Plaza Enhancement Project

The Vision

In our amazing desert we get to hold our coffee hour outdoors on the plaza. We hold activities, place greeting and information tables, and greatly value our outdoor time together.

However our gathering space is limited, and is particularly crowded when we hold outdoor events. It is not meeting fully the needs of our congregation. And we are restricted to the cooler season.

The initial construction plans for the church included an expansive plaza and wonderful water features. Maybe we can fully realize that dream in Phase 2 or 3 of the Sacred Grounds Initiative but we can take a number of important functional steps right now.

Expand the Seasons

The Sacred Ground Initiative has completed installation of a mister system. This adds a couple months to both the Spring and Autumn seasons, greatly extending our time together as a community.

Expand the Patio

The pergola canopy shades a much larger area than our current usable patio. The next obvious step is to expand the pavement to the full area shaded by the pergola. We can greatly increase our usable space, especially for popular events like our Chili cook-off or Community Volunteer Fair. Funded by the Facilities budget, this will be completed in the Fall of 2023.

Native Plantings

The heart of the Sacred Grounds Initiative is providing a sanctuary for our native plants and animals. Currently the plaza outer perimeter is barren rock. Adding native plantings is an important part of the Initiative, and in Spring of 2023 native verbena provided some beautiful blooms. Perhaps plantings in the interior courtyard garden around the mesquite tree could be considered too, with a focus on year-round blooms.