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Those who gathered were told that there would be a vote on which direction to take.
"We have no plans at this point; they are being given the choice of what to do. At this point in time, it is way up in the air," said Deacon Horace Hamor, the business manager for the popular and well-attended church.
According to Carole Winer-Sorensen, owner of Country Loft Antiques, the church, which is led by the Rev. Robert Kwiatkowski, has expressed an interest in her property.
"They are all deciding what to do collectively, stay where they are or expand to a property like mine," Mrs. Winer-Sorensen said in a phone interview Tuesday.
The Country Loft Antiques property, comprising 19.7 acres that include the Samuel Bull Homestead, has antique buildings, a pond, stone walls and gardens..
In July, the Woodbury Zoning Commission supported a boundary zone change for her shop, which places the entire property in the Main Street Design District, a move that would allow for a change of use in the future.
Should St. Teresa's proceed with this option, the buildings on Mrs. Winer-Sorensen's property would be used for offices, living space and church hall. The main showroom for antiques, in a soaring barn, would become the entrance to what would be a 500-seat post-and-beam church.
"This property would be a unique opportunity for St. Teresa's. It has a majestic setting and a spiritual feeling as you drive through the property with the pond," said Sindy Butkus, a broker with Klemm Real Estate that is representing the church. "If the people do vote for something else, there is a plan in the wings for the property that we have been holding off."
Other potential property uses include outdoor masses, outdoor stations of the cross, Christian retreats, Christian music festivals, youth camp-outs, memorial gardens, hiking trails and leasing space for celebrations.
"It's an amazing property with amazing buildings in the center of town, a great value for what's there ... it's a unique piece of property," said Maria Taylor, another broker with Klemm Real Estate who is representing Country Loft Antiques.
Noting that St. Teresa's currently has five masses each weekend-one on Saturday and four on Sunday-Ms. Taylor said the Country Loft option would enable the church to hold three masses and also eliminate the need to use Nonnewaug High School for the jam-packed Easter and Christmas services.
Ms. Butkus said that traffic concerns were brought up at the meeting this week, and noted that the property can have a separate entrance and exit, and there is plenty of room parking.
In August, a panel of three judges in the Connecticut Appellate Court reversed a Waterbury Superior Court decision that upheld the Zoning Commission's approval for an expansion of the church and its parking in the current location.
In July 2008, an appeal was filed by the Cassidy family, whose members own two properties adjacent to the church, after Waterbury Superior Court Judge Tim Upson ruled in favor of the Zoning Commission.
In November 2006, the Zoning Commission had approved a special permit for expansion of the church and a special permit for off-site parking. The next month, the plaintiffs filed suit, arguing that the commission improperly granted the church's request for a special exception for parking because the public notice that was filed did not comply with the state statutes.
The original project plans called for an expansion that would take the church from 3,200 square feet to a 7,800 square-foot footprint. It would increase seating from 220 to 604. There would be 504 in the pews, 48 in the choir loft and 52 in the baptismal area.
Parishioners were presented with another option Monday, according to Karen Reddington-Hughes, owner of Abrash Galleries, Rugs and Antiquities, in Woodbury and a parishioner. The church is also looking at a property on Main Street North, a 12-acre site that could be used to construct a postand-beam church.
"There would not be the immediate financial ability to have offices, a hall and living quarters at this location. However, a hall could be planned in the basement of the church and be finished as funds were available," said Ms. Reddington-Hughes in an e-mail. The asking price of the property is $800,000.
Ms. Reddington-Hughes said that one parish member also suggested that St. Teresa's could purchase the 12-acre property, stay at the present location and expand at a later date.
Should St. Teresa of Avila Church purchase Mrs. Winer-Sorensen's property or purchase the 12-acre land on Main Street North, it is likely that the existing church would be sold.
