Hardball

The questions got a little tougher at the second Q&A session concerning the proposal for building a new church facility. There were the usual questions about how we're going to pay for this project, but this week there were more questions about the specifics of the building itself. The architectural style of the sample drawing was the subject of one of the first questions. Modern or traditional style? Do we choose beauty over efficent use of space? Should the church building design emphasize being a functional meeting place for believers, or should the design itself make a statement of our view of God? These are questions that congregations around the world have debated for centuries, and Woodland will eventually have to work these out too.

There were a few other questions about how the building would look, and how space would be utilized. Most of these details will have to be discussed and decided after we decide to go ahead with the project. There's no use in debating the color of the carpet now. The question at hand is, "Does God want us to build a new facility so that we can continue to expand His kingdom in Haywood county?" Until we discern His will on that issue, questions of design and decorating are moot.

There are already some differences of opinion on what the building should finally look like, but the discussion remained friendly and cordial throughout the evening. That's a good sign. We'll all probably have to compromise some on our preferences, especially as they pertain to how the building looks, and how it will be decorated. Our church is very diverse in age, education, and background, and all those things influence our choices. However, at this time in our church's history, what we need most is unity of purpose. We can debate about the architectural style or the furnishings, but we need to be solidly together on the conviction that God wants us to grow, build, and expand.

Face The Congregation

Two weeks ago, Ryan Campbell of the Feasibility Team presented their findings on investigating our options for expansion. After looking into several possibilities, their recommendation was to purchase a new property near the intersection of Crabtree Rd. and Old Clyde Rd., and build a new facility there. A packet of information detailing their findings was given to each family in the church, and members were asked to examine the information, pray for a discernment of God's will, and write down any questions they had. Two church business meetings were scheduled on consecutive Sunday evenings for those questions to be presented to the Building and Grounds committee, who is now overseeing the process. The first of those meetings was last night.

The meeting was well attended, and some very good questions were asked. The overall mood seemed to be very positive, although there seems to be a bit of trepidation about costs by some. That is to be expected on a project of this size, and is why the church was asked to be in prayer about this proposal for 40 days before voting on it. If it is determined that it is God's will that we move forward with this project, God will provide what we need to do it. This must be a faith project.

These two photos show the good crowd in attendance, and Pastor Alan and the Building and Grounds committee poised to field questions. (Click on photos to see a larger version.) It also illustrates yet another reason to build a new facility: the lighting in the current sanctuary is AWFUL. From a photographic standpoint, it is extremely dim, and has too many sources. It has a combination of incandescent, florescent, and daylight filtered through colored glass. Try taking a color photo in that mess! That's why I shot in B&W. Most people probably don't care about that, but nonetheless, the current sanctuary is just a very poorly lit space. The new building will certainly have a better quantity and quality of lighting, even if you're not a photographer.