two large entryways including a “coffee hub,” and a two-story parking deck that will provide about 120 parking spaces open to the public to use during the week.
“We also made the entire building ADA compliant, added Sunday school and nursery space,” Rester said. “We also knew that we wanted to add some entryways and gathering spaces to make it easy for people who want to find their way, but also to gather with people when they’re here.”
Rester said allowing the public to use the parking spaces is just one way OUUMC wants to partner with the community and provide relief during the construction of the downtown parking garage that is expected to begin in August.

“We believe that if we want to be a community partner, that includes sharing our parking,” Rester said. “Our parking will be open – except Sunday, weddings, funerals and things like that.”
The lead construction company was Linkous Construction out of Memphis, and CDFL Architects out of Jackson were the architects for the renovation project.
The church was founded in 1836, a year before Oxford was chartered as a city.
“We’ve been there 182 years and we’re still growing,” Rester said. “I’m proud of how they responded to this renovation project. They’ve been very patient. We haven’t had great access to bathrooms and it was very muddy after it rained. It was an invasive project but we are finally ready to open the doors.”

Due to the historical significance, the sanctuary and Wesley Hall were not part of the major renovation project; however, they were made handicap accessible, and Wesley Hall will remain closed for several weeks while that work is being completed.
The church did not renovate the gymnasium, as it was just built in 2006.

Rester said nothing special is planned for Sunday, but he does suggest coming early to have a chance to walk around and see the new building.
“Probably around October we’ll have a celebration when all the work is finally complete,” he said.
For more information about OUUMC, visit https://www.ouumc.org/.

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