NEWS

North Avenue Presbyterian Church | 607 Peachtree Street NE | Atlanta, Georgia 30308 | 404.875.0431 | www.napc.org

SPECIAL EDITION

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From My Heart to Yours

Dear North Avenue Family and Friends,

At last we are breaking ground on the much anticipated SHINE Building Project! Thanks be to God! After many years of planning and praying, our God-inspired dreams are about to become a reality. On behalf of the North Avenue officers and staff, I want to thank each of you for your ongoing patience, your persistent prayers, and for your extravagant generosity in helping us arrive at this important moment.

On this historic occasion, we recognize the rock-solid foundation of faith and commitment of the generations who went before us. We stand on their shoulders, and we seek to emulate their faith in God, as we now do our part to provide restoration to our facilities for the generations to come. Today is a day of rejoicing, a day of celebrating, and a day of recommitting ourselves to the ongoing ministry and mission of Christ our Lord. May the light of his love, grace, mercy, and justice SHINE brightly in and from these facilities for all to see the glory of God in our midst. May these facilities become fresh spaces for the glorious worship of the living God and for the deep study of the Holy Scriptures that penetrate our hearts with the transforming message of Jesus Christ. May they provide inviting areas for our congregation to gather in joyful fellowship and in mutual support, as we continue to grow and mature as God’s people in the heart of the city. Finally, may our newly renovated facilities be a launching pad from which God sends us out into the world as witnesses of our gracious God - both near and far – to the ends of the earth!

Joyfully yours in Christ,

Scott

"Midtown has experienced quite a bit of growth in recent years. From 2005 to 2015 we have gone from 8,594 to 12,603 residential units in Midtown's 1.2 square mile core. To date, we have added another 634 with another 4,378 under construction."

~ Midtown Alliance

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2016 Special SHINE Edition

R E A C H I N G O U TWhat SHINE Brings to Future Generations at North Avenue

In 1898, a small group of believers came together to build a new church, North Avenue Presbyterian, in response to our city’s move north into a new frontier (Peachtree Street and North Avenue). Today, the members of NAPC have once again responded to the dramatic growth in our Midtown neighborhood, this time with our SHINE Campaign. Currently, bold, courageous, and visionary responses are being taken to bring the light of the Gospel to our neighbors for future generations to come.

Responding to what we have seen we are undertaking the largest capital campaign and renovation/construction plan in our church’s history:

• Midtown has become the commercial and cultural hub of Atlanta.

• Midtown is the mecca for the creative class and nexus for technology and innovation including:

• Midtown’s residential population is growing at 5 times the rate of overall city.

• Number of residents in Midtown has doubled in last decade.

• Residential development (planned and under construction) development will increase Midtown's housing supply by 50%.

• Midtown awarded in 2016 as one of five Great Places in America by American

Planning Association.

The next phase of our exciting SHINE Campaign has begun!

"NAPC will be well-positioned to welcome the people who are moving into our neigh-borhood with the love and grace of Jesus Christ!"

~Rev. Jeff Meyers, Teaching Pastor

Hospitality Hall - Exterior View

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S T O N E F O R T R E S S T O

C I T Y B E A C O N

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Hospitality Hall at Night

"... We care about those who will follow us and those who are not here yet."

~Lisa Ellinger, Assistant to the Director of Music & The Arts

put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. (Matt 5:15)

North Avenue is an amazingly active place. Worship, events, ministry and meetings occur most days of the week, hidden behind our stone and brick facades. SHINE creates facilities which will reflect the dynamic activities of our congregation, creating a literal beacon on Peachtree Street and the city beyond.

Neither do people light a lamp and

R e a l H o s p i t a l i t y • Memorable Gatherings

C o n f u s i n g L a b y r i n t h t o C L e a r C o n n e C t i o n sThe growth of our campus over 100 years has led to a confusing labyrinth for guests and members alike. The new Hospitality Hall creates a clear connecting core to the campus, linking Peachtree Street, the parking deck, sanctuary, third floor, and fourth floor. It unravels the maze, enabling most destinations to be found from a single place.

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"We are already cooking up ideas for ways the Hospitality Hall will enable us to host, welcome, and make people feel at home among us."

~Kim Goldsmith, Coordinator for Hospitality & Outreach

Hospitality Hall - Interior Facing Narthex

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2016 Special SHINE EditionSUMMER 2016

The elegant, understated, Overlook Hall, complements the Hospitality Hall, providing space for a wide variety of structured activities - a ministry meeting of 10 to 50 individuals, a banquet for 200 , a reception for 300 to 400 individuals… or events yet to me imagines can now happen in the Overlook Hall and connected break out rooms.

The Overlook Hall is designed to be flexible so it may provide informal seating and extended social space but really comes alive in providing the right amenities and environment for more formal events like receptions and meetings. Overlooking the Hospitality Hall and Peachtree Street makes our activity visible beyond our walls. North Avenue has always been generous about sharing our facilities. The Overlook Hall now provides us with front door space and a true community asset.

"... the new hospitality space will help NAPC create a warm and inviting presence on Peachtree Street."

~ Rev. Jeff Meyers, Teaching Pastor

The Hospitality Hall provides a visual beacon to the city, a central core for navigating the campus, and vitally important space for informal conversation and fellowship. There is nothing like it on our campus now. The two story, airy space is architecturally memorable, but more importantly, it is a space for building relational bridges with all who come

through our doors. While designed to allow for small formal events, the heart of this space is all about informal gatherings.

M e M o r a b l e G a t h e r i n G s

real hosPitalitY

Overlook Hall - Facing Peachtree Street

A F A M I L Y W E L C O M E

North Avenue values engaging the next generation, and the Children’s Area highlights this. The bright, open lobby space welcomes visitors and members. The lobby is themed to convey the immensity and diversity of God’s world. For the first time, the lobby will connect the preschool and elementary areas. The two areas will no longer be bisected by a driveway by providing easy

check-in, and a secure and safe space for our children, and a clear, visible way to connect to the rest of the campus.

"This will be a space that our children will invite their friends to experience."

~Roxie Chess, Director of Children & Family Ministries

Children's Lobby

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2016 Special SHINE EditionSUMMER 2016

Youth, for the first time will have a space designed just for them. A café-styled space that incorporates original artwork, a game area, and a floor plan that promotes informal interaction make this space truly unique.

Operable partitions allow for Sunday school classes and the confirmation program. A designated outdoor entrance opens up after school possibilities for neighborhood youth, while controlling access to other floors. Our youth will be safe,welcomed, and comfortable in their new first floor digs.

THE NEWUNDERGROUND!

"... we will be able to engage more youth in ac-tivities on a weekly basis and be able to do it in a safe and welcoming environment! (Its also going to look really cool!)"

~ Jessica Dart, Director of Youth Ministry

Youth Department

Exterior Children's Lobby/Underground

S a cr ed Worsh i p | FLEXIBLE WORSHIP

Our sanctuary is a sacred space, rich in detail, with beautiful Tiffany stained glass windows and a sonorous organ. Sanctuary improvements include, preserving and restoring the essential elements that make the space sacred, as well as updating technology to meet today's demands. These improvements include, updating technology and finishes where appropriate - sanctuary improvements include updated audio/visual systems, and updated finishes. Our stained glass windows, including the primary windows by the Tiffany Studio, are varied in their condition. On close inspection, several of the windows are in a deteriorated condition; long deferred maintenance and restoration endangers the south rose window, a Tiffany original.

SHINE will address the first phase of window restoration, focusing on the most deteriorated windows first. The chancel is visually transformed by extending the wainscot through the choir and organ area as well as new cherry finishes for the floor and modesty panel. Updated paint colors, wood trims and enhanced lighting will further emphasize the central cross and organ pipes.

A new and improved chancel solves the challenges of to-day's multiple worship formats and provides expanded with room for a full praise band, more orchestral instru-ments, and a larger platform for preaching. Wrap-around steps provide permanent risers for children’s choir and give greater flexibility for the sacraments, weddings and other worship options.

"With an expanded platform/stage area our chancel will become more versatile for our various worship services and programs throughout the year."

~ Josh Schicker, Worship Leader in Mission

Sanctuary

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SHINE is addressing some very practical items too; like our restrooms. We will have more of them, including facilities in the narthex, the chancel area (essential for visiting speakers, musicians and others leading worship or arts), and the Hospitality Hall. The expanded and updated restrooms on the third and fourth floors will be larger and friendlier to those with ambulatory needs. In addition to larger space, there will be changing tables for moms and dads. All things our culture takes for granted… unless your restrooms are over 50 years old!

The existing third-floor library will remain, but be transformed into a parlor for grieving families, or provide a spacious bride’s room for weddings. And, it will have a full designated bathroom and makeup area!

The Prayer Room (behind the sanctuary chancel) will be outfitted to also function as a green room for speakers and musical performances. And it will have a bathroom (for the first time)! In the same area,

the current ad-hoc music storage with no air conditioning will be transformed into an access and climate controlled storage are.

The existing Peachtree elevator will be replaced with a new, larger elevator. Access to the elevator from the lower parking now includes an enclosed lobby rather than the elevator opening directly to the parking. We will all miss the metal grated elevator guard door that currently greets elevator users from the lower parking! And that enclosed elevator lobby connects to a dedicated auto court and drop off zone. A covered drop-off is something we have never had before!

a M e n i t i e s t h a t M a t t e r

s h i P s h a P e a n D W a t e r t i G h tWe have already completely replaced the slate roof on the sanctuary. The original roof lasted 120 years! Our new roof should last another 120. The sloped roof of the 20’s building has been repaired and “tuned up”, and the flat roofs have been replaced. The highest roof of the bell tower was nearly ready to collapse and was determined to be structurally unsound. We have com-pletely replaced the roof and its structure, provided an access ladder and improved roof drainage so that we will not have this problem again.

Similarly, we have already addressed a number of other waterproofing and building envelope issues that were not immediately apparent…until Gene and his staff are back repairing plaster after a significant rain event. Our structural engi-neer discovered some under designed areas of the 1960’s building. Additional bracing and support is being added.

We have talked about our mechanical systems. It is truly a miracle we have not suffered a significant malfunction in the last ten years. They are long overdue for updating and replacement. Our current mechanical controls systems are no longer manufactured. Our mechanical control software is so outdated it only runs on Windows XP, a software platform 20 years out of date. Conduits, piping, electrical panels and similar systems have a similar diagnosis. We can’t replace it all, but SHINE has made a significant commitment to bringing our building infrastructure into the 21st century.

ENIVIRONMENTAL STEWARDSHIPSHINE is making several investments that are not readily discernible to the casual visitor, but make a significant impact on our environmental footprint… and it will save us some money in operational costs over the long term. Design and system decisions were made with our best judgment on balancing initial costs, long term savings and environmental stewardship.

Asbestos, a common material in the mid-twentieth century, is in several components of the 1960’s building. Though not presenting a danger in its current encapsulated state, SHINE is being proactive by virtually eliminating this hazardous ma-terial on our campus, rather than only removing the minimum amount necessary.

Better yet, a rainwater harvesting system is being installed as an act of environmental and financial stewardship. Though it involves an initial cost, that cost is offset by lower water bills so that after the initial cost is recouped, the savings accrues to North Avenue’s benefit, lowering our long term operating costs. Need we emphasize that saving water in the metro area is valuable at any cost? This is a win-win for us and the environment over the long term.