Building For The Future

With God as our guide, Shantz Mennonite Church is building a new facility. Construction began the beginning of June 2020 with Frey Contractors leading the build. We are excited for the future and hope the community will be blessed by the opportunities this building will bring.

As we look to the future, we celebrate our history, and the people who have been gathering here over the past 179 years, to worship and be strengthened in their faith as witnesses of God’s Good News.

We also want to acknowledge those who were here before settlers came to this place. We recognize the First Nations of the Haudenosaunee people of Six Nations, the Neutral, and the Anishinnaabe.

To God be the glory!

April 2022

The story is complete. We had our first service in our new facility on April 3, 2022. Occupancy was granted on Thursday March 31, and the following few days were filled with much joy and preparations. We are looking forward to our dedication service on June 5th where we will celebrate all the work and planning that has happened over the past days, months and years. We have been taught patience, BUT we also acknowledge that this build has been God’s plan, and has happened in His timing.

Here are few photos from our Crossing Over Service on April 3, 2022.

March 2022

We are almost there! The last weeks of February and March are filled with work finishing off everything – trim work, storage, sound system, cleaning etc. We have started to move furniture in and pack up things in the old church. Outdoor lighting is completed. We have not received our occupancy permit yet, but we hope that will happen in the next few weeks.

February 11, 2022

The carpet is being laid in the sanctuary, and it looks lovely. We now have coatracks in the hallways, bathroom stalls and many other small details completed. Acoustical half rounds are being added to the gym walls to dampen the sound. The fireplace in the lobby will set a warm and inviting atmosphere.

January 28, 2022

So many things are being completed and installed in the new church. The sanctuary continues to progress with the acoustical rounds being installed. Flooring is completed in the offices. Pastor Don is thrilled to see how his office looks! The stonework is being done on the lobby fireplace and it looks lovely. There are so many large, beautiful windows in our new church!

January 13, 2022

Frey Brothers Construction continues to work hard to complete all the details inside the church. Forms have been created and affixed to the walls in the sanctuary and clerestory to hold the acoustical rounds for sound absorption. Countertops are installed in the coffee area and kitchen. Carpet has been laid throughout the basement. The doors for the library and sanctuary are here and will be installed soon. In the prayer room, the fireplace is getting completed and looks lovely. So many small and big details being looked after!

December 30, 2021

Lots of changes happening in the church! Painting continues in the Sanctuary and the sound booth has been built. Cabinets and countertops are being installed in the bathrooms, and the kitchen cupboards are partly complete. The light posts for outside are being assembled in the gym. Lots of gym equipment has arrived and sitting waiting in their boxes to be installed and set up.

December 10, 2021

Progress continues all over the church! In the sanctuary, the acoustic clouds are being drywalled, and the 3 sided wall is built on the stage. The coffee bar/island is being completed in the lobby, and some lights are in the clerestory. Kitchen cabinets are being installed, and carpet is in most of the classrooms. There is a moveable wall in the basement for the breakout room. The bathrooms still need stalls, but are mostly complete. We are so thankful to all the tradespeople who continue to work to complete our project!

November 29, 2021

Check out this link to a video tour hosted by Cheryl Ogasawara and the Design Team. You will see highlights of the interior work in the church. https://vimeo.com/653267041/8878207362

November 19, 2021

The potlights arrived this week and they are installed in the sanctuary. As a result, drywalling is going up on the ceiling of the sanctuary now. Cabinetry is being installed in the bathrooms, copier room, and multi-purpose room. Flooring is down in the bathrooms, and toilets are in. Painting is completed in the downstairs Sunday School rooms, and continuing upstairs. The accessible washrooms have tiling completed. AND…the sign outside has been installed and looks lovely!

October 15, 2021

Inside the church, drywall is completed except on the ceilings where we are waiting for potlights to arrive and be installed. In the gym, large “clouds” are being installed to dampen the echo. A lot of painting is done and the railing along the balcony is complete. The fan hood is in the kitchen now. Pastor Don even checked out one of the showers in the accessible washrooms! Outside, solar panels have been installed on the roof and the paving is complete.

October 1, 2021

The interlock has been laid all around the church and looks beautiful. Outdoor lighting is installed, and the sidewalks are complete. The yard is getting prepped for paving. Inside, painting continues, doors are being installed and lighting is almost complete.

September 17, 2021

Lots of progress the past month! Curbs have been poured and interlocking bricks are being laid behind the church. The soffits and eavestroughs have been installed. Inside, painting and drywalling continues. Lights have been installed in the basement.

August 13, 2021

The base for the sign is being created. Drywalling and painting continues inside the church. The outside area is being graded to prepare for curbs and laying interlock.

July 30 , 2021

Drywall being installed everywhere. Painting is happening in the basement. Special thanks to Dwayne Martin, Site Co-ordinator for Frey Construction who continues to do an exceptional job organizing all the details of our church build!

July 23, 2021

Trees have been planted around the building, and wild flowers are blooming on the south facing slope of the storm water retention pond – beautiful!

July 2, 2021

Lots of progress inside the building! The floors have been poured in the gym and sanctuary. Dry wall is going up in the basement, and the electricians continue to work on the main floor. HVAC is being installed also. Outside, the stucco is getting completed around windows.

May 21, 2021

The floors in the sanctuary has been partially poured, and bracing for the walls is going up inside. The masons have completed their work on the exterior, and roofing continues when the weather allows.

May 7, 2021

The exterior of the church is looking great! Lots of progress on the bricklaying and roofing.

May 6, 2021

Building inside the new church has halted due to the provincial lock down. But, the masons have been able to continue work outside. Also, roofing has started. Here is a drone video from May 1, 2021.

April 9, 2021

Pastor Don and Linda toured the inside of the church this week. Tubing for the in-floor heat is being laid, and HVAC is being installed in the basement. Don checked out the outdoor classroom on the east side of the church. The masons are continuing to brick the exterior. Also, the outside is being prepped for stucco in some places.

April 2, 2021

The masons continue their excellent work on the south and west side of the building.

March 26, 2021

The masons have begun laying the brick, and the church got connected to hydro this week. Enjoy the video below taken from drone footage a few weeks ago!

March 12, 2021

2021 Construction resumed a couple weeks ago! There has been work done outside on the retaining wall/outdoor classroom, as well as inside on the ceilings and stairways. Insulation is making progress outside and inside.

January 22, 2021

Due to an amendment to the Provincial Order, we need to “pause construction” at the church until the Provincial Order is lifted or amended. We want to thank Frey Construction, and all the other contractors, for their excellent work thus far. We look forward to resuming construction once the Provincial Order has ended. In the meantime, may everyone stay safe and well!

January 15, 2021

Frey Construction is completing the window installation. The roof is completely covered now in a waterproof membrane.

January 8, 2021

The windows are being installed and the stairs are in.

December 18, 2020

Pastor Don and Linda Shantz were given a tour by Mike Shantz, co-chair of the Build Team. Here are some photos of the tour!

December 11, 2020

The sheeting of the roof is almost complete!

December 4, 2020

Work continues on the roofing. Doors and windows are being closed in for the winter weather.

November 27, 2020

They are sheeting the roof to prepare for covering it with a water-proof membrane to seal it for the winter.

November 19, 2020

The roof is taking shape! The truss system is complete over the fellowship hall and the classroom area on the main floor. Today, the trusses are being set above the sanctuary.

November 13, 2020

The trusses are being installed on the roof. Masons are completing the walls of the fellowship hall. Lots of action on site with water lines being connected and hydro crews working

November 6, 2020

Pouring concrete into the walls of the Sanctuary.

October 30, 2020

Drone photos and video.

October 30, 2020

The walls continue to go up, getting ready to receive the roof trusses next week.

October 23, 2020

Pastor Don and Linda, office administrator, went on a tour of the build site. Here are some photos of their tour…

October 16, 2020.

The weather slowed down things a bit this week, but framing the walls in the basement continues as well as framing the upstairs walls. Soon the floor will get poured in the sanctuary and fellowship hall.

October 9, 2020

It has been a very active week on site! The forms are in place for the first 4 feet of walls on the main floor, and are being poured today. The elevator shaft is being created by the masons, and the floor to the sanctuary is being prepped to be poured next week. We are so thankful for this amazing fall weather that has allowed construction to go full steam ahead!

October 2, 2020

The main floor is being installed. It took 2 days of crane work to place all the pieces.

September 25, 2020

The lower level block work is done except for the fellowship hall. They are getting ready for the 2nd level floor to come in next week. In the fellowship hall, tubing is being laid for in-floor heating.

: In floor heat tubes

September 18, 2020

The basement walls are going up by the classrooms, and they are just starting to build around the gym. This week, directional drilling happened from the well to the new church. So many tradesmen on site doing amazing work!

September 9, 2020

Drone footage – …coming soon…..

September 4, 2020

The classrooms are taking shape in the basement area. Some photos of the east side of the building where the outdoor classroom will be. The area has been prepped for the weeping bed. The sanctuary area and lobby have been backfilled. The storm water retention pond has grass growing around it now.

August 28, 2020

The masons continue to make great progress building the basement walls. We can see doorways! We have been blessed with great weather making the build progress steadily.

August 21, 2020

Basement floors continue to be poured, and masons continue to build classroom walls in the basement. The sanctuary floor is being prepped.

August 14, 2020

The masons are working on the interior block walls. The north half of the basement floor has been poured.

August 7, 2020

The lines for the geo-thermal heating system are laid. The floor will be poured on Monday. You can clearly see the front entrance – to the right of it will be the sanctuary.

July 31, 2020

The foundation is complete! There is a photo of the concrete pumper that finished the job this week. Now the trades will be moving on site – electricians, geo-thermal, plumbers – to complete the necessary work in the floor of the basement before the concrete floors are poured.

July 24, 2020

The foundation is almost complete – the final forms are being made. The sign is up at the new entrance and looks great! The sloped bank leading to the water retention pond south of the cemetery was seeded this week with a wildflower mix.

July 17, 2020

Pouring concrete for the Fellowship Hall . Footings for the sanctuary are getting set to be poured. It’s exciting to see the walls starting to go up!

July 10, 2020

The digging has begun for the sanctuary. Footings have been poured for the fellowship hall and surrounding rooms. A new sign has been created and will get installed soon.