ARAB FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH2015 Study Committee Report

Approved by Church Council

Charge Conference on Nov 30, 2015

Overview• We are approaching a new chapter in our journey as a

congregation, now that we are drawing close to paying off the debt on the beautiful church building and location we have enjoyed for the last 15 years.

• It is time to consider our future. This Study Committee report outlines the process and findings of the team that was tasked with whether it is time to consider a new building project, and if so, what such a project would entail.

History/Background• In 2000, the church moved to this current location with a

dream and a master plan with future phases of building. The current building was built for $4.1 million, with $3.7 million financed.

• Due to cost constraints, the church prioritized needs, with a permanent sanctuary as the main focus. However, there was a master plan established with additional space for classrooms, future needs, etc. to be added at a later time.

Debt Resolution Timeline• Summer 2014- Dream Gatherings to assess desires/needs

of the church- congregation desires to both pay off the current debt & build again.

• January of 2015 Leadership Summit- same desires affirmed.

• January 2015- current debt (originally $3.7m) fell to approximately $950K.

• 2015- about a dozen families pledged/gave in total half of this remaining debt ($475K).

• October of 2015- matching funds challenge issued to the rest of the congregation.

• Goal: raise remaining $475K by the time the loan matures in November of 2016.

Study Committee Definition & Purpose

• According to the United Methodist Church Book of Discipline, in order to move forward in an endeavor to build onto the church, or remodel the church, the local church must first establish a study committee to:

(1) analyze the needs of the church and community;(2) project the potential membership with average attendance; (3) write up the church's program of ministry; and(4) develop an accessibility plan including chancel areas.

• The information and findings obtained by the study committee shall:(a) form the basis of a report to be presented to the charge conference (b) be used by the building committee; and(c) become a part of the report to the district board of church location and building.

(United Methodist Church Book of Discipline, 2544, http://www.umc.org/what-we-believe/para-2544-planning-and-financing-requirements-for-local-church-buildings)

The Decision to form a Study Committee at AFUMC• The formation of a Study Committee at AFUMC was

approved at the Church Council meeting on March 24, 2015.

• Members were nominated by the Lay Leadership Team and were elected by the Church Council in April of 2015.

• Study Committee officially established in April 2015.

• Members: Co-Chair Alan Miller, Co-Chair Shay Griggs, Pastor Steve West, Allen Neuschwander, Andy Conkling, Aric Oberle, Anna Kirkpatrick, Laura Liebner, David Russell, Tim Guthrie, Chris Hemphill, Lianna Smith, Nell Brock, Randy Linn, and Sharron Reeves.

Process• Study Committee briefed on definition & purpose as written in

Book of Discipline • Discussed facility needs & financial status expressed in Dream

Gatherings/Leadership Summit.• The Study Committee has fulfilled each of the defining roles as

laid out in the book of discipline in the following manners:

A. Analyze the needs of the church

B. Analyze the needs of the community

C. Project the potential membership with average attendance

D. Write up the church’s program of ministry

E. Develop an accessibility plan, including chancel areas

Analyze Needs of the Church• Two methods were used: a survey and town hall meetings

• Survey• Free-response, open-ended question format.• Distributed to congregation via bulletin, newsletter, email, and

website. • Study Committee interpreted, categorized, and tallied results.

• Town Hall Meetings• Three meetings were held, one of which youth/parents were invited

to in particular.• Survey results were shared, and congregation was invited to share

comments, questions, concerns, ideas, opinions, etc.

Analyze Needs of the Church: Survey Results

Top Priorities by number of responses

• Youth space• Additional space for

classrooms for all ages• Multipurpose building

Secondary Priorities by number of responses

• Portico• Choir space• More secure office space/

children’s spaces • Upstairs refreshment space• Expanded nursery space • More space for the children’s

department• Separate space for contemporary

worship (or more permanent media fixtures for use by the contemporary worship service).

Essential Priority: Pay off Debt

Analyze Needs of the Church: Town Hall Meetings• Discussion topics:• Pay off debt first vs. build now (low interest rates)• Crowded classroom conditions discourages attendance• Youth desires: large room with game tables, stage, media,

possibly gym space, and usable outdoor space.• Need for showers in new building for certain

ministries/disaster relief.• Security-

• More secure office space• Keep three entrances (connect new building to main building) for

security reasons• Children and nursery security

Analyze the Needs of the Community• Some community needs were represented through

surveys/town hall meetings

• Study Committee held special meeting and invited the following people:• a youth representative (church staff)- involved in organizing for

church youth as well as multi-church/community youth needs• a school representative- to represent community children/youth

needs as well as community needs as a whole • a city representative (chamber of commerce) to discuss facility

needs community-wide

Community Needs- Youth representative

• Arab City Park and Rec- would possibly rent facility for basketball or volleyball leagues (potential source of revenue).

• Arab Senior Center would like a place to use for an indoor walking trail and aerobic classes.

• There is a desire to expand Upwards sports groups, which would provide for a cheaper alternative to other sporting leagues, as well as use a faith based approach to sports.

• Would be able to host 5th quarter events. • AFUMC will be joining with other churches for a youth event

that will bring 600 youth to AFUMC- there is no place to put them.

• Great need for shower areas for Discovery and Room in the Inn.

• Concert venue.

Community Needs- School Representative

• A senior group currently drives to Locust Fork or to Huntsville to use indoor facilities for walking during bad weather.

• Again, stated use for Upwards would be a great idea. • Would be used by Room in the Inn, Sunday School

Rooms, Women’s Conference, Men’s Conference, Small Kitchen in multi-purpose area (such as concession area), Wedding and Bridal areas.

• Recommended that we could use the facility as a warming/disaster center

Community Needs- City Representative

• New facility would bring more people to both Arab and to AFUMC.

• There is currently no place to hold events, such as banquets and fundraisers, in the city. Examples are the fundraisers held by Real Life Pregnancy Crisis Center and Mothers’ Club, and the banquet for United Way.

• Indoor Concerts.• Homeless ministry.• Also spoke about need for disaster relief center.• Many clubs and groups have limited funding for rental

facilities; this would potentially provide another affordable option.

Project the Potential Membership with Average Attendance• The Study Committee considered demographics for Arab

as well as our church.• Arab, AL Demographics:

• For Arab, Alabama, population has grown at a rate of 2.4% since 2010. Arab has a higher percentage of children (23.7%) than seniors (19.1%). (census.gov)

• Since we live in a stable community that is growing, we can anticipate healthy growth. However, our present facilities restrict our ability to grow at even a healthy rate.

• AFUMC Demographics:• The Study Committee considered historic attendance data for the years

immediately prior to moving to our new building up until present.

Projections based on Attendance History

• When we moved into our present facility in 2000, our church grew in attendance by a total of 27% between 1998 and 2005. It then stabilized.

• Projection: Building additional space would result in an initial substantial increase in attendance the following year, and then sustain a steady percentage growth for several more years, before reaching a plateau (potentially signaling additional ministry space/the next building phase).

• The Study Committee projects the following pattern as a conservative estimate of growth, should the church elect to build again:

• 420- present average attendance• 445- 6% growth one year after opening a building• 458- 3% growth in second year• 472- 3% growth in third year• 486- 3% growth in fourth year• Then stabilized attendance- total projection with a conservative 15%

growth expectation.

Project Potential Membership: Additional Notes

• The Study Committee believes that if we increase the space of the choir room and the weekly youth meeting space, it will have direct impact on Sunday morning worship attendance.

• General classroom space will also positively affect attendance by allowing us to increase Sunday School participation. • Our average Sunday School attendance is currently about half of

our average Sunday worship service attendance. This is consistent with other churches. Therefore, the Study Committee believes that by growing Sunday School, our worship attendance will grow as well. Our Sunday School classes do not have much room to grow at this point in time, due to constraints on space.

Write Up the Church’s Program of Ministry

• The Study Committee met to discuss the ministries of the church. Strengths, challenges, and visions of the church were discussed and recorded.

• Pastor Steve also shared the vision of individual ministries/departments of the church by their various staff members.

Strengths Challenges Visions Youth program (alive,

active, engaged) Arts (including children’s

arts), drama, music, organ

Community involvement radio, serve fest, prayer shawls, room in the inn, blessing in a backpack, scouting.

Fellowship small groups Missions communion

funds, 3 different services.

Youth space Logistics

communications between programs and staff

Media/ Service transition Contemporary worship

space Children’s safety in

general Music rehearsal space Showers/laundry Objects being moved or

missing/ missing keys Lack of classroom space Church not open when

school is out.

More programs for young families

Extend Wednesday night services beyond school times

Disaster relief services Day care expansion To be known as a place

to go when in need Expansion of youth

services Multi-year plan 

Program of Ministry

Choir needs- • More practice space! The choir loft is much larger than the choir

practice area, and the choir loft cannot be filled without first having access to adequate practice space.

• There is also not adequate storage space for robes and music/ material.

• The sanctuary is currently the only option for larger-production practices such as the Christmas Cantata, which limits practice times as well due to conflicts with other groups.

• Access to choir loft from choir room would be beneficial due to current problems with congestion/ traffic in thoroughfares outside the sanctuary.

Program of Ministry

Worship needs- • Space issue for adult choirs, children's choirs and hand bells. • Altar décor and worship movement is limited in contemporary

worship since space is shared with traditional. • Limitations with lighting and sound impact drama productions. • Multimedia frustrations related to limitations on trained personnel,

space (middle of congregation floor), tools, set up, etc.

Program of Ministry

Children’s department needs- • Would like to have the resources to expand the Special needs

programs Note: there is also a great need in the community for a day care that will take children with special needs.

• Sunday School attendance growth is limited due to lack of space. • A large gathering area is needed for the children, away from adult

classes/ fellowship hall to avoid disturbances. Curriculum includes games, which are not possible due to lack of space.

• Grace Place growth is limited due to space.

Develop an Accessibility Plan Including Chancel Areas• We have always been committed to complying with ADA

standards, and the Study Committee strongly suggests continuing this in new additions as well as our current building.

• Current Building- all areas are accessible with exception of the choir loft, chancel area, and the Youth House. We would recommend that:• all areas of a new addition be accessible as well. • reduce or eliminate accessibility barriers wherever renovations exceed

simple aesthetic changes, and in all new building areas.• any new addition to be equally accessible on upper and lower floors (this

includes parking, lighting, signage, and furnishings for these areas). • electric door openers for entrances.

• The building committee should speak to members of the church with handicapping conditions and with accessibility coordinators while working in conjunction with the architect/builder.

Survey Results Related to Accessibility

• It is of note that several survey responses related to accessibility:• “Greatest need”- parking that does not require persons with

handicapping conditions to walk/roll behind other cars to get to a sidewalk. More parking spaces and larger parking spaces for people with handicapping conditions are also needed.

• “Needs not being met”- covered entrance large enough for wheel chairs to be sheltered at the fellowship hall entrance, padded pew backs for elderly and others with special needs. Chairs placed in cutout pew areas that are designated for wheelchairs, as well as lights and cameras placed in these locations for special events, limits seating for wheelchair-bound persons.

• Other “programmatic needs” we have heard: Support group meeting to help and pray with families of children with special needs. Expand the Pal program for children with special needs.

Summary• Study committee has concluded that we need some additional ministry

space in order to grow and take our next steps, and this is supported by the congregation at large.

• The Study Committee proposes that a Building Committee be established in January of 2016 to begin the work of designing and proposing a new building addition.

• While we assertively finish paying off our debt, we can simultaneously begin the work of planning.

• Should the Charge Conference approve this proposal, the newly established Building Committee would proceed according to the requirements of the United Methodist Discipline to prepare a design, complete specifications, and outline a financial plan for a proposed new building.

• The church would hold a number of church-wide meetings for open discussion as well as the required meetings to vote and approve of any proposals developed by the Building Committee.

The Study Committee proposes that the Building Committee be charged with developing a building project that meets the following expectations:

• Build what is most urgent for our next steps. Additional phases of building for future expansion should be generally defined by the Building Committee.

• A plan that better utilizes all current space including repurposing/remodeling some of our current space (for example, consider expanding the fellowship hall, and consider repurposing the office space for the choir).

• Address the most urgent priorities of youth space, multi-purpose space, and general classroom space to serve our church and community. Staff and ministry leaders of various areas should be given opportunity for input at several stages of planning.

• Creatively address other important priorities in the next phase of building, including additional choir room space, a portico, increased office security, upstairs refreshment and fellowship space, expanded nursery space, and classrooms for children designed with proximity and security in mind. Some of this space can be repurposed use of spaces we already have.

• Design an expansion that is connected to our present facilities (not a separate building) and keep the number of main entrances to a minimum for security as well as hospitality.

• Design a building with an attractive brick exterior which blends with our beautiful facilities.• It is anticipated that the church will use a different architect and builder, with an onsite

supervisor to avoid problems we have had in the past.• Eventually the church will need a dedicated contemporary worship space, and we recommend

either:• Dedicated space through the new addition/renovation • Plan for dedicated space for a future phase, as our current use of the sanctuary is adequate. If this is

done, it is suggested that the church consider enhancing multimedia used in the sanctuary for the contemporary service (consider retractable screens, etc.).

Specific Recommendations for the new addition by the Study Committee for the Building Committee:

• In order to meet our greatest needs, we do not recommend that the multipurpose space be used as our main fellowship hall. This would limit the use of the multipurpose space for its other purposes. That being said, it could potentially be used for special events that exceed our (expanded) fellowship hall’s capacity; however, it should not be used weekly for fellowship meals.

• We do not recommend that the multipurpose space be used for the contemporary worship space. If funding is not available for dedicated contemporary worship space for this phase, it should be planned for a future building phase. We believe that there would be inherit challenges involved with using a multipurpose space for worship including setup/cleanup (manpower), acoustic/multimedia, storage, etc. It could be used for special events, and placing a small stage on one end could prove useful for concerts, events, conferences, etc.

• We suggest that the multipurpose space take on the structure of a gym with retractable basketball goals, to meet basic needs of the church and community. See Appendix H for pictures of an example facility. Due to the challenges seen at other churches with this kind of facility, we recommend that the building committee consider innovative flooring options with durability and maintenance in mind (for example, wood is high maintenance with yearly refinishing required).

Recommendation to the Trustees:

• The committee feels that the most immediate need, and most often mentioned in the surveys, is youth space. We also feel, based on interviews with youth and youth ministry staff, that the current space limitations are restricting growth and enrichment in the youth department. While we understand that the process to build a new building must go through the necessary steps, this time frame will exceed the time in the youth department of two or more classes of youth.

• We suggest that a short term solution could be to build a pavilion, as soon as possible, with a small attached enclosed space to function as additional youth space. This pavilion should be built at an ideal location on the property as to ensure future use, and would be used by the church and possibly the community at large after the youth is moved into a permanent space. Our Director of Youth and College Ministry reports that funding would be immediately available for this project from private donors, without impacting regular General or Building Fund giving.