Following a 5-year long study and deliberative process, the Membership of Tellico Village Community Church voted to construct a new Sanctuary. The need for a new worship space became evident when attendance at the 10:15 Sunday morning service started exceeding seating capacity around the year 2000. While the 8:00 AM service did not face the same space constraints at that time, the strong growth trend at this service indicated a similar situation developing within a few years.

The church engaged Neal-Prince Architects of Greenville, SC to study various alternatives for serving both current and future members. Study was given to expanding the existing Sanctuary, and much discussion took place around the issue of adding more Sunday services. In the end, however, it became clear that the best long-term and economical solution was the construction of a new Sanctuary appropriately sized for future growth. The new Sanctuary, would also make it possible to address a number of deficiencies we currently face including a shortage of convenient parking, poor traffic flow through the campus, lack of sufficient space in the Chancel area, limited Fellowship space near the Sanctuary, and less than adequate audio/visual/mechanical systems.

Neal-Prince developed a beautifully creative concept for an integrated church campus that will meet all the needs identified by the Membership. Click here to see a "fly-around" video of the Tellico Village Community Church Project.

Main elements of the plan include:

• a new Sanctuary with seating for 820+ people (actual design is 1100 seats at the traditional 18" per seat, but we think 22" is smarter!)
• a conversion of the current Sanctuary into a 200-seat Chapel
• new administrative offices
• a new Chancel area capable of accommodating a 100-voice choir, plus handbell tables, plus orchestra, and all musical instruments
• a new music rehearsal and robing area
• state of the art audio-visual systems including digital screens
• a new expansive Narthex area where people can gather and enjoy coffee fellowship before and after services
• a beautifully landscaped "church yard" concept that brings the Columbarium into the main yard and places all parking and traffic around the periphery of the buildings
• plenty of parking within easy walking distance of the entrances
• highly efficient and economical geo-thermal heating and air conditioning

The cost of the project is approximately $9 million, and will be completed in two phases. The first $8.2 million phase will include all the new construction and grading, with conversion of our current Sanctuary to take place at a later date.

Construction on the project began in October, 2009.

Target date for opening the new Sanctuary is Christmas, 2010.