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Building for Our Beloved Community

by | Apr 30, 2026 | Featured, Weekly Message | 0 comments

On a dark blue background, in the upper left, text reads: Building for Our Beloved Community. In the upper right is a logo of the number 75 with a flaming chalice next to it in yellow, and underneath in white text: Anniversary Year, Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville. Below the text is an architectural drawing labeled 'South Elevation Proposed' with the street view of Edwin Place with outlines of current UU Asheville buildings and proposed additions and removals (a big X is over the current structure of 21 Edwin). Underneath the drawing is text that says: Come in, we have space for you.

The work of our congregation takes many forms, but no matter how that work shows up—in the sanctuary, in our faith formation and social justice gatherings, or serving out in the broader community—it is firmly rooted in love. That is our UU way. Happily, more and more people are joining our congregation because of the shared values we hold dear. Our growth is a blessing. And it is a challenge.

If we are to be a multigenerational faith community for the future, we must nurture that future with faith formation and development for all our beloveds, from the youngest to the oldest, who gather in our spaces on Sundays and throughout the week. However, our spaces are bursting at the seams. Youth faith formation classrooms struggle to accommodate the growing number of youth and youngsters in our community. Social groups, small group ministries, and justice teams are challenged to find meeting spaces in our current facilities. And anyone who has enjoyed coffee hour or other special events in Sandburg Hall knows how crowded (and noisy) that space can get. 

In response to these needs, and at the direction of the Board of Trustees, the Long-Range Planning Team is implementing a plan of action to create more space for our growing faith community. Under the banner of “Building for Our Beloved Community” this plan targets three primary areas on our campus. Below is a very brief summary of what is planned (many more details will be shared over the coming months).

The first area is 21 Edwin Place. Here, the plan is to construct a new building that is purpose-built for our faith formation programs and other congregational needs. (The current building on that site is unusable due to safety and structural issues and will be demolished.) The new building would nearly double the amount of usable space previously provided on that site. 

The second area is Sandburg Hall. The plan here is to expand the hall on the existing footprint of the building, which we estimate will yield about 800 square feet of additional space. This work would also include adding a lift for accessibility between Sandburg Hall and the lower level. 

And the third area is on the grounds outside. Our Memorial Garden has insufficient space to accommodate further growth, and it suffers from chronic water runoff. So the garden will be expanded and regraded. Additionally, as part of overall campus development, a new children’s playground will be integrated into the outdoor space, and we are looking to expand parking behind the new building at 21 Edwin Place.

To those of us directly involved in these plans, this work is spiritual work. It is driven by love of our faith community and commitment to supporting a long future for UU Asheville—a future in which we can welcome all who are drawn to our values and say to them, “Come in, we have space for you.”

— Jim Gamble on behalf of the UU Asheville Board of Trustees