THE CHURCH BUILDING: Housing or Hindering God’s Mission?

transcript

THE CHURCH BUILDING:Housing or Hindering God’s Mission?

Facilitator: Ellen Mitchell, CFRE Presenters: Maribeth Westerfield

Joe Gardner

The Church Building: Housing or Hindering God’s Mission?

Ellen MitchellVice President for Donor, Investor and Church

Relations

Welcome and Opening Prayer

Introductions including a sharing of your most difficult building issue

Appreciative Inquiry exercise—Understanding stewardship as receiving of God’s resources for mission (even a building)

STOP! But what is that mission God has laid on the hearts of the congregation?

So, looking at our building, where is it working for God’s mission and---where is it not!

Is our building hospitable so that all may worship or experience mission and ministry?

Is the witness here or do we need to follow the sacred cloud elsewhere?

Let’s look at examples of working with an architect to see what other congregations have done?

We now know we have options but what are the best next steps for my congregation??

The church building: housing or hindering God’s mission?

Please share your name, the name of your church and where it is located

AND please share what you think is your most difficult building issue for your congregation

Stewardship of God’s Mission Resources◦ Genesis Text◦ Understanding stewardship as receiving first

before sharing◦ What blessings can you name that your

congregation has received?

Stewardship of God’s Mission Resources◦ Investors and Donors have blessed Church

Extension with resources for funds like Accessibility Loan Fund Interest Free Loan Fund Mission Seed Loans

Stewardship of God’s Mission Resources◦ So, in addition to sharing from the funds listed,

Church Extension has services that have been developed which can help a congregation that has been blessed yet recognizes its building challenges.

This service is usually the first service a congregation will receive from Church Extension.

General Consultation

This service is for a congregation with a clearly defined project which already has a broad base of support.

It provides a plan by which the congregation can raise the financial resources it needs for the project.

Capital Fund Raising

This service assesses a congregation’s place in life as they seek to answer the question, “How can we most faithfully serve God in this time of our lives?”

New Beginnings

This service provides the professional advice and counsel of an architect.

It is provided by an architect contracted by Church Extension because of his or her expertise in church buildings.

It provides several solutions for a congregation’s building dilemmas before they pay the full time expenses of a resident architect.

Special Architectural Consultation

New to the line up of Church Extension services, is a revised relocation service designed to assist congregations who have decided that God’s call to ministry for them is in a new place.

Relocation

Where do we begin?

The discussion starts with mission!

What is the MISSION God has laid on the hearts of the congregation?

Maybe . . .

Use your building space to create a food pantry.

Your neighbors need food.

If so . . .

Maybe . . .

Use your building for day care.

Your neighbors need affordable child care.

If so . . .

Maybe . . .

Use your building space for a clothing bank or thrift shop.

Your neighbors need clothing.

If so . . .

Maybe . . .

Why not use some of your building space for a computer lab?

Your neighbors need career skills.

If so . . .

Your neighbors need help with addiction recovery.

If so . . .

Use some of your classrooms.

Maybe . . .

So, looking at your building . . .

Where is it working for God’s mission?

And where is it not????

Here are some points to ponder.

Location in the community

Property constraints

Site conditions

Building conditions Is there lots of deferred

maintenance?

Are there stairs everywhere?

How much does it cost to operate the building?

How often is the building used?

Is our building hospitable?

Which is more inviting?

Or this?

Is this a place you would like if you were three years old?

How welcoming is your worship space?

Hospitality from an architectural perspective

◦ Visibility from Approach◦ Clear Identification as a Church Structure ◦ Convenient, Accessible, All-Weather Entrance Feature◦ Warm, Inviting Gathering Space

Directly Related to Main Entrance Space Adequate for 4 to 5 square feet for each in Worship Configuration Comfortable for Greeting, Lingering and Conversation Availability of “The Coffee Pot” Interior Atmosphere Conveying Gracious Hospitality Primary Adjacency to Administrative Center Secondary Adjacency to

Accessible Rest Rooms Educational Space Fellowship Hall

Let’s take a break!

Questions??

Relocation: Is the witness here?

Exodus 40:34-38

Numbers 9:15-23

God’s people are often on the move.

Is the Spirit of God calling your congregation to move?

What are the signs?

Where do those people live?

Who lives in your neighborhood?

Do the spiritual gifts of your congregation match the needs of the people who live in your neighborhood?

If not, you may need to change your location or the focus of your ministry.

First, who are you called to reach with your ministry?

Second, what shape is your building in?

Your calling to ministry does not match the community around you

Your spiritual gifts would not meet the needs of the people in your neighborhood

If you are answering questions which no one in your community is asking

If . . .

Then. . .

It may be time to relocate.

You have way more building space than congregation

You spend more than 25% of your church budget on operating costs of the building

Your building is totally inaccessible

Your building is too well hidden from the mainstream flow of people

If . . .

Then . . .

It may be time to relocate.

If the sacred cloud beckons you to a new place

Church Extension can help you answer the stewardship question with:

1. Ministry analysis2. Demographics3. Site selection counsel4. Transition planning5. Building Funding

services

If the sacred cloud calls you to stay camped

Church Extension can help you answer the stewardship question with:1. Ministry planning2. Building planning3. Architectural advice

and counsel4. Building funding

services

Consultant’s central question:

◦ Stay and adapt?

◦ Relocate?

Relocation from an architectural perspective

Core values of the congregation◦ History◦ Culture

Physical focus of the congregation◦ Demographics◦ Mission

Site◦ Availability◦ Cost

Construction◦ Feasibility of adaptation◦ Cost of renovation vs. new construction

Issues pertinent to the central question:

Stay and adapt?◦ Peachtree Christian◦ First Christian, Charlotte

Relocate?◦ Cherry Log Christian Church◦ First Christian, Keokuk

Let’s look at examples of working with an architect to see what other

congregations have done.

Peachtree Christian Before

Peachtree Christian After

Stay and adapt?

First Christian Keokuk

Relocate?

We now know we have options but what are the best next steps for my congregation?

Ellen Mitchell◦ Tel. 800-274-1883, ext. 2546◦ emitchell@churchextension.org◦ Church Extension, P.O. Box 7030, Indianapolis, IN 46207

Maribeth Westerfield◦ Tel. 800-274-1883, ext. 2537◦ mwesterfield@churchextension.org◦ Church Extension (same mailing address as for Ellen)

Joe Gardner◦ Tel. 404-522-8805, ext. 228◦ jgardner@gsstj.com◦ Gardner Spencer Smith Tench & Jarbeau, Architects, PC◦ 127 Peachtree Street, Suite 1020, Atlanta, GA 30303

Contacts

THE CHURCH BUILDING: Housing or Hindering God’s Mission?

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