Building Update #2

Several weeks ago I shared with you that we were in the process of working through the initial phases of the building process.  We have been diligently working with our site engineer to determine exactly what kind of space we have to work with, and the exact amount of square footage we can actually build within the limits that we have.  It’s been a very exciting but taxing process and I deeply appreciate your prayers as we continue to look at design concepts and begin getting an idea of how much it will cost us to take the next step in fulfilling the vision that God has given us to “Glorify God as an effective and influential church!”

I am so excited about this process and I am amazed at the incredibly smart and helpful outside people that God has surrounded us with to guide us on this momentous journey of faith!  We’ve got some awesome things planned for this Fall as we begin to unveil what God is calling us to do.  I’ve already seen God work in some amazing ways and move some mountains that we weren’t sure how to overcome.  Each of these ‘obstacles’ have been moments that have tested our resolve, our faith, and to be quite honest…our patience!

Although most of these stories will have to wait until the Fall I’d like to share one exciting obstacle that we’ve already found our way around.  As we delved deeper and deeper into this process we realized that it was going to take us much longer than we anticipated to complete all the pre-construction and the construction phase.  This in itself was a little discouraging, because we are so excited about this next phase, but it was also causing us to have a little concern because we are continuing to grow at such a rapid rate that we very well might outgrow our building before our new building was finished.  Our biggest concern was our children’s ministry which is already operating at about 90% capacity.  Considering that we’ve been consistently growing by about 25-30% over the last two years, the likelihood that we would more than max out our available space was very real.  Especially in our back room where we are averaging over 30 kids in the 10:30 service…process that for a moment: 30 K – 5^th graders in the same room for an hour!

So, late last week we made a pretty significant decision that will allow us to continue grow.  We will be converting the current office space on the right side of the foyer back into kid’s space for Sunday morning ministry and for our preschool and childcare.  This move allows us to split the back room into older and younger kids and allow us to do ministry to them more effectively since it will be a smaller age bracket.  It also gives Friendship Kids Childcare additional space to grow by another 20 or so kids.  By the way, they are already at capacity this Summer and at about 90% for the Fall, how cool is that!

The biggest change will be with us as a staff.  Since our office space will be gone, Dustin, Traci, and myself will be going mobile.  Essentially, we will be working either in our home offices or at various locations when we meet with people.  This will not be an easy transition, but we believe that if we do it right it will be a smooth one, and give us the necessary room to continue to reach people for Jesus Christ; which is what it’s all about!

Over the next couple of weeks as you stop by the church building you’ll notice that we are cleaning out our offices and beginning to move furniture into storage.  As a part of that move Dustin and I have been going through our libraries and setting aside books that we have read or we now have in digital format and set them out on a table in the back of the auditorium.  As you can see we have well over 100 copies of books and we are giving them away to you our church.  If you see a book you would like to read, take it!  We want you to use them as a tool to help you grow spiritually mature as a follower of Jesus Christ.

Take as many as you’d like!

Well, I think that’s all for this installment!  Keep praying, keep believing, and keep living like Christ!

Dave