Redeemer Building Update
Church family,
So much has happened recently the elders want to make sure everyone has a clear picture of what is happening with the building so you can pray, participate, and give as you feel led by the Lord.
Land: The church membership voted to purchase a 3.5 acre parcel of land in the center of the Spotsylvania Courthouse Village development. This parcel is adjacent to the new white brick Planter’s Bank building facing Courthouse Road. This parcel will accommodate a sanctuary and up to five additional smaller educational buildings. Now that the congregation has voted to purchase the land, Vakos Properties will parcel this piece of land out of the larger acreage according to our site plan. Deacon Travis Elkins will pick up from deacon Benjamin Pennington’s efforts and continue work on the overall site and building plan. Only after a final site plan is approved by the county and the land is officially parceled out, will the land purchase officially take place. It will take some months for this due diligence to occur. During this waiting period the cash for the land purchase will remain set aside in the building fund.
Building: The plan is to build a one-level sanctuary that will seat at least 500 people and up to two smaller educational buildings in the first phase of building. Each educational building will give us eight good sized classrooms. The goal of building in phases is to avoid the prolonged period of fund-raising or a heavy debt load from building one large multi-story building. The goal is to raise enough funds to make sure a mortgage is less than what we currently pay in rent. In this way, we can assure the mortgage cost will not change the focus of ministry. We will know for sure that such a mortgage is within a manageable and modest church budget. Right now, the building and financing situation is a moving target. Both building and financing costs are rising, but the Lord has, and will, provide His church a necessary place to meet. By our estimates we need to raise at least $2,000,000 to seriously look at beginning to build. This may seem like an insurmountable task, but nothing is impossible with God!
The Lord provided $700,000 for land without us even talking about the subject, and the elders believe the Lord will provide again! The Lord will provide through the sacrificial generosity of His people. When you go to the on-line giving portal there is a designated “Building Fund” giving account, or you can designate your gift placed in the offering box next to the welcome desk. 100% of what is given to the building fund will go to building. If you have non-cash gifts (such as stocks) that you feel led to contribute, please see an elder, or our treasurer, for how to accomplish that. We will be patient and wait for the Lord to provide. The focus of Redeemer Bible Church is not going to become building a building. We will remain focused on the disciple-making call of Jesus Christ. When the Lord wants us to have a different building, He will provide in a way that will glorify Himself. The elders believe that as we take this need to our good Heavenly Father, He will move people to give cheerfully, and the need will be met in His perfect time.
May the new church buildings be built with joy, without controversy, without manipulation, through self-sacrifice, partially by the work of our own hands, and all to the glory of God that the lost may come to salvation in Jesus Christ.
New Rental Space: At the last member business meeting we voted to sign a one-year (renewable for two more years) lease on the first floor of the adjacent building. This building will allow Redeemer to double our current educational space. These classrooms will make room for more children’s ministry on Sunday morning, more youth small group space on Wednesday night, and more adult small group meeting space throughout the week. We are very thankful for this answer to prayer! This rental space will be occupied until we can build the new educational buildings.
This space will require some renovation that must be done by the church. We are so grateful that deacon Andrew Mines will be heading up this project. Like our last church renovation project (the grocery store – now the sanctuary) we will do most of this work ourselves to save significant cost. The savings will be put toward the new building. So much joy and relationships come from working together in the church. If you are handy or can paint, please contact Andrew to sign-up for work crew days. We will begin work as early as late July. Our hope is to have the space ready for children’s ministry when school is back in session this fall. This will take diligent work from across the church body. I’m excited to see the Lord provide through His body working together!
Please pray about giving toward the building of a permanent church building. Together the Lord will provide.
In all things may Jesus Christ be glorified,
The Elders of Redeemer Bible Church