Bobbing for Apples

Have you ever attempted to bob for apples. You know the game, apples are floating in water and you are trying to open your mouth wide enough to get a bite and the apple keeps sinking or bobbing away. It can be very frustrating unless you are using really small apples.

The renovation process is currently a bit frustrating. We hoped to have all the numbers for the Hospitality Center by the April 23 Business Meeting. We didn't make it. The General Contractor came through with a preliminary number but it does not include an accurate number for the kitchen or sound or the site work. We keep bobbing hoping to get the final numbers and apparently, our apples are large enough to be difficult. We have recently learned that we may still need another approval from the city - that being for our site plan. The earliest we could get that through the system is June 18. We keep bobbing hoping we have everything in place.

As soon as we have an accurate cost estimate, the Capital Improvements Steering Group will meet and assess the implications for the initial 'wish list'. The Finance and Stewardship Committees will meet to assess the implications for funding the desired projects. A Called Business Meeting will be scheduled for the sole purpose of discussing the recommendations of these two groups in order to make a decision that continues to move us forward.

We will keep bobbing to make this happen. Your patience and involvement in the process is vital. Thank you for making the Journey.

April News for the Journey

The wheels of progress are often slow. Please do not think the renovation to the Fellowship Hall has ground to a halt. Things are happening, even if the pace is a bit more like a turtle. The decisions at this time are important and crucial. Here are some things for you to consider:

1. We continue to work with our architect, Jim Byerly, who is with HuffMorris and Assoc. in Richmond.
2. We have selected the general contractor for the project - OKJ Construction Company. We worked with OKJ as the general contractor for work on Children's Building and our roof and we have had a good experience and working relationship with them.
3. With these two components in place, we have asked OKJ and Huff Morris to develop a preliminary construction estimate for the cost of the Hospitality Center with everything we have desired which includes:

• the end wall removed and building enlarged
• a new commercial kitchen
• two new handicap accessible bathrooms
• three classrooms with sound-rated movable walls
• media capability (microphones, speakers, mixer, video, lights, etc)
• moisture resistant carpet squares for the floor
• drop ceiling with variable lighting options (fluorescent & incandescent)
• sheetrock w. 2 inches of insulation on walls
• enlarged hallway w. double doors as main entrance
• bricked in walkway for additional storage

As you can imagine, the cost of this work impacts the Hospitality Center and future items on our renovation list. Our goal is to have the construction estimate by the April 23 Business Meeting. Even if we have the estimate, we may need to schedule a Called Business Meeting to discuss the issues and cost of the Hospitality Center in early May so that the Steering Group can handle all aspects of the renovation desires and the funding of that work.

The renovation Journey continues, even if the pace has seemingly slowed down. God is at work in our midst. Pray for the journey.