Capital Campaign

Welcome Home! It is the theme of our current campaign, but it is also the sentiment we have worked hard to embody since Project Renewal (our previous campaign) began in 2017. As a congregation, we have risen to the occasion of providing both a physical space and an atmosphere that says “Welcome!” This intentionality on the part of so many in our church family has led to more and more people calling Rush Creek their “home” than ever before!

If you have already made a financial investment toward the Welcome Home! Campaign, we want to say thank you for demonstrating that holistic hospitality that creates the space for people to learn and grow together.

Whether or not you have invested financially thus far, we want to challenge every household and every family to consider one last commitment to finish off this campaign. It is a two-fold commitment: prayer and a financial gift.

We call it the Family and Friends Plus One Plan.

Perhaps the more notable part of this campaign relates to participation and prayer.

Participation

Thus far 180 households have invested in our Welcome Home! Campaign. Our goal and our prayer is to engage 250 households through this final leg of the campaign.

Prayer

As you fill out the short form on the other side of this card, you will be encouraged to provide for and pray for someone specifically. As you write down their name (first or last or initials) our Elders will commit to pray with you- throughout the year for those who you want to see fill the “plus one” chair you are making available through your gift.

There are two specific options for a meaningful investment for your family and friends. The concept is simple. Would you prayerfully consider:

Underwriting the cost of a chair for everyone in your household +
1 chair for someone you are praying for.

OR

Underwriting the cost of one chair for you + 1 chair for
someone you are praying for.

If you would like to participate, please pick a commitment card up at the connection center and hand it to a staff member.

Give online here.

Capital Campaign

Take a Seat

Grab a cup of coffee and find a comfortable chair because this email could be a lot like Pastor Steve’s or Pastor Cameron’s sermons: a bit long……but well worth your time!

Excitingly we are in the final stretch of the WelcomeHome! Campaign. In short, we have finalized the seating selection and the design committee is now working to ensure an inviting look as they select carpet styles and fabric for both the Worship Center and the Creekside Room.

So let’s rewind the tape and remind ourselves where it all began and fill you in on the processes and events that have gotten us to this point.

First there is the WHY behind the new seating…

Project Renewal, our prior capital campaign, hit the refresh button on nearly the entire church. Conspicuously, the worship center flooring and seating are the only notable exceptions. The pews are showing evidence of a full and well-used life from the past 25 years of ministry. Less than a month ago the end of a pew fell off mid-service, which marks the 10th time that has happened within the last few years. Similarly, numerous pews have broken free from the bolts affixed to the concrete floor. Between particle board pew frames and concrete floors, repair options are truly just short term fixes.

Compounding the age of our seating is the extensive use of our entire facility for ministry purposes throughout the week. While ministries gather chairs in hallways for small groups, bible studies, and for group discussion because rooms are full three days a week, the worship center actually becomes one of the least used spaces in the church throughout the week precisely because of the inflexibility of the stage/audience singular-purpose configuration.

Anyone who has helped “flip” a room will know that changing the configuration of 530 chairs on the main floor of the worship center, for example, is not a decision made lightly nor is it remotely feasible on a frequent basis. Thus, the goal isn’t to make the worship center a daily multi-purpose room, but rather to allow for a bit more flexibility in its intentional ministry usage throughout the year in settings like dinner theaters, small concerts in the round, and small group discussion for men’s and women’s ministries.

Second, let’s discuss the WHERE of the seating….

The total number of people that fit in any given pew is more theoretical and ball-park in nature.

If you normally sit on the main floor you might immediately think about the chairs that will be on the main floor. As our worship center is currently laid out we would need 530 chairs to mimic that current seating layout. Of course we don’t have to, and there are other creative and more conducive and inviting configurations. So it isn’t likely we would exactly mimic the current layout.

If you sit in the balcony, you might be wondering what a seating change might entail. Currently the upstairs theoretically seats up to 180 people. The decision for the balcony is to install theater-style, fixed seating. In this case the chair style will change, but the configuration looks largely the same. These seats will have higher backs that will replace the need for the modesty wall that exists behind our current balcony pews. More on that later.

Additionally, it is important to note that we will be replacing the chairs in the Creekside Room with the same chair-style and chair fabric with which we are outfitting the Worship Center. (We do not plan to replace the carpet in the Creekside Room.) This room gets the most use of any room of the church throughout the year and yet is used in very different ways than the worship center. Our selection of the chair takes this into consideration as well.

Third, let’s discuss the WHEN…

By the end of February the intention is to have the chairs and flooring ordered. The chairs have the longest lead time; up to five months.

The goal would be to do the renovations, including the tearing out of the pews as well as the carpet in the worship center, mezzanines, and stairwells during the month of July (or perhaps early August). This would allow us to complete all of the renovations by the time the ministry year kicks off in September.

Those of you who pay attention to the details will note that there are also some handrails to paint in those areas as well.

Fourth, you might be asking the question of HOW all of this might transpire…

Generally, here is the plan. We are excited to provide an opportunity to serve together by tearing out and hauling away pews and carpet. This is no small task. But we are confident that a motivated team working together could make all of that happen in just a few days’ time and we look forward to the shared experience.

After that, we will be hiring out the installation of the carpet and the installation of the balcony theater seating.

Next you might be wondering WHAT chairs we are getting ….

It may be helpful to enumerate the criteria that was considered in the selection process. Frankly, the points for consideration are staggering and the factors in making the decision have been numerous.

Have you ever thought about ganging? Tufting? Frame gauge? We won’t bore you with what those things refer to, but they are not insignificant factors…among dozens of others.

Here are “a few” of the chair considerations:

• Style
• Cost
• Does fabric choice affect the cost?
• Preferred style—individual seat
• Preferred style—worship center (all-together)
• Perceived Comfort
• Compatibility with balcony theater seats
• Seat depth
• Chair depth
• Seat height
• Seat makeup and engineering
• Weight
• Weight Cap
• Stress Test
• Perceived cleanability
• Repairability
• Perceived durability
• Perceived damage resistance
• Stackability through standard door height
• Gauge of metal for frame
• Feet style
• Warranty for frame
• Warranty for foam
• Warranty for fabric

So think for a few minutes about two important values that might compete with one another. For example, imagine how the personal, subjective preference of look, style or comfort can compete with the considerations of optimal chairs for moving the chairs, flipping a room, and/or stacking chairs. Likewise the initial comfort of a single chair may not be the best option when they “gang” (connect) together. Which chairs are more conducive for shorter individuals? Which chairs are more advantageous for wider individuals? What happens when one chair is more conducive for one individual as opposed to another? Does the balcony seating need to look the same as the main floor seating… and how does that decision impact the Creekside Room that is used for very different occasions and setups? All good questions!

So what has THE PROCESS looked like to arrive at the decisions:

To answer that question we can discuss both the people and process.

A subset of staff and trustees spent months, beginning over a year ago, doing substantial due diligence to arrive at the three excellent options related to stackable chairs and theater style seating. That successful narrowing of the field of chairs can be corroborated by the reality that each type of chair can be found throughout Grand Rapids area churches. These three are among the most prominent chair brands—tried and true.

As a next step we identified those on staff and key volunteers that most frequently “flip” rooms—i.e. setup, tear down, and maintain the building. They evaluated the chairs with all related categories in mind. Additionally, over the course of months, we invited members of the congregation to try out and comment on the chairs that have been residing in the office—understandably this kind of feedback is typically seen through the eyes of perceived comfort and aesthetics on a Sunday morning. This, of course, is an important part of the consideration.

Next, based on that input, nine of our trustees spent multiple hours ruling out one of the chairs, leaving our selection at two excellent options. This included visits to churches around the greater Grand Rapids area to see and hear about their experience with the chairs we are considering.

This past week the Trustees, Elders, and Staff were asked to vote on which of the two chairs would be the best option. After the design committee selects carpet and fabric for the chairs we look forward to unveiling the seating option of choice. The theater seating in the balcony will be a different brand from the stackable chairs but the fabric will tie both together. Similarly we are going with a more “traditional “20” church chair for the Worship Center main floor and Creekside Room. When these chairs are ganged (or connected) together, they become pew-like or bench-like. All that to say, for those concerned about chair width, this chair solution will assuage most if not all of those concerns.

On a final note:

The chair selection process, while not always the most exhilarating, has been executed in a thorough and intentional way. Our trustees have been thorough in ensuring appropriate due diligence and they, themselves, have been meaningfully engaged every step of the way. All have strong personal preference, yet, to a person, they objectively weighed the options for the good of the church as a whole and most had to sacrifice their personal preference, or a feature they believed to be important in order to make the decision that might better serve the whole of the church. It has been fun to be part of the humble and deferential discussions. In short, observing our trustees model authentic relationships, genuine community, and reflect Christ in this process has been an honor.

Give online here.

Capital Campaign

They say pictures are worth a thousand words. So this month’s capital campaign update is light on words and heavy on pictures and video.

A big thank you to Mike DeVries, Brad Waayengberg, and Velting Contractors for taking the lead on reinforcing and repaving our entire parking lot. And a shout out to Josh Stratemeyer for a drone shot of our parking lot this past Sunday morning. Did you know our parking lot is this full 4 days each and every week during the school year?

We are grateful to Jeremy Rhoton and his team for landing us this new-to-us bus… in great repair and with minimal mileage. And another note of appreciation to Mike Gilpin and his team at FastSigns for the graphics that make it our own.

We are grateful for Jason Holst as well as Kevin Clausen and his team at Great Lakes Systems for tending to the needs on our flat roof. Since most of you won’t have a chance to “visit” the flat roof, here are a couple pictures of the critical roof maintenance.

We are grateful for Oscar and Terrah Quesada and their expanding team at Lifedge for rising to the challenge of stepping up Rush Creek’s digital presence—website, social media, and the digital communication you receive like this one.

We heard about 3 numbers on Sunday: 70%, $275,000, and 200. If you missed it on Sunday or you need a reminder, watch Sunday’s update here:

There is always a risk of not thanking the dozens of others who have played crucial roles in the campaign… including those of you have given and are giving faithfully. We are truly grateful for this local body of Christ responding to God’s call. We are getting so close! Would you prayerfully consider helping us finish strong as we approach the end of the year?

Give online here.

The Final Four

As we round the corner toward the end of the Welcome Home! Campaign and as we anticipate together the complete renovation of our facility that began in 2017, we have a few more items to complete. Before we elaborate about the few things that haven’t been refreshed during these last two campaigns, we need to pause and thank God for the stewardship of our church, campus, and ministry opportunities!!

If you are wondering what constitutes a “capital replacement” item or something worthy of a capital campaign pursuit, the definition is rather simple; it’s any one-time addition, improvement, or even equipment for buildings or the campus that we wouldn’t normally budget for in our ministry fund.

So here are a few things of which we have not given a written update:
• Flat roof
• Enhanced digital presence/website
• Enhanced security
• Finishing renovation of worship center/stairwells
◦ Carpet
◦ Chairs
◦ Paint

First, there has been a roof leak that occurs in our gym several times each year for the past 20 years. We have spent more time during this past year doubling down on efforts to identify the source of the leak—to no avail. Earlier this month, however, we had our flat roof inspected (again). As with all flat roofs with membranes, patches become part of a flat roof landscape over time. Fifteen patches were re-patched and tended to along with several additional patches. It is possible that this routine maintenance could stem the leak, but we will know more during the freeze thaw in the spring. The cost of this inspection and repairs was underwritten by the contractor. Once again we continue to see such amazing generosity. We had allocated about $20,000 for the flat roof if we found the source of the leak. At this point we anticipate our cost at $0 for this capital campaign item.

Believe it or not, we have 9 entrances to Rush Creek. Yet, the vast majority of our visitors don’t use any of those doors when they first visit Rush Creek. Over 90% of those who are exploring Rush Creek as a potential church home first enter through our website. The website and YouTube channel have become the new “front door” through which visitors explore Rush Creek. Further, our digital presence often isn’t measured over and against other churches, it is measured based on an even higher standard of excellence of digital presentation.

Our staff has done extensive research on this front. Our first step is to select software—likely subscription-based. The next step is to design a web presence that is also an integrated digital presence to populate the public-facing digital spaces such as website, app, and sermon streaming.

Each year we work hard to make strides in the security of our church. Remembering that we have over 500 people four-days each week, the scope of security spans well beyond Sunday morning services. Our Trustees and Staff continue to evaluate all we could do in order to discern what we should do. We have discerned that door security, security camera functionality, and internal communication top the list. We will keep you posted as we nail down where we will be applying limited resources to be good stewards of the people God is prompting to walk through our doors.

This generic heading bundles several intertwined facets of renovation; seating (two types), carpeting, painting of railings, and even the consideration of modesty panels in the balcony. At this point, the decision has been made to concentrate on seating for the main floor of the worship center. We also plan to outfit the Creekside Room with the same style of seating.
It is worth mentioning again that our current pews are not solid wood, and the pew particle board is beyond repair on some of our 23-year old pews. While that alone does not constitute an emergency by any means, the room’s flexibility of use along with the ability to finish what we started with Project Renewal in 2017 are a few of the driving factors for these changes.
If you are curious about timing and process, here is a thumbnail sketch. While we hope to do the entire worship center (main floor, balcony, and stairwells) at one time if money allows, we can scale back to main floor renovations and this ideally would be prioritized by:
• Stand alone seating ordered by end of year (assuming a 5 month lead-time)
• Pews removed by Summer of 2024
• Green carpet replaced by Summer 2024
• Balcony seating ordered as soon as funds available
◦ high-back theater-style seating
• Balcony pews removed as soon as funding is available for balcony flooring.
• Stairwells re-carpeted, walls painted, and handrails painted
In terms of process related to seating selection, here is what you can expect:
We have identified 3 types of seating that fit our initial criteria. There will be four groups of people that will weigh into the final selection. If that feels like overkill, it is important to remember that there are at least 10 facets to consider. They include:

The four groups involved in decision-making include:
• A subset of those who most frequently set-up and tear-down rooms
• A representative sample—one from each major ministry—to evaluate comfort and preference
• A design committee to narrow down to one or two seat fabric styles/patterns
• Trustees will weight the input of the three groups and make the final decision
Sustaining a million dollar operating budget while pursuing a (nearly) million dollar campaign is a stretch of faith. Please continue to pray for discernment in decision-making, for giving hearts (including our own), and for healthy cash flow so that we can steward well what God has placed before us.

Give online here.

Finishing Well

Six years ago our congregation rose to the challenge to renovate over 90% of the inside of our church including the addition of the Family Entrance. Over the next four years our congregation rose to the challenge to re-roof our ministry center. This Spring we improved 50% of our 23 year-old campus by reconstructing our entire parking lot. Just last month our congregation stepped up to repair our 15 passenger van and generously gave toward the purchase of an additional van.

In short, our congregation is amazingly generous. And by God’s grace, our congregation understands the profound role of stewardship. Stewardship isn’t simply managing money and stuff. Stewardship is recognizing God’s ownership and design of all things and responding according to God’s plan and purpose with what he has entrusted into our care.

To whom much is given, much is required. Scripture exhorts us in this way. Rush Creek has been given so much. One exercise the staff and leadership is diving into is to answer the question “where do we see God at work in the life of Rush Creek Bible Church.” Our prayer is that we take stock in what God is doing and join him as we extend ourselves and our resources to further advance his purposes.

God has been using Rush Creek as a ministry center increasingly over the last decade or more. Rush Creek is known in the community as one of the more active churches trying to bring light and life to the greater Byron Center area.

Right now we have an opportunity to finish what we began back in 2017 with our Project Renewal campaign—a completed renovation of our campus. With the parking lot and ministry transportation (60% of the Welcome Home! Campaign) behind us, we are nearing the finish line of ministry center renovations that began back in 2017.

These final items will ensure that we have hit the reset button on our entire church ministry center:

Security upgrades
Website (the first “door” nearly every visitor walks through)
Worship Center main floor and balcony—carpet and chairs.
Outbuilding preparation
And there is one more thing—something not on the “capital campaign” list of projects because it really only requires sweat equity.

As we discuss resources entrusted to us by God, did you know there actually is a Rush Creek at Rush Creek Bible Church? Have you ever seen it? On September 23 from 9AM-12PM we are asking for all hands on deck to uncover and reclaim the beauty of Rush Creek by clearing out the brush and exposing our beautiful Rush Creek. This will be step 1 as we work toward a walking path alongside the creek.

One more thing we can rejoice about: Last year at this time the Trustees planned on embarking on a $700,000 campaign. However, after very thorough research and prayer, we decided to reconstruct the entire parking lot and not just half of it as originally planned. This added $250,000 to our original plan. We knew the cost would be a step of faith for our congregation and yet we didn’t want to waste more money in the long run.

Trustees continue to work hard to continue due diligence with each of the above remaining areas to address. There has been no pause in these processes. Further we remain committed to move as fast as God provides the financial resources in and through our church. Due to lead time and the time it takes for thorough consideration and vetting, we will have the opportunity to extend our campaign into the new year. Not surprisingly, God is working out the timing and the cash flow. We remain attentive to his leading.

We ask you to continue to prayerfully consider your giving to help us finish well what God began in and through Rush Creek.

Give online here.

When God’s People Respond….

I am so thankful for this church, the ways God continues to use Rush Creek for his purposes, and for a congregation who actively looks for ways to respond to the needs! When we announced to the congregation that our current van was in need of significant repairs, our bus needed to be retired, and that we were praying in faith for a new-to-us van… our congregation responded with $44,000 toward our transportation needs!! Many of our ministries in and throughout the community are reliant upon being able to transport children, students, and adults, which is why this is truly such an amazing response from our congregation!

Looking to the Future…

Onward and upward! As we enter the month of August we already find ourselves in the 10th month of our “Welcome Home!” campaign. In most capital campaigns this is the time when it becomes difficult to keep the momentum moving forward, and yet our congregation continues to prove faithful, generous, and attentive to the needs!

We stepped out in faith together to raise $950,00 in order to be good stewards of the facilities and ministry opportunities. Ten months into the campaign we are approaching ⅔ of our goal as we have raised almost $600,000. While we still have a distance to go, these are vivid moments in time to remind ourselves of God’s faithfulness through the generosity of his people.

Thank you for continuing to partner with us financially in all that God is doing in and through Rush Creek! In the words of the Apostle Paul in I Thessalonians 1:2-3, “We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Blessings,
Pastor Cam!

Give online here.

Over the years Rush Creek has often been complimented for being such a welcoming church. It is clearly a shared value within our church family as visitors frequently state that their first impression inside the church building is one of feeling welcomed by our Rush Creek Family.

Now with the fresh new parking lot, from the moment someone enters the campus, it is a warm and welcoming experience. When entering the main entrances you may have also noticed some additional changes that make a big visual difference. Whether driving through the parking lot, entering the doors, or meeting the people inside, we are striving to live up to the compliment of being “welcoming!”

Driving Ministry Forward

A couple days after our parking lot was complete, however, our Explore college and career adults struggled to drive into our parking lot. After a weekend trip to West Virginia, the transmission gave way on our 2014 15-passenger van. The timing was not ideal, nor was it a real surprise. Our Welcome Home! Campaign allocated $25,000 toward transportation needs precisely because we anticipated the need for repairs and even replacement of ministry vehicles over the next couple years.

There are seven remaining “projects” in our capital campaign. The wonderful news is that most of the remaining projects, while important, are not urgent. That was true…. until the van broke down.

We get a lot of life and a lot of ministry use out of our vehicles. On average, our van gets used 15 times each month on average for five ministries—to transport roughly 40 students each week. Our sister churches—including Grace Bible Fellowship, Celebration Bible Church, and Frontline Bible Church rely on our van for transportation needs that exceed their own capacity.

On average our bus was used once each week this year for our Drop Zone ministry and 5 times a month for special events—averaging 60 students per week.

The bus was very used when we got it 10 years ago. We have nursed it along. While it is safe for transport, it is not advisable for much highway travel or distances beyond 50 or 60 miles.Our game plan is to retire the bus soon…but not replace it. One limitation of a bus is the certification needed to drive. This is a hurdle to having an ample list of drivers.

As we retire the bus our goal is to have a “fleet” of vans. Practically speaking our plan is to fix the van (around a $6,500 expenditure), and then also acquire a “new to us,” low-mileage 12 or 15 passenger van by the end of the year. Ideally we would acquire a third multi-seat van within the next twelve months beyond that.

We have many upcoming needs on the calendar for a van including: pickup of mission teams, family outings, youth events, a discipleship trip and a staff development retreat – all before September.

Transportation is a huge need in ministry. If you would like to help “drive” ministry quite literally, please consider a cash, check, or pushpay gift designated “transportation” as we strive to continue excelling in stewardship in our Welcome Home! Campaign.

Give online here.

Capital Campaign Connection

In case you missed the update at our Family Meeting Sunday night, here are some of the campaign highlights we discussed.

These first weeks of June mark several significant milestones. We are:

• 50% percent of the way through our 14 month campaign….
• 50% of the campus has been improved
• 50% of the income has been received toward our $950,000 campaign goal
• 50% of the cost of our campaign goal was the reconstruction of our parking lot
• 100% of the parking lot reconstruction is now complete

Let’s celebrate these milestones together!

Capital campaigns happen above and beyond regular giving. Often capital campaigns require scaling back for a season in some areas in order to emphasize other areas where financial resources are needed the most. Our financial picture is a story of those two dynamics.

Ministry Fund Update—as of April 30th (10 months into our fiscal year)

Our ability to break ground is made possible as a result of efficient stewardship of our Ministry Fund.

While giving to the ministry fund is below budget by ~$120,000 …

Our staff has also scaled back ministry fund expenses by ~$80,000

Our prayer is that we would close the financial gap of ~ $40,000 deficit by the end of June (our fiscal year-end).

Keep in mind that last year we ended the year with $70,000 surplus that we applied to the campaign. All this to say, during a campaign year (launched after the start of our fiscal year) this decreased giving to the ministry fund does not take us by surprise. And when we consider the generosity toward the capital campaign during this same year, our congregation continues to excel in the grace of giving.

Capital Campaign Fund Update

Our congregational vote to pursue a capital campaign almost equal in size as our annual budget was indeed a huge step of faith. In terms of our entire goal we are just over half way to our $950,000 goal. This is praiseworthy.

We would be remiss to not pause and thank God for the generosity of this congregation.

It is important to note that due to our steps to pay down debt at an accelerated rate, as well as the estimated cost of the parking lot, we may need to dip into our cash reserves in order to pay for the parking lot. Another way of saying this is that we still need more in our Capital Campaign Fund to pay for the parking lot invoice that we will receive shortly.

If you have been considering giving to the ministry efforts here at Rush Creek, or even giving to a greater extent to the Ministry Fund and/or Capital Campaign Fund, would you prayerfully consider helping close those gaps?

We have taken significant steps of faith together and God continues to be faithful in and through his people here at Rush Creek. Thank you for being a faithful steward.

70,000 Prior year generous giving applied to the campaign

184,723 Unpledged giving toward the campaign

225,510 Pledged giving

113,745 Pledged giving not yet received

_______

$593,978 Committed to the Welcome Home! Campaign

If you have pledged and are able to accelerate your giving, our goal would be to have another $150,000 in our capital campaign account so we don’t need to “borrow” from ourselves when the bill comes due later in June.

If you haven’t yet invested in the Welcome Home! Campaign, it is one way that we can strive together to excel in the grace of giving. By the end of our campaign we are praying for 185 individuals/families to participate financially in this project.

What’s Next

Due diligence continues in each of the following remaining areas. As always, our plan is to go at the pace that finances allow and incur no additional debt along the way.

Bonus Material

We are grateful for so many involved in the due diligence, execution, and finances of the projects we are tackling together as a congregation. We are also thankful for so many generous individuals that are paving the way for ministry for years to come!

Consider Giving

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View Original Newsletter

On Purpose

This past year is a remarkable story of stewardship

• This past Easter, Rush Creek experienced our largest ever on-campus church service participation.
• We had our largest enrollment ever this year in AWANA – 155 children with an average of 100-120 each Wednesday!
• We celebrated over 25 children this year who accepted God’s free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ!
• This past ministry year, the Rush Creek campus hosted more ministry efforts and served more people than ever before.
• This past November, Rush Creek embarked on the Welcome Home! Campaign to replace and enhance campus facilities to better serve our growing community.
• Over the last year, our congregation continues to generously give to our Charis fund (addressing benevolence needs).
• Just recently the congregation was challenged to support children’s ministry projects overseas. That $10,000 goal was exceeded by $5,000.
• Over the past year, more men have given leadership to and participated in men’s ministry than ever before.
• We welcomed 24 new members into our church family this past year.

Hopefully these numbers are encouraging to you. Yet church nor ministry, of course, is really about the numbers. Lives glorifying God are the crucial measure. Still, the numbers we see above can be strong indicators of health, growth, and vibrancy. Those who call Rush Creek their home church have invested more into ministry than ever before!

Still, we are a church in pursuit….

In Pursuit

Capital campaigns happen above and beyond regular giving. Often capital campaigns require scaling back for a season in some areas in order to emphasize other areas where financial resources are needed the most. Our financial picture is a story of that reality.

Ministry Fund Update

Our ability to break ground is made possible as a result of efficient stewardship of our Ministry Fund—spending significantly less (roughly 8%) than budgeted. And yet our church giving toward the ministry fund is down even further. So there is a gap—approximately a 1/2 month of income that we need to catch up with and overcome by the end of June (our fiscal year-end).

Capital Campaign Fund Update

Our congregational vote to pursue a capital campaign almost equal in size as our annual budget was indeed a huge step of faith. In terms of our entire goal we are just over half way to our $950,000 goal. This is praiseworthy.

We would be remiss to not pause and thank God for the generosity of this congregation.

 

In Perspective

It is important to note that our steps to pay down debt at an accelerated rate, as well as the estimated cost of the parking lot, we will need to dip into our cash reserves in order to pay for the parking lot. Another way of saying this is that we still need more in our Capital Campaign Fund to pay for the parking lot invoice that we will receive in June.

If you have been considering giving to the ministry efforts here at Rush Creek, or even giving to a greater extent for the Ministry Fund and/or Capital Campaign Fund, would you prayerfully consider helping close those gaps.

We have taken significant steps of faith together and God continues to be faithful in and through his people here at Rush Creek. Thank you for being a faithful steward.

70,000 Prior year generous giving applied to the campaign

165,871 Unpledged giving toward the campaign

221,570 Pledged giving

117,685 Pledged giving not yet received

_______

$575,126 Committed to the Welcome Home! Campaign

On Point

If you have pledged and are able to accelerate your giving, our goal would be to have another $150,000 in our capital campaign account so we don’t need to “borrow” from ourselves when the bill comes due in June.

If you haven’t yet invested in the Welcome Home! Campaign, it is one way that we can strive together to excel in the grace of giving. By the end of our campaign we are praying for 185 individuals/families to participate financially in this project.

Consider Giving

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View Original Newsletter

On Purpose

Popped Tire: $179.00

Broken Tie Rod: $329.00

Broken Ankle: $2500.00

New Parking Lot: Priceless 

You may remember the MasterCard commercials where we would be reminded of the cost of certain things in life, and then the last item would be dubbed “priceless” as it would reflect more value than the amount of money spent to attain it. Similarly, our parking lot reconstruction is far from “priceless” monetarily, yet the benefits and ministry value does far outweigh the cost.

Our campus was constructed twenty-three years ago.Through the years we have seen God work to use this facility for his glory. What is even more exciting is how the ministry here has expanded to include community-based groups who meet here weekly alongside our internal ministries. Our church calendar is filled with activity seven days a week most weeks of the year. We host groups Monday through Friday that bring in hundreds of people per day.

If you take a quick walk around our parking lot, the sinking asphalt and large amount of potholes tell the story of years of use day in and day out. Our property sits on a tricky soil that unfortunately has been increasingly showing the effects of a shifting foundation. By doing our due diligence to understand the foundation, the construction of a new parking lot will be laid in confidence of an even lengthier lifespan.

But why is this costly reconstruction “priceless?” By investing this money we are bettering nearly 50% of our campus. This

• Reflects good stewardship of what God has given to us

• Keeps our congregation and visitors safe

• Greatly improves the first impression guests receive of our facility
• Increases property value
• Reduces liability

Most importantly, ministry can continue. We invest into our building and grounds to ensure that God’s work can go forth. We want people to feel safe as they walk into our building. We want our community to see that we value them and this place so many call home.

Perhaps the foundation to our parking lot has shifted over the years, however the ministries that emanate from our well-used campus continue to be built upon the firm foundation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We have committed to paying cash for the parking lot. With your participation, that goal is very attainable!

In Pursuit

Bonnie Honderd, the area teaching leader for Bible Study Fellowship, had this to share with us back in February. It’s worth the watch!

In Perspective

70,000 Prior year generous giving applied to the campaign

126,130 Unpledged giving toward the campaign

184,635 Pledged giving

145,785 Pledged giving not yet received

_______

$526,550 Committed to the Welcome Home! Campaign

Just prior to launching this campaign, our Trustees continued the due diligence process on the various projects being tackled within this campaign. Originally our goal was to raise $700,000—included in that amount we would pave half of the parking lot. After extensive research and listening to the wisdom of those in the industry, it was determined that prudent financial stewardship would suggest that we should tackle the entire parking lot to achieve significant economies of scale. While the additional $250,000 thousand to complete the entire parking lot increased the campaign amount by over 33% (the total campaign goal now at $950,000), after prayerful consideration the congregation decided to take a significant step of faith. Thank you for joining in this faith journey.

On Point

If you have pledged and are able to accelerate your giving, our goal would be to have another $150,000 in our capital campaign account so we don’t need to “borrow” from ourselves when the bill comes due in June.

If you haven’t yet invested in the Welcome Home! Campaign, it is one way that we can strive together to excel in the grace of giving. By the end of our campaign we are praying for 185 individuals/families to participate financially in this project.

—
View Original Newsletter

New Parking Lot coming soon!

We have secured two weeks in May for the reconstruction of our parking lot. We have contractors scheduled, and the total cost of this improvement will be over $500,000.

Financial Update: We are committed to paying cash for the parking lot, not incurring new debt. Currently we have $341,799 cash available for this project. There is another $146,175 pledged that has yet to come in. We are close to this first goal, but groundbreaking day is quickly approaching. We ask you to consider giving, as we push toward this mid-May project. If you haven’t yet invested in the Welcome Home! Campaign, it is one way that we can strive together to excel in the grace of giving.

We just completed the 4th month of our Welcome Home! Capital Campaign. Four months in, there is actually quite a bit to report on. And if you look closely on the Rush Creek campus, you will be able to see hints of processes that are taking place even now behind the scenes. More on that later.

On Purpose

God is at work in and through this church. It is, in fact, the whole reason for the campaign. A twenty-three year-old facility from which so much ministry emanates creates wear and tear on facilities, and even opens up opportunities into the future.

Leigh Sandera told her story so eloquently last month during a Sunday morning service. It’s worth watching (and re-watching) as a reminder of what this church is about; and even what this campaign is about.

In Pursuit

Accelerated Debt Payments

Just a couple weeks ago we paid off our first loan (of two loans). This milestone is a result of over $37,000 of accelerated debt payments since the campaign began in November!! We are grateful for the patience and generosity of the family that loaned the money as well as the generosity of the congregation to retire this particular debt.

As we approach a new budget year (July 1), we remain committed to accelerated debt payments and with our upcoming budget will incorporate accelerated debt payments into our Ministry Fund until the debt is retired.

Parking Lot Reconstruction

As I write the letter two trucks from Miss Dig are wandering around the property so as to mark out areas that won’t interfere with our soil borings. While soil borings is indeed a boring topic for most, it is actually an encouraging step in the process of our most costly capital replacement. The purpose of soil borings is to better understand the soil foundation that lies beneath our rather large parking lot. This process is part of extensive due diligence to understand what it will take to take up the old parking lot and re-construct a new one. Lord willing, when mid-May arrives and much of our ministry programming takes a break for the summer, our parking lot will be rebuilt; a process that can take a couple of weeks. Many have asked if we will be able to use the church while the parking lot is worked on. The answer is we will be able to worship together on Sundays in our building. During weekdays and on Saturdays, however, we will give the contractors free reign to do their work most efficiently without activities on our campus.

In Perspective

Our goal is to tackle projects serially—as opposed to all at once. And our first goal gets us half way through the campaign dollar goal, improves over half the campus, and can be accomplished at the half-way point of the campaign.

On Point

Our practical plan is to pay cash for the parking lot. As we make decisions, we are looking at three metrics:

1) pledges toward the campaign, 2) financial gifts designated to the campaign, and 3) overall church cash flow. But those are just the important financial metrics.

Our missional goal is widespread participation. By the end of our campaign we are praying for 185 individuals/families participating in this campaign. If you haven’t yet invested in the Welcome Home! Campaign, it is one way that we can strive together to excel in the grace of giving.

With your participation, these first steps are very attainable!

In case you missed it…

We are two months into our Welcome Home! campaign and already we have much to report on. Prayerfully, we hope to wrap up this campaign by the end of 2023. Yet, we remain committed to the Lord’s timing. With every campaign there are two components to a capital campaign; income and expenses. 

• As an overview, our Welcome Home! Campaign is designed to be a 14-month campaign. 
• The campaign seeks to tackle 9 different aspects of capital replacement and improvement over that same 14 month period if the Lord allows. You can read more here about the scope of these efforts. 
• We have also committed to not going into long-term debt. 
• Our capital campaign is volunteer-led, and has not been guided by a capital campaign consultant.

Let’s unpack both the income and expense side of the equation at these early stages of the campaign. 

Income:

Pledges: 

As is typical for church capital campaigns, we have encouraged our congregation to pledge toward the campaign. 

As of January 10th, 2023, 59 pledges total $325,000.

Is that good, bad, or otherwise? This is a common question. 

The reality is that some view pledges as primarily a way to register their commitment for their own sake and their own faith journey, others view pledges as a way for the church to plan for expenditures, Still others are not inclined to pledge for a variety of reasons. Additionally, those who do pledge tend to pledge minimum amounts. It is common for pledged amounts to be exceeded by actual giving. 

We have learned  these things from the history of our capital campaign experiences. 

For church planning purposes, pledges are simply one data point for decision making as it relates to the amount and timing of expenditures. History would tell us that pledges may account for 50 to 70% of the dollars that may ultimately come in. More recent history would also indicate that, culturally, younger generations are less inclined to make pledges philanthropically. Further, whether or not people pledge does not necessarily mean they are not committed to support—even quite generously—the campaign. 

So what does that mean for this campaign? It means prayer and steps of faith are required. If we are feeling comfortable as a church, it’s probably not the place where God wants us. So as leadership we are committed to prayer and eager to take steps of faith. 

As of January 10th, 2023, our Welcome Home! Campaign pledged income received was at $166,360 and our non-pledged income totaled $84,500. 

History would tell us that the bigger financial picture emerges after giving patterns are established. Perhaps by the end of the first quarter of 2023, we should have a clearer picture of the income side of the equation.

Keep in mind that due to the generosity of our congregation and the effective stewardship and cost savings from our staff during the last ministry year, $65,000 was allocated toward the campaign when this campaign began. 

Here is the total snapshot as of January 10th, 2023

$325,000 pledged ($166,360 received thus far)

$84,500 non-pledged income

$65,000 prior year giving applied to campaign

$474,500 identified toward this campaign

About capital replacement and improvement expenses and timing

We mention 9 “buckets” that we are trying to tackle with this campaign. Not all buckets—or capital replacement/improvement projects—cost the same amount nor warrant the same priority. Elders and Trustees have been listening to the congregation. In these early stages, we have prioritized those projects/expenditures. They are as follows:

• Accelerated Debt Payments
• Parking Lot Overhaul ($500,000 or 52+% of campaign)
• Worship Center Seating (and the carpet underneath it)

Accelerated Debt Payments

Even before we asked the congregation to participate financially, we heard the two-fold concerns of some in the congregation:  

1) not take on more debt, and

2) ensure that our current debt (roughly $350,000) payments are accelerated.

Our current debt comprises a personal, interest free loan with a current balance of $. Our plan that was implemented Nov 1, 2022 is to pay off that loan by June 30 of 2023. Additionally, we committed to pay on our low-interest bank loan at a rate of $3,250 through June 2023, and then beginning July we will pay down the bank loan at a rate of $4,750 per month to the end of the loan term. That bank loan will balloon in March 2026 at which point we will need to refinance. 

Some have asked why we haven’t paid off the debt thus far. This relates to the rate of inflation of expenditures we know we need to incur; an inflationary rate that exceeds that of the low-interest loan rate.  

When we discuss our plan to not incur any long-term debt, we have some “tools” in our toolbox. We have a healthy balance in our bank account as a matter of course. Our guideline is to keep about three months of operating expenses in reserve. So we would sooner “borrow” from ourselves than take on additional debt. For example, we may borrow from ourselves, in order to place down payments on high ticket items, for example. 

Parking Lot Overhaul

This is our next priority. Our parking lot gets daily use. We have gone through extensive due diligence to vet 3 different companies. Further, one individual (and the leadership of that business) in our congregation has agreed to act as the general contractor for this capital improvement with their fees simply covering the hard costs incurred. So even a worst case scenario keeps us in the zone of our budgeted amount.

Parking lots are more complex than throwing down some asphalt and calling it good. In fact, parking lot longevity is directly correlated to the layers of soil, stone, and other layers underneath what we see and drive on. So when we talk about “worst case scenario” we are referring to what type of erosion has occurred over 22 years and the earth moving that may be needed; something we won’t fully know until the parking lot revamp is underway. We do know our water table has been high in various parts of the parking lot, but we don’t know the extent to which major surgery will be needed under the parking lot until we are able to see it.

The parking lot is a great example of what it means to step out in faith, holding in tension good stewardship.

For example, we could have chosen to pave the parking lot in three stages. This might have reduced our total campaign amount down to $650k (vs. $950k). At the same time the sheer magnitude of the equipment and volume of material required for a parking lot overhaul—staged 3 times—would cost us perhaps $50 or $60k more to stretch this project over three phases. Additionally the rate of inflation is increasing at higher rates than we can borrow money from ourselves or temporarily from our line of credit. 

So while a $650k campaign might feel more humanly comfortable and achievable in the short run, it is more costly and may not be the best stewardship over the long haul. 

We are grateful for a subset of our trustees that have spent hours vetting several companies and have been wrestling with the many crucial details related to the cost, timing, and quality so that this next iteration of the parking lot will last another 20 years!

Worship Center Seating 

Three of the “buckets” we are seeking to tackle with this campaign are somewhat intertwined with Worship Center seating. 

1) Removing seating in the worship center necessitates replacing the carpet under the pews, which

2) leads to the carpet in the balcony and stair wells (which is the only remaining vestige of surface—including green railings—that has not been refreshed in the building), with the exception of

3) about 100 chairs that usually reside in the Creekside and Courtyard rooms that are also green fabric. 

We have researched carpet and painting as it relates to process, timing,  logistics, quality, and cost in mind. Again, we have people in our congregation that work in these industries that desire to help us out in any way they can. We are grateful for those doing the due diligence and also for those offering up their expertise and assistance in these ways.

As for the chairs specifically, we are vetting 3 different companies. Chair technology has indeed changed over the years. And we have spent hours listening to the pros and cons of various seating options. Comfort, flexibility, durability, stackability, maintenance, aesthetic appeal, and cost…all values we are seeking to balance. A team of people will be providing input into any final decision. At this point, however, no decision has been made but for the fact we are confident we are exploring the products of some of the best companies. 

In the midst of the discussion about seating and strong attachments to certain types of seating in a church service and worship center setting, a more fundamental reality is worth noting.

The individual that repairs our pews has indicated that some of our pews are approaching the end of their life. While the pews look safe and sturdy, a few of them are not. Twenty-two years of wear and tear is bound to deteriorate all things—especially sturdy-looking pews that actually have a rich wood veneer but are made of particle board. 

In terms of costs, at this point we haven’t experienced any surprises—except perhaps positively. Meaning we may have an opportunity to spend less than anticipated given the options available as well as the input of those in our congregation that can help with this project.

We are two months into our Welcome Home! campaign and already we have much to report on. Prayerfully, we hope to wrap up this campaign by the end of 2023. Yet, we remain committed to the Lord’s timing. With every campaign there are two components to a capital campaign; income and expenses. 

• As an overview, our Welcome Home! Campaign is designed to be a 14-month campaign. 
• The campaign seeks to tackle 9 different aspects of capital replacement and improvement over that same 14 month period if the Lord allows. You can read more here about the scope of these efforts. 
• We have also committed to not going into long-term debt. 
• Our capital campaign is volunteer-led, and has not been guided by a capital campaign consultant.

 

Let’s unpack both the income and expense side of the equation at these early stages of the campaign. 

 

Income:

 

Pledges: 

As is typical for church capital campaigns, we have encouraged our congregation to pledge toward the campaign. 

 

As of January 5th, 2023, our pledges are at $325,000.

 

Is that good, bad, or otherwise? This is a common question. 

The reality is that some view pledges as primarily a way to register their commitment for their own sake and their own faith journey, others view pledges as a way for the church to plan for expenditures, Still others are not inclined to pledge for a variety of reasons. Additionally, those who do pledge tend to pledge minimum amounts. It is common for pledged amounts to be exceeded by actual giving. 

 

We have learned  these things from the history of our capital campaign experiences. 

For church planning purposes, pledges are simply one data point for decision making as it relates to the amount and timing of expenditures. History would tell us that pledges may account for 50 to 70% of the dollars that may ultimately come in. More recent history would also indicate that, culturally, younger generations are less inclined to make pledges philanthropically.. Further, whether or not people pledge does not necessarily mean they are not committed to support—even quite generously—the campaign. 

 

So what does that mean for this campaign? It means prayer and steps of faith are required. If we are feeling comfortable as a church, it’s probably not the place where God wants us. So as leadership we are committed to prayer and eager to take steps of faith. 

 

As of January 5th, 2023, our Welcome Home! campaign income was at $166,360 (revised from prior report).

 

A natural question to ask at this point is “What portion of the $166,360 given thus far, offsets the $325,000 worth of pledges?”  The short answer is: we don’t know for sure. In part, that is because some pledges are made anonymously. Another part, is that those taking care of the income side of the capital campaign are volunteers who are graciously managing this important aspect of the campaign—something that takes significant time– in the margins of their time. History would tell us that the bigger financial picture emerges after giving patterns are established. Perhaps by the end of the first quarter of 2023, we should have a clearer picture of the income side of the equation.

 

About capital replacement and improvement expenses and timing

 

We mention 9 “buckets” that we are trying to tackle with this campaign. Not all buckets—or capital replacement/improvement projects—cost the same amount nor warrant the same priority. Elders and Trustees have been listening to the congregation. In these early stages, we have prioritized those projects/expenditures. They are as follows:

• Accelerated Debt Payments
• Parking Lot Overhaul ($500,000 or 52+% of campaign)
• Worship Center Seating (and the carpet underneath it)

Accelerated Debt Payments

Even before we asked the congregation to participate financially, we heard the two-fold concerns of some in the congregation:  

 

1) not take on more debt, and

2) ensure that our current debt (roughly $350,000) payments are accelerated.

 

Our current debt comprises a personal, interest free loan with a current balance of $. Our plan that was implemented Nov 1, 2022 is to pay off that loan by June 30 of 2023. Additionally, we committed to pay on our low-interest bank loan at a rate of $3,250 through June 2023, and then beginning July we will pay down the bank loan at a rate of $4,750 per month to the end of the loan term. That bank loan will balloon in March 2026 at which point we will need to refinance. 

 

Some have asked we haven’t paid off the debt thus far. This relates to the rate of inflation of expenditures we know we need to incur; an inflationary rate that exceeds that of the low-interest loan rate.  

 

When we discuss our plan to not incur any long-term debt, we some “tools” in our toolbox. We have a healthy balance in our bank account as a matter of course. Our guideline is to keep about three months of operating expenses in reserve. So we would sooner “borrow” from ourselves than take on additional debt. For example, we may borrow from ourselves, in order to place down payments on high ticket items, for example. 

 

Parking Lot Overhaul

This is our next priority. Our parking lot gets daily use. We have gone through extensive due diligence to vet 3 different companies. Further, one individual (and the leadership of that business) in our congregation has agreed to act as the general contractor for this capital improvement with their fees simply covering the hard costs incurred. So even a worst case scenario keeps us in the zone of our budgeted amount.

 

Parking lots are more complex than throwing down some asphalt and calling it good. In fact, parking lot longevity is directly correlated to the layers of soil, stone, and other layers underneath what we see and drive on. So when we talk about “worst case scenario” we are referring to what type of erosion has occurred over 22 years and the earth moving that may be needed; something we won’t fully know until the parking lot revamp is underway. We do know our water table has been high in various parts of the parking lot, but we don’t know the extent to which major surgery will be needed under the parking lot until we are able to see it.

The parking lot is a great example of what it means to step out in faith, holding in tension good stewardship.

 

For example, we could have chosen to pave the parking lot in three stages. This might have reduced our total campaign amount down to $650k (vs. $950k). At the same time the sheer magnitude of the equipment and volume of material required for a parking lot overhaul—staged 3 times—would cost us perhaps $50 or $60k more to stretch this project over three phases. Additionally the rate of inflation is increasing at higher rates than we can borrow money from ourselves or temporarily from our line of credit. 

 

So while a $650k campaign might feel more humanly comfortable and achievable in the short run, it is more costly and may not be the best stewardship over the long haul. 

We are grateful for a subset of our trustees that have spent hours vetting several companies and have been wrestling with the many crucial details related to the cost, timing, and quality so that this next iteration of the parking lot will last another 20 years!

 

Worship Center Seating 

Three of the “buckets” we are seeking to tackle with this campaign are somewhat intertwined with Worship Center seating. 

 

1) Removing seating in the worship center necessitates replacing the carpet under the pews, which

2) leads to the carpet in the balcony and stair wells (which is the only remaining vestige of surface—including green railings—that has not been refreshed in the building), with the exception of

 

3) about 100 chairs that usually reside in the Creekside and Courtyard rooms that are also green fabric. 

 

We have researched carpet and painting as it relates to process, timing,  logistics, quality, and cost in mind. Again, we have people in our congregation that work in these industries that desire to help us out in any way they can. We are grateful for those doing the due diligence and also for those offering up their expertise and assistance in these ways.

 

As for the chairs specifically, we are vetting 3 different companies. Chair technology has indeed changed over the years. And we have spent hours listening to the pros and cons of various seating options. Comfort, flexibility, durability, stackability, maintenance, aesthetic appeal, and cost…all values we are seeking to balance. A team of people will be providing input into any final decision. At this point, however, no decision has been made but for the fact we are confident we are exploring the products of some of the best companies. 

In the midst of the discussion about seating and strong attachments to certain types of seating in a church service and worship center setting, a more fundamental reality is worth noting.

 

The individual that repairs our pews has indicated that some of our pews are approaching the end of their life. While the pews look safe and sturdy, a few of them are not. Twenty-two years of wear and tear is bound to deteriorate all things—especially sturdy-looking pews that actually have a rich wood veneer but are made of particle board. 

In terms of costs, at this point we haven’t experienced any surprises—except perhaps positively. Meaning we may have an opportunity to spend less than anticipated given the options available as well as the input of those in our congregation that can help with this project.

Less than two months into our Welcome Home! campaign, and already we have much to report on. Prayerfully, we hope to wrap up this campaign by the end of 2023. Yet, we remain committed to the Lord’s timing. With every campaign there are two components to a capital campaign; income and expenses. 

• As an overview, our Welcome Home! Campaign is designed to be a 14-month campaign. 
• The campaign seeks to tackle 9 different aspects of capital replacement and improvement over that same 14 month period if the Lord allows. You can read more here about the scope these efforts. 
• We have also committed to not going into long-term debt. 
• Our capital campaign is volunteer-led, and has not been guided by a capital campaign consultant.

Let’s unpack both the income and expense side of the equation at these early stages of the campaign. 

Income:

Pledges: 

As is typical for church capital campaigns, we have encouraged our congregation to pledge toward the campaign. 

As of December 14, 2022, our pledges are at $318,000.

Is that good, bad, or otherwise? This is a common question. 

The reality is that some view pledges as primarily a way to register their commitment for their own sake and their own faith journey, others view pledges as a way for the church to plan for expenditures, Still others are not inclined to pledge for a variety of reasons. Additionally, those who do pledge tend to pledge minimum amounts. It is common for pledged amounts to be exceeded by actual giving. 

We know these things from the history of capital campaign experiences. 

For church planning purposes, pledges are simply one data point for decision making as it relates to the amount and timing of expenditures. History would tell us that pledges may account for 50 to 70% of the dollars that may ultimately come in. More recent history would also indicate that, culturally, younger generations are less inclined to pledge philanthropically even if they are the “subscription” generations. Further, whether or not people pledge does not necessarily mean they are not committed to support—even quite generously—the campaign. 

So what does that mean for this campaign? It means prayer and steps of faith are required. If we are feeling comfortable as a church, it’s probably not the place where God wants us. So as leadership we are committed to prayer and eager to take steps of faith. 

As of December 14, 2022, our Welcome Home! campaign income was at $170,000.

A natural question to ask at this point is “What portion of the $120,000 given thus far, offsets the $320,000 worth of pledges?”  The short answer is: we don’t know for sure. In part, that is because some pledges are made anonymously. Another part, is that those taking care of the income side of the capital campaign are volunteers who are graciously managing the income side of the campaign—something that takes significant time– in the margins of their time. History would tell us that the bigger financial picture emerges after giving patterns are established. Perhaps by the end of the first quarter of 2023, we should have a clearer picture of the income side of the equation.

About capital replacement and improvement expenses and timing

 We mention 9 “buckets” (you can read more here) that we are trying to tackle. Not all buckets cost the same amount nor warrant the same priority. Elders and Trustees have been listening to the congregation. In these early stages, we have prioritized those expenditures. They are as follows:

• Accelerated Debt Payments
• Parking Lot Overhaul ($500,000 is the worst case scenario—52+% of campaign)
• Worship Center Seating (and the carpet underneath it.)

Accelerated Debt Payments

Even before we asked the congregation to participate financially, we heard the two-fold concerns of some in the congregation:  

1) not take on more debt, and

2) ensure that our current debt (roughly $350,000) payments are accelerated.

Our current debt comprises a personal, interest free loan with a current balance of $. Our plan, that was implemented Nov 1, 2022, is to pay off that loan by June 30 of 2023. Additionally, we committed to pay on our low-interest bank loan at a rate of $3,250 through June 2023, and then beginning July we will pay down the bank loan at a rate of $4,750 per month to the end of the loan term. That bank loan will balloon in March 2026 at which point we will need to refinance. 

Some have asked we haven’t paid off the debt thus far. This relates to the rate of inflation of expenditures we know we need to incur; an inflationary rate that exceeds that of the low-interest loan rate.  

When we discuss our plan to not incur any long-term debt, we some “tools” in our toolbox. We have a healthy balance in our bank account as a matter of course. Our guideline is to keep about three months of operating expenses in reserve. So we would sooner “borrow” from ourselves than take on additional debt. For example, we may borrow from ourselves, in order to place down payments on high ticket items, for example. 

Parking Lot Overhaul

This is our next priority. Our parking lot gets daily use. We have gone through extensive due diligence to vet 3 different companies. Further, one individual (and the leadership of that business) in our congregation has agreed to act as the general contractor for this capital improvement with their fees simply covering the hard costs incurred. So even a worst case scenario keeps us in the zone of our budgeted amount.

Parking lots are more complex than throwing down some asphalt and calling it good. In fact, parking lot longevity is directly correlated to the layers of soil, stone, and other layers underneath what we see and drive on. So when we talk about “worst case scenario” we are referring to what type of erosion has occurred over 22 years and the earth moving that may be needed; something we won’t’ fully know until the parking lot revamp is underway. We do know our water table has been high in various parts of the parking lot, but we don’t know the extent to which major surgery will be needed under the parking lot until we are able to see it.

The parking lot is a great example of what it means to step out in faith, holding in tension good stewardship. For example, we could have chosen to pave the parking lot in three stages. This might have reduced our total campaign amount down to $650k (vs. $950k). At the same time the sheer magnitude of the equipment and volume of material required for a parking lot overhaul—staged 3 times—would cost us perhaps $50 or $60k more to stretch this project over three phases. Additionally the rate of inflation is increasing at higher rates than we can borrow money from ourselves or temporarily from our line of credit. 

So while a $650k campaign might feel more humanly comfortable and achievable in the short run, it is more costly and may not be the best stewardship over the long haul. 

We are grateful for a subset of our trustees that have spent hours vetting several companies and have been wrestling with the many crucial details related to the cost, timing, and quality so that this next iteration of the parking lot will last another 20 years!

Worship Center Seating 

Three of the “buckets” we are seeking to tackle with this campaign are somewhat intertwined with Worship Center seating. 

1) Removing seating in the worship center necessitates replacing the carpet under the pews, which

2) leads to the carpet in the balcony and stairwells (which is the only remaining vestige of surface—including green railings—that has not been refreshed in the building), with the exception of

3) about 100 chairs that usually reside in the Creekside and Courtyard rooms that are also green fabric. 

We have researched carpet and painting as it relates to process, timing and logistics, quality, and cost in mind. Again, we have people in our congregation that work in these industries that desire to help us out in any way they can. We are grateful for those doing the due diligence and also for those offering up their expertise and assistance in these ways.

As for the chairs specifically, we are vetting 3 different companies. Chair technology has indeed changed over the years. And we have spent hours listening to the pros and cons of various seating options. Comfort, flexibility, durability, stackability, maintenance, aesthetic appeal, and cost…all values we are seeking to balance. A team of people will be providing input into any final decision. At this point, however, no decision has been made but for the fact we are confident we are exploring the products of some of the best companies. 

In the midst of the discussion about seating and strong attachments to certain types of seating in a church service and worship center setting, a more fundamental reality is worth noting.

The individual that repairs our pews has indicated that some of our pews are approaching the end of their life. While the pews look safe and sturdy, a few of them are not. Twenty-two years of wear and tear is bound to deteriorate all things—especially sturdy-looking pews that actually have a rich wood veneer but are made of particle board. 

In terms of costs, at this point we haven’t experienced any surprises—except perhaps positively. Meaning we may have an opportunity to spend less than anticipated given the options available as well as the input of those in our congregation that can help with this project.

Over half of the capital campaign budget is to replace the parking lot. As leadership prayed over which capital replacements to tackle in the next year and half, we discerned that more money would be unnecessarily spent repaving the parking lot in two or more stages. And while some are asking the question “why tackle so much?”, others are asking the question “why not tackle more?” Both great questions that anchor us in prayer.

No. We have literally dozens of furnaces, a/c units, large air handling units, a flat roof, and other expenditures that we can anticipate even after this campaign. With this current campaign, we are also laying groundwork for a new outbuilding for which the cost would potentially be paid for through a follow up campaign. What the congregation has approved is the next set of expenditures. With $7+ million dollars in insurable assets—to whom much is given, much is required.

Our current annual ministry budget exceeded one million dollars for the first time this year. We are thankful that even in challenging economic times, God blesses us with the income for such a significant annual budget and amazing ministry opportunities. Philosophically, we have chosen to spend ministry dollars on today’s ministry. Historically we have chosen to tackle capital improvement and replacement, in large part, through capital campaigns. Additionally, a guideline has been to move income in excess of three months operating expenses from the ministry fund into the capital replacement fund. This important topic is something we revisit each year as leadership.

While we incurred some debt during Project Renewal, since then we have also chosen to tackle a few additional big ticket items such as reshingling our entire roof and repaving office parking spots with concrete in lieu of paying off debt. The choice has been made to not gamble with inflation, nor potentially incur higher interest rates. We could service our entire debt in full today if needed.

Fifty thousand dollars is part of this campaign in order to continue making accelerated debt payments. If someone would like to designate their giving to paying off debt we are certainly open to that. At our current interest rate and the effect of inflation on capital replacement costs, we will carry a low interest rate loan as well as a no interest personal loan and continue to pay monthly. At our rate of payment/interest, our debt will be paid off in 2026, with the loan maturing in 2024. Immediately after the vote to proceed with the campaign, the Trustees sat down together to make sure we addressed the plan for debt first and foremost.

No. Not long-term debt. The plan is to address these items in such a way that we borrow only for cash flow purposes. This means that as we anticipate healthy lead gifts and pledges, any initial borrowing would first be from ourselves. Rush Creek maintains a very healthy bank account balance. Second, we may need to dip into our low interest rate line of credit to manage cash flow prior to promised monies being given.

The campaign is 14-months long spanning November of ‘22 through December of “23, encompassing two end year-end giving opportunities. Historically calendar year-end is consistently when our congregation demonstrates incredible financial generosity.

Yes. While general giving allows the most flexibility to accomplish the many tasks at hand, in years’ past, designated giving can also be a powerful encouragement to the congregation as well.

The short answer is everyone! In early November we asked the entire congregation to participate in the campaign. On Sunday morning you often hear us talk about the other ministries that use Rush Creek throughout the week. We will also avail to their leadership some giving opportunities for those in their programs.

Historically, giving to campaigns exceeds what is pledged. This was true for our most recent campaigns. That to say, there is not a simple formula to know if we are on track. We are stepping out in faith. Faith, according to Scripture, is the assurance of the things hoped for; the conviction of things unseen. Humanly, it’s comfortable to know to have assurances. Yet, faith is what prompts us to rely on God’s provision. At the same time, we are attempting to tackle many different projects. And we can and will minimize our financial exposure simply by planning well the timing of our capital replacements/improvements.

Yes. No one person is driving this agenda. This is our first campaign under a new leadership structure of the church and the unity has been a huge blessing navigating through a slightly different process. Among the Elders, Deacons, Trustees and Staff, all have shown unity moving forward there is no indication there will be anything less than 100% financial support behind this campaign.