The Imagine Campaign is about spiritually renewing our faith and looking for how God is going to enrich the life and future of our church when we exercise that faith. Fund raising will be a big part of the campaign, but the main focus is seeking and finding what God wants us to do at Sugar Land Methodist.
Over the past few years, the Trustees and the Finance Committee have carefully examined the existing facilities and determined that many of our aging facilities have incurable deficiencies and are in need of costly repair or replacement. We are at a crossroads of spending significant funds to keep older, inefficient structures operational or committing funds to new designs and construction that will function more efficiently, economically and be aesthetically more pleasing. We also need more space for the PARC, the youth, the music program and we have a chance to restructure current debt and address the underutilization of the current Chapel. Funds raised by the campaign will help renovate the existing Chapel Building, as well as build a youth center on the west side of Eldridge. We are confident that these renovations will allow us better opportunities for ministry and outreach to our growing community, as well as improve the fellowship of our congregation.
A new youth center is planned for the area where the Music Suite now stands. It would include a multi-use gym that can be used by the PARC, the School for Little Children and the youth of the church. It would provide separate and dedicated student ministry space, including a gathering lobby, a game and activity room, classrooms and recreation space. Renovations will be made to the current Chapel to create a new Music Suite and a multipurpose space for children. An addition will be added to the current Chapel to add classrooms and office space. The new construction will connect all the buildings improving traffic flow.
The architect’s projected estimate for the renovations and new building is $10.7 million. This includes all fixtures and equipment, plus a 5% contingency figure to cover unanticipated costs. We have developed a long-range financial plan in which part of the construction costs will be paid in cash and the remainder financed by a loan with the current financing of the church rolled into the new arrangement.
Buildings and grounds require constant maintenance. Just like our homes, funds are required to improve and update our facilities in order to meet the needs of the congregation and the community. This may require some debt that is determined by the Finance Committee to be at a level that is acceptable in our annual budget.
The Imagine Campaign is coming up in September and October 2008. We recommend families attend the four-week Lifestyle Stewardship Bible study, beginning September 14 2008, during the 10:10 Bible Study hour, as well as the simultaneous sermon series focusing on discovering God’s will for our church. With prayerful consideration you and your family will be asked to make a God-directed commitment on October 19. The financial commitments that we make will be for a three-year period.
We have been and will continue to be supported through the faithful giving of our church family. God has always provided to meet all of our needs. Our emphasis on the ministries and missions at our church will remain constant even though we are going to be involved over the next three years in the Imagine Campaign. Through sacrificial giving we believe our church can realize our goal of enhancing what we have to offer our community. Sacrificial giving means a level of stewardship above and beyond our regular commitment to God of our tithes and offerings for our general budget. It will require reassessing our spending and readjusting our priorities to meet God’s call on our lives. It will cost us as givers, but through faith God will enable us to carry out the commitment He has laid on each of our hearts. King David demonstrated his understanding of sacrificial giving in 2 Samuel 24:24 when he wrote, “I will not offer to God that which costs me nothing.” The only expectation is that each family pray and ask God what He would have that family to give. While the amounts will obviously be different for everyone, our hope is that each person will take personal ownership in the project and be led to give generously, even sacrificially.
At the Church Conference on May 20 2008, a motion was passed to have the architect develop schematic design drawings for the project. Our leaders will convene at the end of the Imagine Campaign to review the campaign results and the building plans. They will present their recommendation on how to move forward at another Church Conference.
Total current debt is $1.2 million
Total church budget is $2.272 million
About 6%
The Trustees and Building Committee are exploring the feasibility and profitability of selling both the building and the property after a new building is built on the main campus. All options are still open for consideration.
No. We will launch the Stewardship Campaign for our general budget in January of 2009. The Imagine Campaign is a capital campaign to help raise funds needed for facilities for the student, children’s and music ministries. Fund raising will be a big part of the campaign, but the main focus is about spiritually renewing our faith and looking for how God is going to enrich the life and future of our church.
UPDATE: We have received updating rendering and plans from our architects. The pictures are available here. There are more detailed rendering in the church office.
We should receive the schematic designs by the end of August and will provide many opportunities for you to see them
In November 2007, the Trustees made a recommendation at the annual Charge Conference for the church to form a Building Committee to look at our facility needs. At a Church Conference on May 20 2008, the Building Committee’s recommendations were presented and we as a church voted to move forward with the planning for both the building and the funding of the project.
What will happen now is, through The Imagine Campaign in September and October 2008, we will do the work of seeking God fervently and obediently and finding in ourselves how God is calling us to respond. Once the Campaign is complete, the Building Committee, Trustees and Church leadership will make a recommendation on how to move forward at another Church Conference, at which time you will have an opportunity to respond with your vote.
