Good Shepherd Lutheran Church
Building Committee Update
September 2006
On September 24 the Building and Finance Committees presented revised building plans and financing options to the congregation. (This article is being written prior to that meeting.) The plans were revised because the estimated cost for building the plans on display in the lobby exceeds the funds available. With the help of Total Construction Services, the revised plans address our immediate needs for worship, fellowship, and administrative space and provide for significant future program space. Estimated construction costs of $6.9M have been reduced to $4.0M.
The revised plans include: 1) a 90 ft pre-engineered octagon sanctuary, 2) an administrative area above the existing lobby and narthex, 3) unfinished future program space in the basement beneath the sanctuary, and 4) kitchen and bathrooms as shown on the plans in the lobby. The octagon sanctuary will be about twice as large as our current worship space, will comfortably seat 420 to 450 people (present maximum seating is 250), and will have twice as much chancel area. The administrative area will be more than two times as large as our present office suit, be more private and secure, will pro-vide for future staff expansion, and, for the time being, provide some adult program space. The unfinished basement space will have installed heating, ventilation, and air conditioning units, ductwork stubbed in, minimum lighting, and roughed in plumbing. Throughout the plan revision process, we have remembered that the building must support ministry, quality materials and construction methods must be used, and the cost must not be so high that our ministry program is jeopardized.
The building committee strongly recommends this plan and we look forward to additional discussions with the congregation. We realize that this plan asks everyone in the GS congregation to increase their financial stewardship. As a congregation, we will be taking a leap of faith. But we believe the resources and energy exist in this congregation to move forward on this much needed facilities project.
Ernie Kessler, Building Committee Chairman 301-963-5910 or bekessler@verizon.net
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Last Updated: 11/11/06 10:56 AM