Plans for a renovation that keys in on the concept of connection are being presented this weekend to members of St. Ferdinand Church in Cranberry.

The renovation, expected to begin in the spring of 2009, has been in design for several months.

The Rev. John Gallagher, pastor of the Roman Catholic church, said the plans have been refined in response to input from the parish's ministries, councils and members.

The highlights of the changes that are being unveiled during weekend Masses are covered connections between the church and the parish life center -- a building that will house the parish's social hall, classrooms, offices and meeting rooms. Additionally, a new rectory will be built and it, too, will be connected to the parish life building.

"We've got kind of a motto with these plans: We need to build it spiritually before we build it physically. The connections between the buildings are a symbol that we are one family and we want unity,'' the Rev. Gallagher said. "You'll never have to go outside to go from one place to another once this is done."

The catalyst behind the project is a space crunch both within the sanctuary/worship area of the church and, even more critically, within the adjacent social hall/education building.

"There's just not enough room for our ministries,'' the Rev. Gallagher said, noting that more than 50 different associated church groups regularly need gathering space.

The parish has more than 10,000 members with more than 1,200 students participating in religious education classes.

Church leaders had begun querying parishioners about their support for a major renovation in early 2007. The main thrusts of the project are the addition of seating within the church sanctuary, creation of a larger social hall, more religious education classrooms, more office space and more parking.

Also included in the plans are a larger one-story annex building to the rear of the Rochester Road complex and a three-quarter-mile walking trail around the church property.

The first part of the project will be a connection at the back of the church property to Thomson Park Drive, which sits to the west of the site. That road would connect to the main access to the church, which will be combined with the access to the Cranberry municipal center so that both facilities will share a common driveway. Cranberry officials have favored that for years.

The cost estimate for the entire project had been $10.5 million, but that figure is expected to be slightly higher due to the most recent revisions. The new figures still are being updated.

A playing field behind the complex currently used by many youth sports organizations will be eliminated under the plans, but the Rev. Gallagher said he is willing to work with the township and athletic organizations about allowing temporary use of the vacant property west of the church.

He said parishioners have been very supportive of the proposed project. "We're hearing that we need this, and we've needed it a long time,'' he said.

A capital campaign involving solicitations of larger gifts has begun, and parishioners will be asked in the fall to make pledges.

St. Ferdinand's existing church opened in 1990 and cost about $3 million. At the same time, the old church was renovated for use as a social hall and religious education building at a cost of about $500,000. The project was paid off within a decade, well ahead of the 30-year mortgage. In July 2000, St. Ferdinand bought the 10 acres next door for $2.2 million. It was paid off by the parish within three years, seven years before the mortgage expired.