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Why are we doing this project?

This project is intended to enhance the hearing and sharing of God's message of love for those in the Sanctuary, and beyond into our city, region and world.

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What will the construction project involve?

The Sanctuary renovation will feature an elevated choir loft and extended platform area. The loft will have space for 105 singers at a comfortable chair spacing. The loft will be elevated above the current platform level to allow better sight lines for the congregation and increased sound projection for the choir. The shape of the loft is designed such that risers can be placed at platform level in front of the loft area to accommodate additional singers for combined-choir events. The extension of the platform will allow for the current 40-45 orchestra members and provide room for expansion as additional players are added. New pews and flooring will be installed, lighting will be updated, and some sound and TV broadcast equipment will be replaced. Acoustic treatments will be added to the back wall of the balcony and main floor to dampen undesirable sound reflections, and treatments will also be hidden in the grill work behind the choir to enhance the projection of sound. The Sanctuary ceiling will be repainted and minor repairs will be made.

 

The Narthex will undergo a light redecorating which will include new paint and updated light fixtures. There will possibly be some modifications to the railings in the stairwells leading to the balcony. Those stairwells will be repainted.

 

The existing Music Rehearsal Suite will be removed and replaced by a new, larger single story structure. The new Music Suite will have men's and women's robing rooms and restrooms. Space will be provided for the storage of music and other items. A coffee bar will serve as a snack area for Student Choir and for use during special choir events and other functions. The new facility will include a Green Room for use by guest musicians and will serve the orchestra each Sunday as a place to assemble instruments and temporarily store instrument cases. A choir rehearsal area large enough for 120 singers will be provided. Additional chairs can be added, with the total reaching 150, for LCT rehearsals. The layout of the new floor plan will help streamline the congested flow of foot traffic that was observed during the Study Team's investigation. The new building will be designed to accommodate a second story in the future.

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What items will the Trustees address through the program?

​The Trustees are including some items that cannot be addressed through their normal budgeting process. These include a new roof for the Sanctuary, repair and refurbishment of our Carillon bells, and some needed updates in the Life Center such as an LED projection system and new carpet.

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Is there a missional component?

There will be a missional component involving the Terry Heights-Hillandale community. The recent receipt of a church property in that neighborhood has opened up the possibility of expanding our ministry efforts. In November 2023, a mission strategy was rolled out for reaching our city, region and world. One element of that strategy is to “create a home-based childcare model that will serve low income families.” With our new presence in the neighborhood, we have an opportunity to establish that childcare initiative on the same property as the Terry Heights-Hillandale Christian Community Center (where the parsonage once sat.) The missional component will provide for the childcare initiative and some improvements in the Christian Community Center.

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What will the project cost? How long will it take?

The estimated cost of construction, the capital campaign, Trustee items, missional component and other associated costs is $11.5M. The church construction will begin, at the earliest, in June 2025 and is expected to take about 14-16 months to complete. Other parts of the overall project may begin sooner, and some parts of the project will likely be completed before others.

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What additional debt will be required?

No long-term debt is anticipated. The interest cost for the short-term construction loan is included in the project cost estimate.

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What will the updated Sanctuary look like? Will there be changes to the woodwork?

The goal is to make the alterations in the loft and platform areas complement the existing look and feel of the Sanctuary. There are no changes proposed to the woodwork on the walls or on the organ facade. The ceiling speaker “box” currently over the pulpit will be removed, and that part of the ceiling will be restored to its original design. In addition, the original 1960's speaker grill above the platform will be removed and the area repaired to match the original ceiling elements.

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Will the organ be affected during the construction?

It is anticipated that the organ pipes and console will be removed and stored by the company that provides services for the instrument. While in their possession, some needed maintenance will be provided as part of the project. They will re-install the organ and provide a “dolly” so that the organ console can be easily moved on the platform.

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Are we replacing the pews? Can we re-use the current ones?

The current pews must be removed to replace the carpet and paint the ceiling. The pews need to be upholstered with coverings on the seats and, per the recommendation of the acoustic engineers, on the backs as well. Our research has indicated that installing new pews is about the same cost as having our current pews removed, stored, refurbished, covered and reinstalled. We are investigating options to either replace or refurbish the pews.

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What type of flooring will replace the carpet?

Per the recommendation of the acoustic engineers, the aisles and stairs leading to the balcony will be covered with carpet and the area under the pews will have a hard surface flooring. The biggest impact acoustically with the hard surface flooring will be the ability to better hear the singing of those around you. A side-benefit is that the carpet can be replaced in the future without the need to remove the pews.

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Are we installing projection screens? Did the Study Team consider screens?

There is no plan to install screens. The video consultants presented the Study Team with some options for projection, however our Sanctuary is a very difficult shape to make any kind of fixed projection system work properly. The consultants also presented some ideas for portable display systems that could be used on occasions that warranted visual display such as the recent movie-themed organ concert. Portable projection is also not part of the project but could be something the church might want to consider in the future for those specialized uses.

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What about the LCT? How is the tree structure affected by the elevated choir loft?

The Study Team looked at three options regarding the LCT. Modifying the existing structure to rest on the first row of the new loft by moving the structure 12 feet forward is the approach that has the most certainty of success and is recommended for at least the first year after construction. The Study Team also investigated replacing the tree with a new structure of similar design that would better fit the new loft, and the team had email conversations with a company that specializes in custom staging and platforms. Those three options and others will be investigated by those most familiar with the tree to determine specifically what will be needed to maintain the best LCT appearance in future years.

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Will the loft be more noisy to walk on because it is elevated?

The loft will rest on steel framing and the tread surfaces will be poured concrete. The noisy wood fill-in pieces which cover the unused orchestra pit will not be needed. The loft floor and platform should actually become more quiet.

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How many pew seats are we losing because of the expanded platform?

Based on a comfortable seating width, we will lose about 50 spaces.

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Why do the speakers in the renderings look different from what we currently have?

Based on the recommendation of the acoustic engineers, the new speakers will be line arrays. Line arrays are considered “state-of-the-art” at this time. Our current speakers are columns which are optimized for speech but are less effective for musical reproduction.

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Will the baptistry be affected by the raised choir loft?

It is anticipated that the chairs directly in front of the baptistry on the top row will be left unoccupied on days of baptism. The baptistry glass has become cloudy and scratched. It will be replaced.

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Will the stain glass remain behind the baptistry?

The stain glass will remain.

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Where will Sanctuary worship meet during construction? Will it be the same?

Sanctuary worship will occur in the Life Center during the time of construction. A team of people have evaluated what will be required to keep the worship experience as close as possible to the current experience. Services will continue to feature a full choir and orchestra, hymnals will be provided for congregational singing, and the live TV broadcast and LiveStream will air at the same time as they currently do each week. First Fellowship and Sanctuary worship will meet at their current times, with both located in the Life Center.

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​Is the new Music Suite larger than the current one?

The new Music Suite has about 50% more square footage than the current space.

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Where will the choir rehearse during the construction?

The choir will rehearse in the Life Center. The day and times for rehearsals for the various choirs and the First Fellowship band will be coordinated by the ministers serving those areas.

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What is a Green Room and how will it be used?

The Green Room will be used by guest musicians as a waiting area during special events. On most Sundays, we anticipate that the Green Room will be used by orchestra members to assemble instruments and temporarily store cases during the service.

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Where will all the choir and orchestra music be stored during construction?

We will use a combination of on-site and off-site storage for music and other items during construction.

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Will all the music be consolidated into the new storage areas?

By using high-density storage optimized for the music container sizes, all of the choir music, plus room for more, should fit in the music storage room. There are also additional storage areas for orchestra and other choirs, and the tops of the robing racks will be designed to hold music as they do now.

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Will there still be ramps in the Music Rehearsal Suite?

Only one short ramp will remain in the Music Rehearsal Suite. The remaining areas will all be on the same level. The choir rehearsal room will tier down as it does now, but the steps will be of equal height. 

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What is meant by “loaded for a second story”?

The Walls and roof of the new building will be designed such that they can hold the weight of an additional floor. This makes a future addition more feasible and less expensive. 

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What would it cost to build the second story now? Could it be at least "shelled out" now?

If the second floor were built at the time of construction, the cost would be an additional $2M. The
second floor could be “shelled out” for $1.1M. “Shelled out” means building only the exterior walls and
roof and providing an unfinished interior with minimal lighting and no HVAC. The “shelled” space would
be useful for limited storage but could not be occupied. 

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What changes will have the most effect on improving the foot traffic flow?

The multiple entry points to the Music Rehearsal Suite allow the choir and orchestra to spread out as they enter and exit. There will be adequate space available to designate areas for picking up and returning music and orchestra folders which eliminates the need for tables and cabinets in the narrow hallway.

 

Do we lose any parking places?

No. The twenty parking places between the Sanctuary and big oak trees will be relocated, but the number of spaces remains the same. About half of the spaces will be on the Sanctuary side eliminating the need to cross the road to enter the facility. We will lose one oak tree closest to Entrance 4 to accommodate the road and spaces on the east side of the new drive.

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How is the drop-off canopy affected?

The drop-off canopy will be replaced as part of the project using a cantilever design, so no support columns will be in the road.

 

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How will the Trustee items be coordinated with the construction? Will everything start at the same time?

Some items, such as the Sanctuary roof and Life Center projection and carpet, will need to occur at specific times and will be determined by the contractor's work flow. Other items, such as the Carillon work, can be done at any time convenient. It is likely that some items will start and be completed before others.

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Is there anything planned for the third floor?

The Trustees have decided to postpone flooring replacement for now, so nothing is planned for the immediate future on the third floor.

 

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What will be built?

The proposed “group childcare facility” will be a 1500 square foot single story home of a type typical for the neighborhood. The existing parsonage, which was in very bad shape, has been removed to make room for the new house. The initiative will be called “OurKids” and will serve as a model for others who may wish to replicate the program.

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Will the group childcare construction be managed by the same contractor as the church construction?

There will be a different contractor managing the work on Meadow Drive, and the construction schedule will be independent of work occurring at 600 Governors Drive.

 

Will a daycare there compete with Second Mile which is already operating?

The two childcare operations are complementary. Second Mile is a half-day pre-school for ages 3-4, while “OurKids” will be a full-day program and also serve children age 2 and younger.

 

Is there a need for the daycare?

Conversations with the Chamber of Commerce, Director of Second Mile, and a representative of the local Neighborhood Organization all verified a need for this type of childcare in the area.

 

How will the daycare function?

The model is based on a Co-op system where parents will volunteer time to assist a staff director. The facility will be DHR certified and the parent-volunteers will have training and background checks. The maximum capacity will be 12 children ranging in age from 6 weeks to 5 years. The new facility will serve as a model for others who wish to replicate the program.

 

As part of the project, is there any additional work planned for the church building we were given?

As part of the project, funds are allocated to expand the kitchen some, making it more useful for events that are occurring and planned for the future. There will also be some painting and additional repair work.

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Do we need a capital campaign consultant?

A project of this magnitude is difficult to accomplish without a knowledgeable consultant assisting with organization and advising on current fund-raising norms. The overall project estimate includes the cost of a campaign consultant and material. Most of the printed material will be generated by the church. The campaign consultant will remain in the background.

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Is $11.5M a reasonable goal?

Our consultant advises we have the capacity to raise twice our annual giving plus “a bit”. Our 2024 giving and 2025 budget, along with the success of our Generations campaign, indicates that we have the capacity to reach this goal.

 

What if we don't raise enough money? What if we pledge more than $11.5M?

If the pledge process does not meet expectations, or if it exceeds expectations (Hallelujah!), the Leadership Council will make a recommendation for church consideration. In determining a successful pledge amount, the Leadership Council will take into consideration the amount pledged as well as our history of frequently giving above the amount pledged.

 

When will the capital campaign occur?

The capital campaign committee has begun their background work. Early commitment activity has occurred in the January 2025 timeframe. The “public” part of the campaign will be underway in March 2025. It will include a sermon series and some material that will detail the project and its importance. The campaign emphasis will culminate in a Pledge Sunday on May 11, 2025 with a celebration the following Sunday. The results of the campaign will be known before church construction bids are solicited and contracts awarded.

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Is there a building committee?

The Study Team members, when accepting their initial assignment, all agreed to serve on a building committee if the church voted to move forward with a project. The Study Team has become the Building Committee and will collaborate with a number of task forces and standing committees in various aspects of the project. Coordination with the Trustees will be vital as some of their items are directly connected with the renovation.

 

Who are the contractors and architects? What is the bidding process?

JohnsonKreis will be used again as the general contractor. They did a phenomenal job managing our Generations project. They specialize in church renovation, and particularly renovating spaces while church operations continue. Chapman-Sisson will continue as our architectural firm and will be supported by a variety of consultants and engineers. The sub-contractors will be selected by bid through a best-value process.

 

How will the construction affect traffic flow in and around the building?

We don't know the details yet, but there will inevitably be times, particular during the work week, that members will need to use alternate doors to access certain sections of the building. The general contractor will always ensure “safety first” but also recognize that our ministry is important and must continue to operate with the least disruption possible. Details of specific interaction will be published in the Messenger as need arises during the construction period.

 

What if bids exceed our budget?

It depends on the magnitude of the shortfall. The Building Committee may be able to work with the contractor and subs to “value-engineer” some areas and reduce costs without major alterations to the plan. If a shortfall occurs that is large enough to require an adjustment to the scope of the project, the Leadership Council will make a recommendation on the way forward.

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