Building Team Still Meeting

None of us could have anticipated what the past couple of months have entailed for our country, our community, and our ability to meet together!  Covid-19 has changed a lot in recent weeks.  However, the core building team continues to meet on a monthly basis via the internet.  We are committed to working together to seek God and what His desire is for New Hope and the property.

Currently, the building team is working to evaluate the existing architectural drawings, trying to create phasing and overall plans that are more conservative financially.  Given the national and local economic uncertainty, we want to be prepared to be more creative and efficient as we consider building plans.  We trust that this pandemic is not a surprise to God, and that He is writing our story.  We continue to believe that He will provide in His way and in His time.  Would you please pray with us? 

Pretty Drawings

Hopefully you have already a chance to view the initial architectural floor plan concept and the street level rendering the architect drew up for us.  The core building team is pretty confident that these drawings encompass most of what our church ministry plan calls for.  However, we are also certain that there is much room for improvement and alterations.  Please take time to look over the drawings below if you haven't already.  If you don't understand something, please ask a building team member to clarify or explain.  And if you haven't already offered feedback, snag a building team member to let them know what you think, both pros and cons.  There will be refinements, phasing, and perhaps even major adjustments before a building plan is totally nailed down.  But this is a solid starting point to help us dream and envision...

And it likely goes without saying that final building plans will be largely contingent on how God provides for us financially through the capital campaign.  Please continue to pray for the cultivating team as they finalize print materials and prepare to cast vision and ask people to prayerfully give. 

Recently

It ended up being a snowy, cold night when we held our "come view floor plans and provide feedback" gathering.  There was a healthy turnout, however.  We heard from a couple of core building team members regarding the process to this point as well as information for how to understand the floor plans and site layout.  Then we broke into two smaller groups for discussion.  The core team heard a number of thoughtful questions and helpful suggestions.  We have multiple things to revisit and prayerfully hash over in the coming weeks and months.

However, based on the feedback and initial review from those present, the core building team felt comfortable moving forward with a street-level rendering from the architect.  While there is still plenty of opportunity to shift some space or reallocate some space usage, we feel relatively confident that we have good direction to inform a drawing to show what the building "could" look like.  This drawing will be especially important for the cultivating team to have as they move forward with fundraising efforts.  Be watching for that drawing soon!

With recent holiday schedules, the building team has not had much opportunity to meet, but at our next meeting we will discuss how to make building plan documents and floor plan drawings available to more of you who would like to view those.  In the meantime, feel free to initiate with a team member if you have not had opportunity to see that information.

Thank you for continuing to pray:

--For the core building team, that they would be able to hear openly from those who have questions and feedback regarding the building plan and that those people would truly feel heard and considered.
--For unity as we move forward towards a specific plan.
--For the cultivating team as they start to implement their fundraising plan in the coming months.
--That God would lead and provide as only He can!

Join us Friday

We want to remind you that you are invited to join the core building team at the Greenhouse, Friday night from 6:30-8:00.  

The time will begin with a brief summary of the team's process and considerations to this point, followed by explanation of the architectural plans as they exist currently.  There will then be space for questions, conversation, and input.  We hope you will come!

Floor Plans and Dirt Work

Mark your calendars for Friday, November 22nd, 6:30-8:00 at the Greenhouse!  Come join the core building team as we review the process we've gone through to this point, and share an initial floor plan sketch.  This will be a great opportunity to learn more about the building team's process and to get first looks at a possible floor plan.  Plan to bring your curiosity and your questions.  The building team covets your input.

Other action at the property this week involved some final demolition and site work.  If you've driven past, you might have noticed some equipment rolling around.  Our demo crew was back to finish removing the pool and some sidewalks, as well as to bring in fill dirt.  After filling the pool, they will regrade the site to aide in optimal water drainage until we are ready to prepare the site for building. 

Thank you for continuing to pray for...

• The architectural drawings.  Pray that nothing would be overlooked, and that the plan would be one that can serve our ministries well for many years to come.
• The November 22nd meeting at the Greenhouse.  
• Praise God for Garland, our demolition guy.  He has been very cooperative and generous towards us in what he has charged through the multiple steps of demo.
• That God would show Himself to be the writer of our story.  May He continue provide for New Hope in ways that only He can. 
• For enthusiasm and unity of vision for our whole church body as we long to make much of God.

Thank you, Farmhouse!

A week ago, a bunch of guys from Farmhouse Fraternity came out for a morning of work at the property.  They were very helpful in cleaning up in and around the place.  There will be steady work and upkeep needing done between now and whenever we are able to break ground, so groups like this are a blessing to us all!  If you happen to talk to a guy from Farmhouse, be sure to express gratitude.  THANK YOU, FARMHOUSE!

Quite a puzzle

Do you enjoy puzzles and brain teasers?  The kind that makes your brain hurt?  Like them or not, the building team finds ourselves working on a rather large puzzle, trying to work towards a general floor plan for the new building.

You might be surprised to hear that it's challenging.  But it's true!  There are so many variables, desires, and limitations.  Our team spent significant time early on trying to really understand each existing ministry within New Hope, along with their needs, desires, and potential pinch points with growth in a new space.  This formed a document we call the "ministry plan".  Then we put together a building plan document based on the ministry plan evaluation.  It was a lot of written descriptions of the spaces we deemed a priority within the new building, along with what spaces needed to share access and so on.   We also tried to address the need to plan for future expansion if that should become necessary. Then we passed that to the architect.

In recent weeks, we have been working with the architect firm, Anderson Knight Architects, to land on a floor plan that will work well for New Hope.  We reviewed an initial sketch and sent it back with requests for revisions.  This past weekend, our team was presented the revised floor plan, and we all agree it is getting closer to fulfilling the needs and desires we outlined in the ministry and building plans.  But there is still some tweaking to do, and the architects will keep working on it this week.

We understand that some of you wonder why this is taking so long, and what could possibly be so difficult.  If you can imagine a really complicated brain-teaser puzzle in which all the pieces must be moved to fit just perfectly, it's a little like that.  You might move one piece to where you think it goes, but then, as a result, all of the other pieces move farther from where you want them.  Every piece of the puzzle impacts the other pieces.

There are a number of "pieces" our team has to consider in addition to trying to fulfill the space needs we identified in the ministry plan.  For one, we have the existing lobby building to consider.  We have gone round and round about the best use of that existing space.  Those conversations have also explored the wide range of expense vs. cost savings involved in how we use that space.  Obviously, what we put in that space dictates a lot about what needs to be built new, however, being an existing building, it has it's own limitations.  Additionally, there is an underground sewer line on the property that we have to consider.  To move the line, would cost us significantly more money than our church is willing to spend, so we have to maintain a sufficient building easement from that line.  We also have to consider parking spaces and how to maintain as much of the existing parking lot as possible in order to save money, and in order to simply have enough parking for the church.  These are some of the "pieces" that are just part of the existing land and what it dictates.  Then you add in considerations for traffic flow inside the building, security for kidsLIFE spaces, how the new space relates to the existing building, etc. and there is a lot to juggle.

Hopefully, that is some helpful insight into the process.  If you are feeling eager to see progress in the form of a picture, rest assured, the building team is just as eager to provide one.  Please be praying that God would guide our process, causing all the pieces to fit in the most honoring way possible.  

Know also, that if you have questions or want to hear more in the context of a conversation, the building team members are happy to visit.  It's difficult to relay details of our process through large group meetings and written communication.  Please reach out to a staff member if you don't know a building team member, and the staff can get you connected.

Thank you for reading, and thank you for praying!

• Conversations with professionals outside of our church.  The building team has conversations frequently with various people like architect staff, electricians, plumbers, city officials.  May God use this building and the heart of New Hope to draw these people to Himself.
• The architectural drawings.  Pray that nothing would be overlooked, and that the plan would be one that can serve our ministries well for many years to come.
• That God would show Himself to be the writer of our story.  May He continue provide for New Hope in ways that only He can. 
• For enthusiasm and unity of vision for our whole church body as we long to make much of God.