As mentioned in our December update, the Construction & Renovation Committee agreed to move forward over the next four to six weeks to complete a professional program evaluation of the use of our existing space. We expect this analysis to be quite helpful as we revisit the approach for our construction next steps now that we have a more accurate and complete understanding of the costs associated with the approved plans. We know now that additional plan requirements to meet building code requirements, the need for asbestos abatement, and higher current market construction costs and subcontractor pricing mean that the construction and renovation costs are significantly higher than could be originally estimated.
John Gass along with our lead architect from Huff-Morris, Jim Byerly, are currently meeting with various church groups and the pastoral staff to reaffirm space utilization needs that were defined approximately eight years ago. The Committee agreed that this is a prudent effort to ensure that we are making wise choices in how we utilize the money you have generously given to this effort and will give in the future. We believe that one of our most important roles in representing you is to be good stewards of the funds entrusted for creating a physical structure that meets the needs of our spiritual ministries.
We expect that the space evaluation will be completed around early March. This will help us to make certain that we are utilizing all of our available areas in the most efficient and effective ways. This also ensures that we are certain to consider how we meet our needs as they change with our ongoing growth. A presentation will be made in the January church business meeting that will provide you with information available at that time.
Additional recent Vison activities include:
- Completion of the removal of the asbestos from the row houses,
- Patching the Williams Building roof. (Discussions with Saunders Roofing Company indicate that they expect the roof to hold up during the winter, which will save us from spending a significant amount of money as we complete our space analysis and perhaps revise our construction sequence of events.)
We are encouraged in scripture to “run with patience the race before us”. This is exactly the manner in which the Construction and Renovation Committee is working. Every day Tabernacle Baptist Church takes patient and planned steps toward our God-Sized Vision. Your gracious giving makes this possible. If you or someone you know would like to know more about how you might participate or different ways that you might become a donor, please do not hesitate to call one of our Construction & Renovation Committee members (Nelson Melton, Bill Welstead, Kathy McGraw, Jim McMurray, or Donna Soyars).
