Building Campaign Q & A

BLESSED TO BE A BLESSING

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

(Things You’ve Always Wanted to Know About the Building Program)

1. Why are we spending all this money to build a Christian Life Center?

Answer: Our former Educational was unsafe and inaccessible to many of our people, and we had outgrown it. The building did not meet the needs of a church with a growing children and youth population. The space available for our Contemporary Worship Service, Good News at Nine (GNN), was inadequate. With a hundred people currently attending GNN each week, we need to provide room for future growth. Children and youth had no safe place to play, and we had no real ‘gathering place’ for our adults before or after services. Many of the needs of our congregation, and the community, could not be met in the building we had. The new building will give us room to grow and provide facilities that will be used for ministering to our congregation and the entire community. Building

2. What’s in it for me? (Will it meet the needs of all ages?)

Answer: The building is designed to provide a comfortable and inviting place for children to learn.

Parents will know this is a safe environment for their children. All ages will have a place for sports, play and social events. Worship opportunities will be available in contemporary settings, and other creative ways, to draw us closer to our Lord. There will be appropriate lighting, audio and video capabilities that enable us to experience worship in different settings. Before and after services, there will be several gathering places for adults and children (and even a space for the coffee crowd!) Small groups and new classes will have places to meet. We will have an information and display area that provides a welcoming atmosphere where visitors and friends can learn about present and new ministries. This area can also display art that lifts up our faith. The building will be completely accessible to all, regardless of their physical needs. We will finally have a gathering place where all of us can meet at one time for worship, programs, food and fellowship. The multipurpose area will provide a wonderful place to exercise, play and congregate.

3. How will this building serve the community?

Answer: Children, youth and adult activities such as exercise programs, Bible studies, support groups, and interest groups will meet in our building. It will be possible for parents in the community to participate in activities and have child care in the same building. Local artisans will have their art work displayed in our gallery hall. “Lunch With The Arts” will be open to community members and local musicians, artists and speakers. We will be able to serve meals to our community as needed.

4. Will it support our mission in other countries?

Answer: It will provide a place for recruitment, training and mobilization of work teams and Volunteer in Mission teams to such places as Tegucigalpa,

Honduras

, Pass Christian, Mississippi (Katrina Relief) and other places across the world and in our own country. The International Consultation on

Honduras

U.S.

and

Honduras

was held here in September 2007 and was a smashing success.

5. How much am I expected to give?

Answer: This is entirely between you and God. We expect our debt to be approximately $3.5 million upon completion of the building. We will have a mortgage for that amount to be paid off over 20 years. The quicker we can pay this debt, the more money will be available for ministries. We began receiving commitments in April 2007 for a three-year campaign to raise at least $1 million to pay toward our debt. The challenge before each one of us is “not equal giving, but equal sacrifice.” We are asking each person to make this prayer a part of his/her prayer life: “Lord, what do You want to do through me to accomplish Your will at ChurchFirst?”

6. When will the building be finished?

Answer: Construction was completed June of 2007. We are in our building and enjoying it greatly!

7. Why do we need a second building campaign (Blessed To Be A Blessing) when we are just completing the first one?

Answer: The first campaign (ending at the end of April of 2007) generated over $1.2 million which enabled us to begin construction. The plan had always been to have a second campaign to begin paying off the $3.5 million debt. Having the second campaign (Blessed to be a Blessing) will allow us to reduce our monthly interest payment on our loan. This will free up more of our regular offerings for nurture, outreach, education and other programs.

8. Why do we need to spend the money for an outside consultant?

Answer: Our consultant, RSI, guided us successfully in our first campaign (BUILDING FIRST…GROWING FOR CHRIST). During that campaign, we grew in ways which had nothing to do with our financial giving, but benefited our spiritual lives and deepened our relationship to God. We want to provide an experience similar to that again. It has been proven over and over that consultant-led campaigns are much more successful than those done ‘in house’.

9. How will we pay this consultant?

Answer: We pay RSI monthly, using present building funds as the campaign progresses toward Commitment Sunday on April 27, 2007. When our "Blessed to be a Blessing" campaign begins in May, additional money will be available. In essence, we will pay the Building Fund back through the second campaign contributions.

10. What about parking?

Answer: We are presently reserving spaces close to the church for visitors and those who have difficulty walking or needing assistance. There is a great deal of parking space available behind the new library and Bush office building across the street. If additional parking is needed, we can use spaces in the St. Clair Parking Garage, at the Farmer’s Market, and run a bus shuttle as needed.

RSI has a great website telling more about their organization and the way they carry out their ministry. Feel free to check them out at http://www.rsichurch.viscern.com/cms/index.html.