Ministry Center Undergoes Major Renovation

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Olean has completed the transformation of its Watson Ministry Center into a modern, accessible space to better serve the local community. After years of planning, fundraising, and Federal Grants this one-million-dollar renovation project, which houses the Miriam Center for Hope and Healing and the Victim Services Division of Cattaraugus Communities Action, is finally complete.

The historic building, originally bequeathed to the church in 1950, will now feature ADA-compliant access, restored woodwork, and updated infrastructure for training, counseling, and support services. The Rev. Kim Rossi, rector of St. Stephen’s since 2013, saw in the underutilized space an opportunity for mission: “The two ideas that came up were mental health — mental health counselors — and a homeless shelter for teens,” said Rossi. With the leadership of St. Stephen’s Church, we worked to turn a portion of the space into the Miriam Center to address the need for more community counseling and eventually added Cattaraugus Community Action. “We don’t exist for ourselves — we exist to help the community.”

Supported by generous grants from the USDA and the Appalachian Regional Commission, along with church funding and diocesan planning assistance, the effort preserves the building’s historic character while preparing it for decades of future service. The Center will be officially dedicated on September 7th with an Open House, reception starting at 12:30 pm and ribbon-cutting service at 1:30pm. All are welcome to attend.