Below is an update on our Building In Faith initiative.

BACKGROUND

In June of 2010, the Emmanuel Congregation voted, with 75% approval, to go forward with rezoning and site plan approval for the new ELC master plan, as prepared by MTFA architects and presented to the Congregation during the spring of 2010. The June 2010 vote was not authorization to go forward with any actual construction.

Notwithstanding the approval, many in the Congregation
expressed some reservations about the master plan, either due
to design (e.g., the size and location of the proposed multi-purpose facility) and/or cost (the first phase of construction was estimated at over $7 million).

RESOURCE ASSESSMENT

As a precursor to the capital campaign for the building
program and in concert with a renewed stewardship program, the Building Committee engaged a specialist in capital fund raising – Kairos Associates – to do a Resource Assessment in the late fall of 2010. The results were presented to the Congregation both in writing and in multiple meeting sessions in early 2011.

RESOURCE ASSESSMENT CONCLUSIONS

A key recommendation of the Resource Assessment was to move forward with the capital campaign to raise funds for the rezoning/site plan approval effort, but also to consider ways in which to better align the building program with the mission and ministries of the Church, and to better communicate those mission and facility goals to the Congregation.

The Building Committee, in concert with the Evangelism team, has been engaged in a series of discussions with local government and non-profit officials, seeking a better understanding of community needs and to align the Church’s programs with those needs.

At a May 21 all-day meeting of the ELC Council and team
leaders, a decision was made to emphasize several key ministry areas, so-called “signature” ministries, at Emmanuel. These signature ministries are:
Preschool/early education;
Youth and families; and
Global and community outreach.
In addition, a task force was formed to consider the feasibility of developing a senior living center on the adjacent property, which is currently occupied by the rental house.

“MINI” CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

Kairos was re-engaged to help plan for a “mini” capital campaign to raise the $250,000 estimated cost of the rezoning and site plan approval efforts. Planning efforts for the campaign, under the theme “Building in Faith: Preparing the Way,” are well underway, with formal kick-off planned for the fall of 2011.

REVISED MASTER SITE PLAN

The architects were re-engaged to revise the master plan in order to better align the construction and renovation with ELC’s ministries, take advantage of a more liberal setback standard along Route 123 (made possible by the elimination of the required deceleration lane) and lower the cost of phase 1 of the building program. Those planning efforts are continuing, with a final presentation of the revised master plan scheduled for October, coinciding with the start-up of the capital campaign.

The revised plan is likely to preserve the open space to the west of the sanctuary, moving the expanded fellowship hall to the current courtyard space adjacent to the Centrum and sanctuary, renovating the existing fellowship hall as classrooms and meeting space, adding a new educational wing closer to Route 123, and enhancing entrances and landscaping.

SENIOR LIVING CENTER CONCEPT

Members of Emmanuel recently met with representatives of the National Lutheran Home to review the feasibility of a senior living center on the adjacent property- that initial meeting was promising, and the dialogue is on-going, with a final assessment likely to be made later this year or early in 2012. Of course, any recommendation to move forward on such an effort will be subject to a formal report to the Congregation and final congregational approval.

MORE TO COME

In short, the past year has been a busy one- the Council and Building Committee have considered all views on the master plan and proposed capital campaign and is proceeding in a way that both maximizes the Church’s financial resources and aligns the building program more closely with the Church’s mission and goals.

Stay tuned for more updates in the weeks and months ahead- we will shortly be posting detailed questions and answers regarding the master plan, building program and capital campaign on the Church’s website and members of the Building Committee will be meeting with both groups and individual members to discuss the plans, receive feedback and answer questions from the Congregation.