By 
A rendering of what the restored sanctuary at Aldersgate Church, 502 S Lincoln St., will look like when work is finished. Courtesy photo.
For more than 115 years, Aldersgate Church has stood in downtown Aberdeen, providing a place of worship, ministry and community.
Now, the congregation is investing in the next century of its legacy by restoring the building’s historic character while making necessary improvements that will serve future generations.
The idea for a major restoration originally surfaced about 10 years ago, but didn’t really take off until 2021 when Aldersgate began conversations with Station 19 Architects, a Minneapolis-based firm that specializes in churches and ministry spaces.
MORE: Aldersgate remodel reveals second stained-glass dome
Plans moved closer to fruition on Dec. 8, 2024, when the church’s administrative board and trustees unanimously approved what would become a two-phase effort known as The Legacy Project. It has three prime focuses — unification, hospitality, and children and youth ministry.
The project not only prioritizes the beautification of the church, but addresses major infrastructure needs, like fire suppression, plaster work, repainting, new carpet, electrical updates and other maintenance that has accumulated through the years. Trustees decided it made sense to tackle everything at once with a comprehensive project.
Fellowship hall, office remodel completed November 2025
A larger fellowship area at Aldersgate Church in Aberdeen is the result of a substantial renovation project within the iconic-looking building. Courtesy photo.
The first phase included remodeling the fellowship hall and office spaces. Work began after Easter 2025 and wrapped up in November.
Moving the offices downstairs nearly doubled the size of the fellowship hall, giving the church more flexibility for gatherings and events.
“Doubling our fellowship hall really added to the life of the church,” Lead Pastor Derek Baum said.
He said having all staff offices in one area has already made day-to-day collaboration easier and more efficient.
The work has also improved hospitality. Baum said being able to greet guests as they enter and give guidance when needed were essential goals.
“It’s a beautiful church, it’s huge, but it’s very confusing to find your way around if you’re not familiar with the building,” he said.
To help with that, the entrance now has a large welcome desk and clear visibility from the offices into the main area.
A view of the sanctuary from the alter at Aldersgate Church in Aberdeen, which is undergoing an extensive renovation. Courtesy photo.
Uncovering history with restoration of sanctuary, balcony
Phase 2 of the project consists of the restoration of the sanctuary and the original center balcony. Baum and Laura Rife, Aldersgate’s executive director, said the plan is to have the sanctuary completed by Christmas.
The goal with the restoration is to honor the beauty and uniqueness of the church by returning it to its original design, while also creating a space meant to last that will best serve the community. Although the sanctuary will get new paint, lights and technology, many of the visual aspects will remain historically accurate, Rife said.
MORE: West Nile virus detected in Brown County mosquito pool
As walls and ceilings came down, the project began revealing pieces of the church’s history. Baum describes Aldersgate as a unique church with “really amazing architecture for its time.”
He helped rediscover some of the hidden gems. While looking through old documents, Baum found the letter from the original architect and designer explaining his design choices. He also uncovered a hidden window after spotting it in an old photograph.
The many architectural details revealed through the restoration have helped unify the space and return its original character.
Another benefit is that space has opened up for additional overflow seating, allowing the church to better accommodate its growing congregation.
Congregation helps create smooth transition, offers support
Services have been in the gym since the latest restoration work began in February.
Contemporary services were previously in the gym, so the biggest change has been for traditional services. But things have gone smoothly, Baum said.
Adding a new welcome desk is part of an extensive renovation of Aldersgate Church in downtown Aberdeen. Courtesy photo.
“This is a longer period of time, but to know that we’re going to be in it at the end of November, people were very open to it and very supportive of it,” he said.
The congregation has not only been generous in its flexibility and understanding, but also with financial support, Baum said.
Of course, no restoration comes without surprises, and that was planned for, Rife said.
“We did account for a pretty big contingency just because we didn’t know what we were dealing with with a lot of this being unknowns before we ripped it all apart,” she said. “But that was good because it helped keep us within our budget.”
MORE: Zebra mussels confirmed in Day County’s Bitter Lake, GFP says
Even with the challenges, both Baum and Rife said the process has been rewarding. They said members of the congregation have offered their skills in areas of the project with which they are less experienced.
“We are very blessed with the people that have been placed around us,” Baum said.
For additional information about The Legacy Project, visit http://aldersgatesd.org/the-legacy-project.
