Frequently Asked Questions
(The Most recent questions and answers have been pulled to the top)
What is the total amount needed for both Phases?
Phase One – $2.8 million
Phase Two - $8.7 million
Total Cost - $11.5 million
How was earlier debt paid down?
The church has taken on debt for each of its previous building projects. The monthly payments were added to our budget to ensure that payments were made on time. Over time, we increased those monthly payments to pay down the loan even faster. That, combined with extra giving, allowed us to consistently pay off the loans early. The Lord provides!
What is the timeline for taking out a loan?
We would plan to secure a loan immediately after the church votes on detailed building designs, and to move forward with building. A loan allows us to have cash on hand to move forward with each step and to lock in construction prices before they increase (inflation rates tend to be higher than interest rates!).
How much money do we have already designated for the campaign?
We currently have about $275,000 in the Building Fund. We also have another $540,000 in undesignated cash that we could vote to put toward the building. If we did that, we’d have just over $800,000 cash up front to put toward the building.
How much extra money has the church had at the end of each fiscal year recently?
If you subtract our expenses (excluding depreciation) from our total income, we have had the following surpluses over the past four years:
2023 - $94,631
2022 - $223,316
2021 - $187,558
2020 - $100,229
How much will the office building cost? Could it be moved into Phase One, thereby avoiding the cost of renovating the gym for office spaces?
The current cost for Phase Two does not include the new office building. That will take place under a third phase if the Lord continues to provide growth for us. If we do move the church offices to the gym, the plan is to do a very minimal remodel there to decrease expenses. Thankfully the current classroom sizes are much better suited to office space than to kids’ classroom spaces! It also provides space for added staff if the Lord blesses us there, too.
What is the status of the grants? When are we likely to know how much funding is coming and when?
We know of three grants currently and are researching other possibilities. Grants tend to come later in the process. Those distributing the grants understandably want to be sure their funds are going toward a project that is well on its way – even nearing completion. We are probably better off treating the grants as a happy surprise at the end of our project that would help us pay off any remaining loan, than depend on the grant in our early calculations.
A lot of seniors use our present carport during inclement weather. Could we somehow add a carport to use at needed times to the building plans? Or could we possibly turn the seating in the gymnasium to the west so we could use the existing carport?
The current car-port would remain accessible through phase one. We are looking at the possibility of extending the “overhang” at the renovated entrance to the south of the breezeway to at least cover the passenger door, and maybe even cover the whole drive. TBD.
If we are spending this kind of money to really spruce up the existing church building, why wouldn’t we have a normal kitchen for multiple uses than just a warming one?
No decisions have been made here. We are considering a warming kitchen (also called a catering kitchen) because kitchen renovations are costly. To expand and update our current kitchen could cost upwards of $50,000. In addition, a “preparation” kitchen requires the installation of a grease interceptor. To purchase and install one is estimated to cost up to $100,000 or more. When we have fellowships, our kitchen is rarely used for food preparation (there’s not enough space for 20+ people to prepare food!). It is used for warming food – warming ovens, roasters, crock-pots, etc. We are looking into an exception that maybe a warming kitchen would both better serve our needs and exempt us from the $100,000 grease interceptor. Our $2.8 million estimate (which we are trying to reduce) does not currently include any kitchen updates. At any rate, we are still researching, balancing wants (normal home kitchen) vs. needs (parking, restrooms, classrooms), and seeking a wise path forward.
Will there be an increased number of classrooms for the children?
We don’t have all the classroom numbers and sizes nailed down in this phase of the design process. In the section currently blocked off for children’s classrooms, we will have more square footage and the sizes/designs of the classrooms will be much better suited for children’s classrooms.
What grants are we currently pursuing?
We are pursuing grants from the Lasko Foundation, Generate, and Oldham Little Church Foundation.
How much will the Gym upgrades cost?
Based on the feedback we received, we will be making minimal updates to the gym as most people would like it to still serve a dual purpose – gym and worship space. Such updates would be considered “minor renovations” and would likely be less than $50,000. We would like to do something to help with the sound and are working to see what that might look like.
Is it possible to bring the orchestra back?
Yes, that is currently in process.
Will there be a formal time set aside to make a pledge?
Yes, on Commitment Sunday (April 14), the commitment (or “intent to give”) process will be explained and commitment cards will be distributed. Everyone can seek the Lord’s direction on how much they intend to give toward the project. Those cards will be returned and counted in time to announce the total on Celebration Sunday (May 5), Lord willing.
Why are we not starting with a sanctuary?
In some regards, we are. At our current size, we need a 500-seat worship center. However, if we build a new 500 seat worship center we run into a few issues: (1) we begin to run out of property. That 500-seat worship center would likely be our last new construction on our property. (2) We take on a project that is out of our price range. A 500-seat new construction worship center would likely cost $5-6 million. (3) We would still need to make other interior renovations to fit our congregation size (restrooms, classrooms, etc.). Instead, we are turning our gymnasium into a 500-seat worship center that fits our current needs. This is the most cost-effective solution and allows us to make the other needed interior renovations. This also prepares us, if we continue to grow, for our next worship center of 700-800 seats. So, really, we are pursuing the most cost-effective worship center that meets our present needs.
Will refurbishing the gym now require updates in the future (new floor, etc)?
Based on the feedback we received, we will not be planning to do much to update the gym as most people would like it to still serve a dual purpose – gym and worship space.
How much parking are we going to add and when?
This has not been finally determined. We will add some parking in phase one, and then additional parking in phase two. Based on our current needs, we are seeking to add parking ASAP.
If the church is growing, and needing expansion, what is the plan to add more staff/pastors?
This is also in the works. Our 2024 budget includes money to add an additional staff member.
When are we going to plant a church?
We want to plant a church whenever the Lord, in His kindness, leads and provides for us to plant a church! Right now, we are taking the following steps to ensure we are ready when He leads and provides:
Updating our constitution to be ready to “hand off” to a church plant.
Setting aside money in our Church Encouragement Fund.
Searching for the right man to pastor a church plant.
Praying for God to raise up enough mature members to provide the foundation for a church plant (20+ members).
Praying for God to move in people’s hearts to be ready to sell their house and move to Grimes and/or a future church-plant location.
Praying about a location.
Raising up leaders (teachers, deacons, pastors) who are ready to go.
Becoming a disciple-making church (both evangelism and discipleship) so that any church we plant will be a disciple-making church in its DNA.
What are we voting on, on February 18?
On February 18, we will vote by ballot on the following recommendation:
“That we focus our giving on a new entry way, expanded foyer, interior renovations, and some additional parking as "phase one" of our master plan. Then, as the Lord provides funding, pursue a new worship center and substantial additional parking as "phase two."
What does “phase one” involve?
New construction of an entryway and more open access to the gym, solving a major traffic jam for entry and exit.
Interior renovation of the fellowship hall to open it up and make it social/foyer space, with a nice fireplace in the center.
Both the new entry way and fellowship hall would have movable walls to they could be partitioned off as classrooms.
Interior renovation of the hallway toward the old Sanctuary to open it up for better traffic flow.
Interior renovation of the Old Sanctuary to become children’s and youth classrooms and a children’s play area.
Interior renovation of the child restrooms to become family restrooms.
Additional parking (location to be determined).
Interior renovation of the gymnasium to become a worship center.
What does “phase two” involve?
The new construction of a north entryway, 700+ seat worship center, foyer, restrooms, expanded kitchen, and significant parking additions.
What is the breakdown of costs for phase one?
You can find a copy of the ROM budget given to us by the architect by following this link. We were able to reduce costs slightly down to $2.8M though this budget reflects $2.9M.
What is the breakdown of costs for phase two?
You can find a copy of the ROM budget given to us by the architect by following this link.
Would it be less expensive to start from scratch (new property, new building?)
Generally speaking, construction costs boil down to two factors – the number of square feet, and the type of construction. New construction is the most expensive, all the way down to minor renovations, like paint, carpet, etc.
Because of that, renovations are usually cheaper than new construction. So, it would likely cost more just to build a new building. We are pursuing other options with different square footage numbers to see how it will play out.
Can the 700+ seat Worship Center be designed to add a balcony if needed?
As far as we know, yes! We can at least look into that :).
Are we looking at less expensive options?
We are working on that at the moment. These designs are the architect’s recommendation – meaning from their perspective, other designs have downsides. However, we have proposed at least one other design for them to look at to see if there’s a way to get overall costs down.
How will the finances/financing work for phase one?
We intend to use our cash on hand first as a sort of down payment. We have about $265,000 in the building fund and about $540,000 in undesignated cash that we could vote to put toward the building. If we did that, we’d have just over $800,000 cash up front to put toward the building.
That would leave $2M of the $2.8M left to raise (assuming we can’t get that number any lower).
The next step would be to continue our campaign. During that campaign, anyone who is willing will share how they intend to give over the next three years. (i.e., “I intend to give $10,000 toward the building.”) It’s not a promise, just an estimate or a statement of intent. Of course, submitted to the Lord’s will.
During the campaign, there will be giving opportunities, but the main focus will be that 3-year plan. Hopefully sometime in May we will have a clear picture of how much money will come in, Lord willing, over the next three years. The goal is that all of those funds (current cash + intended donations) will equal or surpass $2.8 million.
If it does, then the next step will be to secure a loan. This is so that we have money on hand to keep the building process moving forward. Then, we plan to pay off that loan within three years with the giving that comes in, as predicted.
If the giving and “intended gift” statements amount to less than $2.8 million, we will have a few options:
We can reduce the size of the project to match the giving.
We can move forward with the project and just plan to continue paying off whatever is left over of the loan after those three years.
We can go “back to the drawing board” altogether.
If the giving and “intended gift” statements are beyond the goal, we can begin implementing some parts – or all – of phase two. Or, we could set that money aside for church encouragement and planting - however the Lord leads us at that time.
Will phase one meet all our needs in case we don’t go further with phase two for quite some time?
Yes, hopefully. That’s exactly what we are intending to do.
The only item not included in phase one that we have received some feedback about would be the kitchen. So, we can certainly consider adding some renovations to the kitchen (see next question).
Do we need to include kitchen renovations in phase one?
We have not considered kitchen renovations as a “need” to be included in phase one. However, based on feedback, we will add that to the list. One idea has been to turn it into a warming kitchen rather than a preparation kitchen. Many churches are moving to this because it potentially avoids the need to install a $50,000 (?) grease trap. We are still looking into this. Of course, adding kitchen renovations to phase one will increase cost.
If we widen the opening to the gym, how will we be able to close that off to protect the lobby/entrance from balls, etc?
We will likely want to add doors in the widened opening so that lobby use during our services is not a distraction. If we don’t prefer this option, we could certainly add some kind of curtain that drops down (common in gyms) or some kind of movable wall. The other consideration is to remember that in phase one, this room would primarily be a worship center, rather than a gym.
When can we address other design questions?
Anytime before ground-breaking – and even after. The process of raising funds should take us through May. During that time, we will begin receiving “schematic designs.” These are the designs that determine specific square footage, door placement, etc. These are the designs that would be used to build. So, there will be plenty of opportunities to adjust plans and give input. At some point, we will vote on some kind of “final” plans before we break ground, recognizing that there will have to be minor adjustments during the building process.
Will we be adding additional parking? Handicapped parking?
Yes, Phase one will involve additional parking. Even with the 14 spots we added last year, our lot is often full (part of that was connected to snow piles). We don’t yet know exactly how many spots, or where they will be located.
Yes, we are also considering additional handicapped parking spaces closer to the breezeway entrances.
Do the interior renovations include the updates that will be required to get up to code – like the possibility of adding a sprinkler system?
No. These costs are based merely on square footage multiplied by construction-type estimates. There could be any number of “surprises” that come up along the way that increase costs – like having to add a sprinkler system.
Would we need to keep consulting with Slingshot?
We have paid them to work with us through the end of the campaign. That would end their services, and our need for their services. At the same time, they have enjoyed working with us and have expressed a willingness to answer any questions that come up after May.
Could you remind us of the results from the feasibility study?
About a year ago, Slingshot interviewed about 50% of our attendees. They gave some ranges. Do you think over the next three years you’d be willing to give 0-$5k; $5k-$15k; $15k-$50k; etc. Based on people’s responses, they determined that we should be able to raise a range of $750,000-$1M. Combined with the money we have saved, that would be $1.8M, leaving $1M for a loan. That doesn’t include any money from those not interviewed, nor the way our congregation has grown in the past year. The results of the feasibility study are also printed and posted on the bulletin board in the hallway by the restrooms for anyone interested.
Will we lose focus on outreach, discipleship, ministry involvement, and our mission beyond Grimes and the surrounding neighborhoods during a building project?
That’s certainly possible! We want to take steps to keep our focus. So, we added some more facets to our vision for the building project:
Multiplying His Followers
Acts 6:7 - " Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly..."
As we proclaim God's Word, and God brings more followers, we purpose to:
prepare a meeting space that serves the needs of the congregation (Acts 15:11).
study the book of Romans to grow our understanding of the gospel that saves and shapes the church.
proclaim that gospel personally and corporately.
disciple one another toward maturity in Christ.
Hopefully those will help us keep the right focus even as we build. Furthermore, we are continuing to take steps toward church planting:
Church encouragement fund
Constitution review
Internship, etc.
Has giving increased the past few years?
Giving has consistently increased the past few years. Here is the information from our past three Annual reports (2023, 2022, and 2021):
Total donations for 2023 totaled $855,810.25. Total giving increased by 26.22% from 2022 to 2023.
Total donations for 2022 totaled $678,020.14. Total giving increased by 13.29% from 2021 to 2022.
Total donations for 2021 totaled $605,228.31. Total giving increased by 35.11% from 2020 to 2021.
If we move forward with phase one and spend almost $3M on that project, will we be unable to ever move forward with phase two?
On the one hand, that’s possible! We may continue to function in a completed phase one for many years! On the other hand, if the Lord wants us to reach phase two, He will provide.
How long will phase one take?
Most construction projects this size would take 7 months to a year. We would hope to start, at the soonest, after the giving focus concludes (May) or whenever the church votes to move forward with groundbreaking. If we started in June, we could expect the project to near completion the following June.
What are the requirements to begin phase two?
There certainly are some important considerations. We would need to have a large enough down payment saved up to secure a substantial loan. For example, if the total project is $7M, and we went for a 30%-50% down payment, we’d want to have $2M-$3.5M ready to pay as a down payment. We would need to be ready as far as congregation size (Have we outgrown the 500-seat worship center in the gym?).
How will phase 1 affect Sunday and midweek services?
We don’t exactly know yet. Hopefully the renovations that take place in the gym can be completed without disrupting worship. We also hope to do projects in stages to allow safe entry and exit during renovation periods. That has yet to be planned out in detail.
The present youth room is already nearly to capacity. Is there room in the designated area for a big enough space for the expected growth of our youth group?
At this time, we do not have finalized designs/drawings for those classrooms. In the current “design” here’s how they line up. Keep in mind that everything is adjustable.
Will the proposed classrooms in the old sanctuary be large enough?
See previous question.
Are there plans for the classrooms around the gym?
Yes, the classrooms around the gym will be used for offices. The old offices would be part of the new children/youth space.
Does the gym have adequate space for fellowships for the predicted growth?
Actually, we already don’t have enough space for our large fellowships in the gym. We have had to seat people in the Youth Room and/or the Fellowship Hall. The new layout – with the open foyer space/entry way, will actually serve us much better for fellowships because serving lines and tables can flow into those areas too. As we continue to grow, we will have to do more with small and medium-sized fellowships (or outdoor picnics) since we already don’t have a space that can fit everyone!
What are the plans for a/the baptistry?
For the present, we will use the baptistry in the old sanctuary. We need to determine more solid plans for the gym before we can answer that question. If we have a permanent stage, we could reuse our permanent baptistry. More likely, we will purchase a nice portable baptistry (like this) that can be placed on the platform when needed. Again, we have not made any determinations with this yet.
Will we, as we did on the original building, need to raise the ground level with compactable clay?
These plans do not appear to require any ground raising, but none of that site work has been determined yet.
What resources are available and/or being explored to leverage financial gifts?
Slingshot has and will provide resources to provide guidance for the following types of gifts – Cash, appreciated securities (stock) and real estate, tangible property, life insurance, bequests, IRA rollovers, Donor Advised Funds, Charitable Gift Annuities, Life Estate, and Charitable Lead and Remainder Trusts.
Is a flat roof best for the new worship center?
We have not yet discussed specific design features like this, but will keep this in mind as we make more specific plans.
Will we sell a portion of land to help finance the project?
We certainly could consider that. After phase two, we estimate there would be about 1.5 acres left, which in 2023 was assessed at just over $80,000.
Are we seeking grants for partial payment of the building process?
Yes, we have information on three possible grants to help with the project. If anyone is aware of more grant opportunities, please let us know.