Update 4/29/19

This week's Core Building Team meeting was one of renewed energy and forward momentum!

The Cultivating Team (capital campaign team) met for the first time this week, and we were excited to hear about their discussion and their desire to communicate a vision that invites people to be part of something more than a building.  That team is made up of Bob and Sandie Anderson, Dick and Nancy Jaques, Jodi Pribyl, Robbie Nutter, Melissa Harstine, and Tony Classen.  They have some great ideas and will begin meeting regularly to put together a plan.

If you joined us at the April 14th all-church update, you will recognize this slide summarizing the process that the Core Building Team is working through.

This week, the team eagerly transitioned from the ministry plan to taking a closer look at finances.  Thankfully, with the knowledgeable Finance and Cultivating Teams in place, the Building Team doesn't need to camp out here for very long.  We will be able to jump into the initial stages of the facility plan next week, recognizing that all of these plans are going to be worked out in tandem from this point forward.  As we get a clearer picture of what space we might build, we will grasp the financial numbers associated with construction and, in turn, sustainment.  Measuring those against the church's financial reality, we will then make adjustments back and forth across all of these plans.  It will likely be a process of determining phases for the long-term plan, all the while, watching to see how God provides.

Also this week, we received what we needed from the city to move forward with publicly listing the North Building for sale!  It will be listed locally as well as on national lists, in order to get it on the radar of commercial investors across the country.  Please continue to pray for its sale.

The Gleaning Team efforts are officially wrapping up, and we are determining final opportunities to connect left-behind hotel items with people who could use them.  If you haven't already, please make a point to thank these people for their work behind the scenes.  Gleaning team members include Sandie Anderson, Dan Flippo, Nate Harstine, Jon Pagel, and Karyn Clanton.

With that step nearly done, we are arranging for demolition of the buildings we will not keep.  The Riley County Police Department has contacted us, and they would like to use one of the hotel buildings for officer training.  We are coordinating with them and intend to demo quickly after their training.  That demolition date will be sometime in mid-June.  There will be some easily visible changes coming to the property soon!

Thanks for continued prayers...

• for direction and clarity for all teams as plans are made and carried forward.
• for how God wants to use you and your gifts 
• that we would remain unified as a church, healthily viewing the property as a tool for God's work through us.

Update 4/22/19

We hope you enjoyed a sweet time celebrating Easter!  If you happened to miss our all-church building team update on April 14th, you can listen to that HERE.  We didn't reveal any earth-breaking news, but our goal was to try to be open about our process, get a gauge on what questions or concerns are out there, and welcome feedback.  Please reach out to a building team member if you have any thoughts or questions for us.

As we shared in the update, our team's next step is to work through our financial plan.  This will be a dynamic process that is done in tandem with the church Finance Team (who met last Sunday) and the Cultivating Team (who will be meeting next Sunday).  We are working this week to individually wrap our minds around several financial reports and ledgers we have, so that during our team's meeting next Sunday, we can be efficient with our time.

Lastly, we have compiled a Google Doc where we intend to list odd jobs and needs we have at the property.  Hopefully, this will be a way to help everyone see what needs to be done, and allow for people to serve as they have time and ability to help.   Check it out at this LINK.
You will notice that one of the greatest needs we have currently is for someone to take on the role of "mowing coordinator" through the summer months.  Would you be willing to coordinate volunteers and help make sure the property is mowed on a regular basis?  Let us know!

Thanks for your continued prayers...

• For everyone involved in trying to understand and map a path forward in regards to church finances.  May we be diligent stewards while believing God to provide in ways only He can.
• The the city would sign off on necessary items, so that we can publicly list the North Building for sale.
• For continued unity and clarity of vision among members of our church.

Update 4/2/19

Another week has passed, and there are several things in motion that we can update you on.

Invitations have been extended to several people, asking them to consider serving on the capital campaign team.  That group is forming, and hopefully, we can introduce them to you soon!

The gleaning team has orchestrated some deliveries of various goods, and they continue to finalize sales.  They are working to determine the most effective way to move forward with what remains.

We still intend to sell the North building.  It has been shown to a few interested parties, but we are waiting on the city, needing to finalize some details with them before we can list it publicly.  These types of things don't seem to rank as "urgent" for city officials, so it's been a slower process than we'd like.

In the building team meeting this week, we worked through a couple of the last pieces of the New Hope ministry plan.  We discussed the LIFEgroup ministry as well as auxiliary ministry groups that we partner with on some level like campus ministries and HIS.  It was intriguing to explore some of the existing needs and consider possibilities that may exist in having a building of our own.  In that same conversation, we examined how the Greenhouse has been used, and how it has served people and ministries in the community who don't otherwise have their own office/meeting space.  While we are yet uncertain about what space(s) we will be able to create and offer for people's use, this discussion was another valuable one as we add layers of understanding to how a space could benefit our own church body and others in the community.  It is exciting to consider the many ways a building space could function and be used all throughout the week.

Don't forget...Plan to join us on April 14th, following church, for a building team meeting update.  We hope to paint a vivid picture of the process we are in the middle of, as well as hear your questions and feedback.  Hope to see you there!

Thanks for praying:

• For those stepping up to help with capital campaign
• That the gleaning team could finish up their task fruitfully
• For a meeting with the necessary city officials in order to get the North building listed publicly
• That we would all hear God and sense how he wants to use this process and this building in our church and for His work in our town.