The Rev. Paul Smith wants his newly remodeled West Side Presbyterian Church on California Avenue to be a house open to the entire community.

"Our theme will be 'Connections.' This is critically important. With the general fragmentation of our culture, the church nurtures us, both physically and spiritually."

He blames the iPod for what he sees as society's tendency to disconnect, referring to kids tuning out with those ubiquitous electronic devices, he said in a recent sermon.

"There is perhaps no more powerful symbol of our time. Young men and women, shut off by the sounds they have chosen to broadcast ... singular inhabitants of their own universe."

The pastor may be competing with technology, but he remains optimistic.

"We want to make this an inviting place because people are curious and open," he said. "Young families are looking for a place to connect. We are strategically located, in the heart of West Seattle."

The church is located at 3601 California Avenue Southwest.

"We want visitors to feel at home, and the new entry is like our living room," he said. "We are here to nurture and support people with their walk through life."

He also wants to help his parishioners with their walk through his church, uninjured.

"Before the restoration, the front entrance and hallway were very narrow, and kids would run up and down stairs," he recalled. "Others would try not to get run over as they squeezed out of the sanctuary. There was not enough space to greet guests, to talk, to see what's happening in each other's lives. "

Smith is referring to the once claustrophobic narthex, or front entry, which has been expanded. The second floor above it was removed to form an atrium. Also, an elevator and wider staircase were installed for traffic flow and to assist those with special needs.

The project includes an updated kitchen, 1,000 square feet of added office space on the second floor, and outdoor improvements to sidewalks, the sanctuary, and nursery. However, the structure's original footprint did not increase.

The restoration cost was $2.1 million. So far, $1.7 million has been pledged, and over $1.3 million received. Jim and Jill Campbell co-chaired the fundraising campaign.

"We haven't done a major upgrade since 1977," said Jill. "Thirty years. Wow. That's a long time. "Jill is a deacon, and involved with the support group MOPS, or "Mothers of Pre-School Children."

"While it cost us a lot of money, these improvements will still be here for our children," she said. "And finally we have an elevator. There are people who will have access to the basement and second floor for the first time."

The project's architect, Lesley Bain, is a colleague of Jerry Ernst, a parishioner who served as president of the Washington chapter of American Institute of Architects in 1986. He and Bain collaborated on some recent Seattle Center improvements

Bain said she was pleased, both professionally, and personally, with the church's new layout, and especially the open entry area.

"As a mother who raised three boys, it was scary to see kids running around the crowded entry while older folks were walking by," she said. Referring to the elevator and wider staircase, she said, "Everything in the church literature said 'Welcome,' so we decided to link the three floors to make a better connection."

New art glass windows decorating the front entrance were designed by Tacoma artist, Mark Eric Gulsrud, whose work enhances churches from here to New York and Virginia. Smith said he was pleased, both with the structural improvements, and with Gulsrud's work and its Biblical symbolism.

"Churches get to be too utilitarian," Smith said. "God is the creator and we wanted to be creative."

The dedication ceremony will be Sunday, Oct. 7, 12:30 p.m., when staff, and parishioners will rededicate their restored West Side Presbyterian Church during a half-hour service in their new, two-story lobby. The public is invited to the open house to follow, until 3 p.m.

Steve Shay may be reached at steves@robinsonnews.com