OH NO! Not a Building Program!!
Do all buildings stink alike?
By any other name would smell as sweet”
Shakespeare in Romeo and Juliet
For me, it started when my home church put up a big thermometer in our sanctuary. I cringe when I think of the goofy tactics we employed to raise funds back then. Ever since then, I have been wary of building programs.
I became more suspicious when the externally-focused church I loved as a young adult sold their land and moved to the suburbs. Something precious was lost in that move.
To paraphrase Shakespeare, “a building campaign by any other name would smell as rank.” I’m against anything that causes a missional church to utilize cheesy thermometers, manipulative tactics, or most of all, to lose it’s vision, heartbeat, and ethos. As we embark on a building renovation this summer, your leaders and I pledge to respect your questions and keep our focus. Here’s my vision for the thing.
Every family needs a place to call home and a place to share with others. It doesn’t have to be a mansion, it just has to work for you. Along the way, our families grow and we make changes. Bonnie and I have lived in a mobile home, an apartment, a small home, and a bigger home. It’s always been about taking care of our growing family and showing hospitality.
Our church community is a growing, thriving family and our house needs some help. We need more space. It’s that simple. Some Sundays we’re okay, but other Sundays are overcrowded. We’ve tried Saturday night services, mid-week services, and dismissing our precious kiddos earlier and earlier. Our Chapel Service is doing great, but we simply need more room in the Hall. And we’ve found an economical way to do it.
We have plans for a nice, but modest home improvement project. We are not going to build a new sanctuary, but enlarge our current one. We are knocking out a wall to add a room. Construction prices are low so the time is right. We can do it for under $300,000 — and 25% of that has already been pledged!
We will get an extra 100+ seats, an updated interior and exterior, and a facility that is no longer a fire hazard. And in Celebration style, we’ll add some fun touches as well. Maybe some cup holders to keep coffee spills off the carpet. A nice patio for summer barbecues. And while we’re dreaming, there has also been a plaintive cry for an updated kitchen. While that’s not in the current plan, we have definitely put that on our wish list. (It doesn’t hurt to dream, does it?)
So let’s dive into this very cool home improvement project.
If we do, we can make room for our growing family and future guests. If God blesses and we all pull together, we can complete this project by the end of the summer. How awesome would it be to start the new school year with a grand opening party, a neighborhood cookout, and maybe an outdoor baptism!?!
Let’s build a great good place for our family, friends, and neighbors.
