Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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When we see especially good questions asked there, we will post the question with answers on this page.  Please use the blog to submit your questions (respond to any post to do so.)

What process was used to gather input for the design elements?

Over the past five years a series of Long Range Planning Committees (LRP) has worked to address the needs and goals of the church. The LRP appointed in 2005 was responsible for the efforts through the end of 2008. This included evaluation of the options to try to expand and utilize the existing church building or to consider relocation of the church to a new site. In 2005 the LRP recommended that the church be relocated to a larger site to enable it to grow and minister more effectively. In 2006 the church purchased approximately twenty-two acres on League City Parkway with the goal of ultimately building an entirely new facility.

Subsequently the LRP began the process of moving forward with a series of decision making strategy sessions. In these a broad group of church members on the LRP, along with representative members of the congregation and staff worked  to explore a wide range of possible ministries and the means to best implement those ministries. This process took approximately six months and included comment solicitation from the entire congregation.

The next phase was performed by ministry teams composed of the various ministries of the church working to analyze existing building areas, systems, and the methods of performing individual ministries. Once this was completed the ministry teams prepared a list of needs and goals that they felt would best enable them to perform their ministry. During this period the LRP interviewed four different architecture firms and selected the one that the committee felt would be best suited to help in the process of designing the new building. The LRP selected a combination of Architect and a Construction Management firm as the most cost effective means to design and build our new church home. This selection was approved at a Town Hall Meeting on May 18, 2008.

In January 2009 a Building Committee was constituted and assumed the responsibility of overseeing the building phase of the process. With the goals and wishes that had prepared by the ministry teams the Architect analyzed the various needs and wishes and began the process of developing a comprehensive scope of work in order to balance the needs and wishes and come up with a design to address those needs. Over the course of a number of meetings with the Building Committee a schematic plan was developed and refined. Once a consensus was reached on the schematic design the Architect met with each ministry team to refine specific areas of the building to try to achieve the most efficient use of space.

As the plans evolved the Architect then reviewed more detailed aspects of each ministry area. During this phase more specifics of types of materials and detailed lay-out of each ministry space was addressed. The goal is to have sufficient plans completed to allow the Construction Manager to prepare a firm budget for evaluation by mid April 2009.

Who did the design work?

The Architect is Jim Douglas of Jim Douglas & Associates. Jim and his firm have extensive experience in church design as well as a variety of other buildings.

Who is our contractor?

Collier Construction has been contracted as a Construction Manager at Risk to provide construction services. This system allows us to have professional resources at our disposal throughout the design process and help assure that we can have the building built at a competitive price while being more in control of the entire process. Collier has extensive experience in church and school construction.

What is construction management?

Construction Management is a process whereby a team of construction professionals agrees to manage and oversee the entire construction process for a fixed fee. All trades and suppliers will be contracted through the construction manager with multiple bids in each category. Our contract with the Construction Manager is a Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR) agreement. The CMAR will establish a “Not to Exceed Price” that will include their fee and any savings will be credited to the owner based upon completion of our plans to a fifty percent status. This guaranteed price will be good only for a limited time but it will enable the congregation to determine the feasibility of proceeding to construction at that stage. There is no obligation to go to construction until the church decides to do so.

Will the building be “green” or environmentally friendly?

Given the cost of utilities and operation of a church and the charge to be good stewards of the Lord’s resources the Building Committee has committed to building an environmentally and ecologically responsible building. A part of this effort is to have a building that is economically efficient as well. The plan is have a LEED certified building that assures this. High efficiency air conditioning and heating, water conservation and collection, use of local materials and proper operating systems, as well as many other features are all possible facets of the design that are being considered.

What is LEED certification?

LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is sponsored by the U. S. Green Building Council. It provides and objective third party evaluation of the design and construction of buildings to assure that the building will be environmentally responsible and energy efficient. Many of the features listed above are required to achieve a LEED certified building. A detailed check list is completed and submitted to assure the proper compliance.

Will the proposed building complex fit on our new property?

The current plan which includes room for substantial expansion will fit on approximately one-half of the property that we own. The church owns approximately twenty-one acres compared to the current five acre site and the current proposal is for approximately 63,000 square feet compared to the current approximately 35,000 square feet. The first phase along with two or more subsequent expansions will all fit on approximately ten acres.

Will there be room to add on in the future?

There is ample room for expansion for multiple uses in the future.

What timeline exists for the project?

As of the end of March 2009 the only firm time line is to have sufficient architectural drawings by mid-April to enable us to establish a firm budget. That budget will only be good for a limited time but it will enable a responsible evaluation of the cost to relocate at this time and will allow the determination if it is feasible to move forward at this time or not. If and when the congregation elects to go forward it will take a number of months to complete the plans and to secure the necessary funding to proceed. Actual construction time once commenced is approximately one year.

How are we going to honor the memorials our church currently has in our facility?

As we proceed the Building Committee will work to preserve the items that have been a part of the church. It is not known at this time exactly what items will be moved or preserved but the committee is committed to honoring the memorials that have been given to the church as much as possible. We welcome suggestions as to how to make sure that we honor the memorials that have been given to the church.

Is the day care program taken care of in the new design?

The day care program and the children’s ministry have been fully addressed. Similar to all elements the ministry team for these ministries has participated actively and fully in the process and we are all excited about the opportunities that await us.

Can the Sanctuary be used as a “performance center” by outside users?

Is there enough parking?

The Sanctuary has been designed with the capability to provide high level sound and lighting features to provide worship space commensurate with today’s standards. It will be capable of hosting church sponsored performances as well as other uses to minister to the community. The parking should be ample and there is substantial room for expansion of the parking should the need arise.

Are we going to start the capital campaign this year?

Once we have the plans sufficiently complete to establish a firm budget there is a separate committee that will be in charge of determining the time to start a capital campaign.

How much will this cost?

Based upon current square footage cost estimates we expect the building to cost between $150 and $185 per square foot. Using the current 63,000 square foot design, this would represent a budget of approximately ten million seven hundred thousand dollars for a mid-range.

How are we going to pay for it?

It will require a combination of capital funding, debt, and the proceeds of the sale of our existing property.

How much debt does the church currently have (land FLC, and other debts)?

As of the end of March 2009, we owe approximately $370,000 on the Family Life Center. The current debt on the new land is approximately $424,000, but we have $120,000 in the Foundation for the Future account that is designated for payment on the land. In addition we have pledges that are still outstanding on that three year commitment that runs through early summer.  The church has approximately $160,000 on other debt obligations.  This will change as we move forward, it is not a static figure.

Is the new land purchase paid off?

The goal is to have the land paid off at the end of the Capital Campaign, this summer or early fall.

When will construction be complete?

It will take approximately one year from the time that construction is actually begun.

How many Sunday school rooms will there be?

There are approximately twenty-six designated classrooms. These are of varying sizes and the use for specific classes is flexible. Many of these are larger than current Sunday School rooms. In addition many of the other rooms are multi-use and will serve as class room space at times. For instance the Parlor, the Chapel, and many other rooms will be used for a variety of uses.

Will we move items from the old church, such as the altar, the cross, the stained glass windows, etc.?

There are a number of items that we plan to use in the new facility. At this time the decisions as to which items will be used and where or how they will be used has not been determined. If any one is aware of items that should be considered for possible relocation we would appreciate being advised.

Will we sell the old site?  How much will we get for it?

The plan is to sell the existing facility. While it is too early to tell how much we think that it is reasonable to be able to sell it for between four million and five million dollars.