Check back often as we add more updates and information here throughout the entire ministry expansion campaign and building process.
Join us in praising God this week for a joyful and inspiring Voter’s Meeting last Sunday, March 17.
The Holy Spirit guiding our discussion as the members unanimously voted to:
Begin the design and build phase of our Ministry Expansion Campaign, which will address our highest priority ministry needs.
Retire the existing LCEF mortgage, ~$200K loan balance, with unrestricted reserve funds.
You, Staff and Leadership have already seen God’s people responding in faith. Please prayerfully consider how the Spirit is moving you to “Grow in God’s Goodness”!
Continued Lenten blessings as we journey together with Jesus to the Cross and the Empty Tomb,
Pastor Steve Patton
Notification of Special Voters’ Assembly – Building Expansion Update, Sunday, March 17, 2024 at Noon
Messiah Lutheran Church will hold a Special Voters Assembly on March 17, 2024, at noon in the Fellowship Hall to present a Building Expansion project update with the goal of asking the membership for a motion that sets a path forward on the building project.
The tentative agenda is as follows:
Opening prayer
Minutes from Semi-Annual Voters Assembly
Project Recap and Update
Results of Congregational Survey on Ministry Expansion Building Preferences
Proposed Plan
Ministry Expansion Campaign update
Motion
Closing Prayer
The proposed plan is based on the results of the congregational survey on ministry expansion building preferences and other input. It consists of the following two main components: the south side building expansion and modifications to the existing structure.
The south side building expansion fulfills priority ministry needs. To view the concept plans for the south side building expansion, click here.
The modifications to the existing structure contribute to achieving a contiguous campus feel and improve general security, traffic flow, and make the north entry more welcoming to new people. To view the modifications to the existing structure, click here.
To view the total estimated project costs, click here.
Additional details will be provided at the meeting. In the meantime, if you have any questions, please contact vicechairman@messiah-nc.org.
Congratulations to our members on a very good response rate. A total of 121 out of 295 voting members of the congregation responded, or 41%. Data shows the average response rate for church surveys is 30%-35% of total membership.
The purpose of the survey was to assess our members’ preferences for seven different features of a building expansion to accommodate ministry activities and growth. Members were also asked to rate their support for 10 features of a potential semi-detached building that would be within budget and meet the ministry needs of Messiah.
Building Expansion Features
Of the seven features of the Building Expansion, the top three with ratings of Very Important and Somewhat Important were:
- Additional classrooms for Sunday school (92%)
- A dedicated youth activity space (92%)
- A multipurpose room for ministry activities (82%)
All features except “nursery located near the sanctuary” were rated Very Important or Somewhat Important by over 70% of the respondents.
Semi-Detached Building Features
Of the 10 features listed, the top-rated reasons for the option of a semi-detached building located in the south parking lot area were mostly related to the construction aspects of the building. The following reasons received the highest ratings of Strongly Agree and Moderately Agree in importance:
- Minimizes impacts to existing parking (76%)
- Minimizes impact/demolition of existing building (75%)
- Creates a contiguous campus feel (72%)
- Requires less stormwater and electric facilities to be relocated (70%)
- Provides most efficient location for new water and sewer connections (67%)
The other five reasons for this option were mostly related to the accommodations the new building might maintain or provide. These reasons are listed in order of importance according to ratings of Strongly Agree and Moderately Agree:
- Preserves land for future expansion (65%)
- Provides a nursery adjacent to the sanctuary (62%)
- Will not affect the preschool playground (62%)
- Will accommodate a future school (55%)
- Provides a new drop off location for the preschool (50%)
Overall Support for a Semi-Detached Building
A high percentage of respondents (83%) Moderately or Strongly Agree that they support a new semi-detached building if it is within budget and meets the ministry needs of Messiah. Breaking this down, clearly 50% Strongly Agree and 33% Moderately Agree. This is a marked contrast to those who are Neutral (6%) or Moderately or Strongly Disagree (12%).
A copy of the results of the survey with graphic depictions (pie charts) of members’ preferences for different features of a building expansion is attached.
Also attached are draft schematic plans showing the proposed location of the two-story building expansion and floor plans with conceptual layouts of the building features.
Building Expansion South Lot Concept Plans
The results of the Building Expansion Survey have provided the building committee with important insights from the congregation. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.
Our campaign is successful – both spiritually and in financial commitments – and together we will experience an exciting future as we begin to see the vision our Lord has for us.
As of the Oct 15th commitment Sunday, our congregation has received 3-year pledges in the amount of $1.33M. Thanks be to God! We want to emphasize that this is not the end of the campaign, it’s actually just beginning! If you pledged a commitment, thank you for the faith and trust you have shown in our Lord and His Church. If you haven’t had an opportunity to consider how God is leading you to support “Growing in God’s Goodness”, please know that it’s not too late. We want to invite everyone in; we don’t want you to feel that you’ve missed out!
On Sunday Nov 5th during the offering time, we’ll be celebrating “First Fruits” giving which is an opportunity for us to give the first offering in fulfilling our pledge. The concept is based on the Old Testament Biblical First-Fruits offering when people lived in an agrarian society. Harvest time was significant because that was when the hard work the farmers had poured into their crops all year began to pay off. They were literally reaping what they sowed. God called his people to bring the first yield—the first fruits—from their harvest to Him as an offering. This was to demonstrate the Israelites’ reverence for God and that they trusted Him to provide enough crops to feed their family.
“When you come into the land which I give you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring a sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest.” —Leviticus 23:10.
We no longer live in an agrarian-based society and likely don’t worry about harvest time. But the idea of first fruits is still relevant as a celebration of all that God has done. As each of us have unique plans for fulfilling our pledge, we want to emphasize that our First Fruits offering, November 5th is voluntary.
Special offering envelopes are being distributed this week; they are also available on the Welcome Desk.
Thank you for being a part of what our God is doing at Messiah Lutheran Church!
September 25, 2023 Update:
Please click here for the final copy of the Campaign FAQ document. [Please note: as of January 1, 2024 this FAQ is out-of-date due to change in project scope]
August 20, 2023 Update:
August 3, 2023 Update:
The attached document is a summary of topics covered during the Listening and Learning Forums held at Messiah on June 27th and July 23rd.
A report of the “Listening and Learning” Forums, June 27th and July 23rd
July 31, 2023 Update:
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!
On August 20 we will be launching our Ministry Expansion Campaign! We hope to see everyone in the congregation there for worship (note only one service at 9am that Sunday), teaching for all ages, and having a fun time celebrating the beginning of the Campaign.
July 5, 2023 Update:
The below document is a summary of topics covered during the Listening and Learning Forum held at Messiah on June 27th.The next Q & A Listening Forum is scheduled for Sunday, July 23rd, during the Sunday School hour. We are eager to hear your thoughts.
Messiah Lutheran Charlotte QA Forum June 27 2023
June 20, 2023 Update:
The Leadership team of Messiah wants to hear from you as we plan to embark on the Capital Campaign for Ministry Expansion! Plan to attend one of these forums and come ready with your questions about what comes next!
Need more info? Contact Executive Team members Dave Johanson, Nancy Butzek or Barb Gietz.
June 19, 2023 Update:
The Campaign Team and Pastoral Staff are grateful for the number of members who responded to the Volunteer opportunity forms over the past couple of weeks! Thank you for your willingness to serve! You will be contacted individually by a member of the team as the specific item(s) you signed up for come up!
If you have not turned in a form, it’s not too late! Extras are available at the Welcome Center and attached below and can be dropped at the church office or emailed to Barb Gietz gietzx5@aol.com.
June 6, 2023 Update:
As you know, our leaders have been building a vision for more room for ministry, covered in prayer at each step by our Prayer Team. Over the past several months, we presented two tentative building plans with some ideas of how we might pay for a new larger facility. At the March Voter’s Meeting the larger “Plan A” was chosen as the direction our Building Team should pursue.
We are now shifting our focus on the beginning the Planning Phase of our Capital Campaign with Lutheran Church Extension Fund. The Capital Campaign will culminate with a confirmed date of October 15th for a Capital Commitment Sunday. Pastor Steve Patton worked with our LCEF representatives to identify and recruit the Campaign Executive Committee who will be leading us through this exciting and important time for our congregation as we come together in faith and unity to call on the Lord to guide us into His vision for ministry here at Messiah.
Our Executive Committee members are:
Campaign Director – Dave Johanson
Campaign Manager – Nancy Butzek
Communications Manager – Barb Gietz
Please join us and our Prayer Team in praying for them as they enlist volunteers to partner with Messiah Staff in leading us through this spiritual journey. God calls us to step out in faith in response to all His goodness to us shown in Christ Jesus. This is a time for each of us to examine our hearts and heed the Lord’s call to sacrificially give of our time, talents and treasures. Faithful to His promises, our heavenly Father will grow us in His good and perfect gifts, given for us to share and steward for the growth of His Kingdom.
We want to make sure we are listening to everyone who is invested in our ministry. In the coming weeks, we will be holding Town Hall meetings at different times of the week to provide a project status, but more importantly, to LISTEN to you and LEARN from you. Please look for upcoming announcements on time and dates and join us as together we “Grow in God’s Goodness”.
To Christ alone be the glory!
May 21, 2023 Update:
After several weeks carefully reviewing our church finances and Vision – on Wednesday this past week (May 17, 2023) the Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF) gave Messiah a Loan Pre-Approval for the full amount requested. WOW! God is Amazing! Final Approval for a specific loan amount will be done by the Congregation near the end of this year.
Church Staff and Leadership will be holding several Town Hall meetings throughout this Summer to provide Listening and Learning opportunities for leaders to gain valuable input from members and for members to get their questions answered. Your participation is needed to ensure that we walk together through the decisions that are still ahead of us as a Congregation.
Over the next 4 months, we will be conducting a Summer Capital Campaign – with a targeted date of October 1st for a Capital Commitment Sunday (the funds of which would be collected over the next 3 years). Again – more info will be available at the upcoming Town Hall Meetings.
Finally, this timeline puts us on a path to make an informed Decision about final Building and Loan Approval later this year, after the October 1st Capital Commitment Sunday.
Stay tuned – look for the Town Hall meeting announcements – we look forward to seeing you there!