What is the Projected Cost of the Project? How Will We Pay for This? What is the Plan Moving Forward?

Jerusalem Expansion Committee Update - The New Jerusalem

Giving is hard.  We often get pulled in many different directions to give time, energy and our limited resources. We can give at work, give at home, give to our spouse, give to our children, give to our parents, give to our boss, and give to our church. Constant giving can be exhausting and often provides little to no reward. It’s much more fun to get, isn’t it? Humanly speaking, getting is way more rewarding than giving, but that is not what God tells us. In Matthew 10:8, Jesus simply states, “Freely you have received; freely give.” That simple, but packed passage, tells us so much about what our attitude of giving should be and why. We have “freely” received the ultimate gift - eternal life in heaven -  through God’s gift of Jesus’s perfect life and resurrection. Because of God’s amazing grace, He wants us to “freely give.” 

The Jerusalem Expansion Plan will offer an opportunity for you to give. The expected cost of the project is between $3.5 and $4 million. The cost includes demolition, site preparation, exterior and interior build, HVAC, plumbing, and electrical. This estimate also includes a contingency buffer of $0.5 million for unexpected costs. This estimate does not include cost reductions from volunteer help and donated services.  It also accounts for expenses related to housing for those affected by removing 2 church provided houses.

The proposed fundraising goal is “A MILLION BY MAY!” (2026). This bold prayer will be achieved through increased offerings, fundraising (church and school), estate planning, tax planning (required minimum distributions), etc., and a loan to fund the balance needed. To give perspective on what a million dollars looks like in our congregation, our 2024-2025 offerings were about $370,000. Triple offerings for one year and “A MILLION BY MAY!” is achievable. That amount, in addition to our regular offerings, may seem daunting. However, our generous giving can be a reflection of God’s grace to us. Let’s get started and see what’s possible. If we achieve our goal, the timetable below applies:

Plan to attend a special informational meeting on Sunday, July 13th, after church for more information and to ask questions. At the July 27th Congregational meeting, the members will vote to begin a capital fundraising campaign. Hope to see you there!