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Faith and Wisdom – Calvary Baptist Church

Aug 18th, 2009 by

As I noted in my previous post, I wanted to share a bit about one of our partner churches, Calvary Baptist Church in Bethlehem, PA, who recently broke ground on a new campus. (To see photos and news of their recent groundbreaking event go to: http://thecalvaryconnection.org/?cat=4 ) They purchased 27 acres in a prime location at the intersection of Routes 22 & 33. The new facility will be seen by thousands of daily commuters along the Route 22 corridor, which extends to New York City. Their new property is in the fastest growing region in Pennsylvania.

From the day the Church settled on the land, they began holding Church / community-outreach events on the property, including bonfires and hayrides. During one Saturday night event, Continue Reading »

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Faith versus Wisdom

Aug 10th, 2009 by

These are interesting times to live in. Last week at The Leadership Summit hosted by Willow Creek, Bill Hybels entitled his opening address “Leading in a New Reality”. He likened the economic turmoil to a rogue wave that has turned businesses and churches upside. To me, this “rogue wave” also seems like a tsunami that has crashed on the shore, permanently altering lives and landscapes. Few believe it will ever return to “the way it was”. However, I am not alone in believing that the same forces that have destroyed wealth and work and confidence have also provided a significant opportunities for the church. When the things that people have built their lives on and trusted in (especially in America) prove unreliable, it is an opportunity for them to find true wealth and security in Jesus. Many churches have experienced significant gains in attendance since last fall. Despite lost jobs and income, the drop in giving at these churches has been relatively small. At the same time, they are seeing the need to reallocate funds to help people that have lost jobs and houses. This is a new reality for all of us who lead – whether in church or business or in our families.

For our ministry-business, reality has certainly changed significantly. For years, we have attempted to keep the churches we work with from building more than they can afford. When all seemed well with the economy, Continue Reading »

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Expandability – An Eye for the Future

Jun 16th, 2009 by

“Planning is bringing the future into the present so that you can do something about it now.” Though this statement by Alan Lakein refers to personal time management, it also explains what we do with many of our clients who expect to expand their facilities in phases. We rely on years of experience in church architecture and the guidance of God to help us impart wise counsel on the best strategies to use to plan for the future.

We help our partner churches develop strategies for bringing the future into the present; strategies with economic benefits that will be realized both now and later. As part of our initial analysis of a church’s needs, we look at their history to determine the ministry spaces that will be needed and incorporate them into the plans. A church may be projecting a large increase in the size of their congregation ten years down the road, but that does not mean that they should build for that now as it would overwhelm the people using it. In fact, too many empty seats makes people feel uncomfortable, giving them the impression that the church is dwindling rather than thriving, contributing to a reduction in the number of people who attend services. On the contrary, if a church builds for only their current needs without intentional planning for future phases within the current construction, later expansions will be more costly and intrusive. Continue Reading »

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Posted in Classroom, Designs, Growth Planning, Newsletters, Stewardship, Summer 2009 | Comments Off

Willowdale Chapel – Kennett Square, PA

Jun 16th, 2009 by

Teamwork and Perseverance! These ingredients, needed for any project, were essential for the Willowdale Chapel project due to the challenges faced by the church. A 25,700 square foot addition was built for the growing congregation. The new facility includes a worship center for 800, a children’s education wing, and a large fellowship lobby along with the framework for a future balcony and a second floor youth facility.

This project provided an opportunity to learn, grow and develop during a time of change, the recession and a limited budget. It is an example of how the “complete project team” is essential. The process, while tedious and challenging at times, ultimately brought satisfying results. Continue Reading »

Posted in Newsletters, Summer 2009 | 1 Comment »

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