Spring update, 2006

In the spring of 2005, the members were asked to make a commitment to the improvement of both the physical and the program aspects of our church.

Responding faithfully, the membership replied with a three-year commitment of $692,061 to be used to make these improvements!

As of the end of the 2005 our total contributions have been $233,554! This represents almost 1/3 of the pledged amount coming in less than ¼ of the total campaign time!

Shown below is our ambitious goal and how we are faithfully reaching for it! The blue area shows pledges, anticipating the “Annual” pledges to come at the end of the year. However, the red area shows that many pledges were received at the start and have continued in a faithful manner since. It’s great to see that our faith is indeed moving forward. 

Early receipt of contributions gave us a head start on our selected programs and made 2005 quite a year!

Fireside Room

Do you recall the “Teen Lounge”? As originally completed, it was a haven for our teen members. However, over time it evolved into a nice meeting room for just about everybody but the teens.

The  “Teen Lounge” before renovation .

Admitting that, it was decided to make it into a better version of the meeting room into which it had evolved. Under the direction of Barbara Knight, and with a host of “helpers”, it evolved into the

Fireside Room!

A new ceiling, a new large TV, new furniture, and new carpeting throughout has transformed this well used room into a beautiful place to hold various meetings, including Bible study and fellowship. Stop by and see for yourself.

The Loft

How do we restore a special place for the youth to gather, now that the Teen Lounge is no more?

Take the underutilized two classrooms directly above the Fireside Room

Remove the ceiling and the fluorescent lights, replace the lights with industrial type drop lights, add a couple of ceiling fans, paint the under roof area flat black, build a above floor “pit”, install new carpeting, build a TV cabinet, furnish with stand-up tables, and low and behold you have…

The Loft!

It is now ready to be used by our faithful youth.  Once again, thanks to the hard work of Suzanne Lewand and a large group of many dedicated volunteers and with funds made available through “Forward in Faith”, this meeting place for youth is becoming a star attraction.

Our youth have given such great input and have helped each step of the way.  We all are so excited about this improvement and all that it will mean for our youth ministry in the name of Christ! Come on up and have a look!

Play Structure

  Inspired by our Forward in Faith campaign, separate special gifts were given for the construction of a play structure on the church grounds.  If you take a unused grassy area, near the west exit from Fellowship Hall

Add some ideas, funding, and a hardworking crew of volunteers…

And you have a play structure just waiting for spring.

At Wednesday Night Live we “initiated it,” and it has already been such a blessing to the children of our Church! After finishing the landscaping this coming spring it will certainly be beautiful as well as a wonderfully active place for healthy play.

We all like to see what has been accomplished so far. But of course, so much has been accomplished that is not “visible.”  We have finally been able to repair the roof of the Church.  We are making the restrooms more handicapped accessible.  We are improving fire safety, including providing an egress window in our preschool and nursery areas.  A dangerously cracked wall in the children’s area is being repaired. The Forward in Faith Priority Committee is hard at work determining the most effective use the contributions as they come in. The maintenance schedule, and the desires brought forward by the congregation, the building committees, and staff are all being considered.

We have also begun new programs in response to our Forward in Faith campaign.  “The Lunch Bunch” meets on the first Thursday of each month from noon until 2 pm.  Men and women 55 years old and older gather for a delicious potluck lunch, and wonderful games, singing and Bible study.  And we have begun new “hands on mission” projects, like building houses with Habitat for Humanity.  What a great experience it is to “swing a hammer for God! 

God is calling us into a new and exciting future.

Attempt great things
FOR God.

Expect great things
FROM God.

William Carey, 1792