Dear Family,
As I mentioned in my post last week, Family Bible Church has an opportunity to enter a one-year lease on a property at 8401 N. Kentucky Ave. as a new home for our church. Many of us explored the building last week and spent time discussing it as a potential new home. My general sense from the questions and comments I and the other elders received is that the building is suitable as a “next step” facility and location for our congregation. The facility includes about 7,000 square feet of space. Most of it is a single, large room but there are a number of smaller rooms that could be used for a basic kitchen, nursery, small classrooms, offices and storage. The large room is more than enough space to house our worship services and could be subdivided with portable walls for smaller classrooms if needed.
As wonderful as our current arrangement with Cambridge is, we are limited in what we can do there. Any time we want to gather the church together for anything other than worship services we must rent or borrow another facility. Having our own place to hold fellowship dinners, prayer gatherings, holiday worship services, baptisms, members meetings, or larger ministry gatherings like The Ready Roomwould be a significant advantage.
Many of the questions we received Sunday about the new location were financial. While it is certainly not free, the owner has agreed to a lease that is more than reasonable for the area and is within our budget.
Our elders believe this opportunity is worth presenting to our members for a vote. To that end, we will hold a special members meeting this Sunday, October 21, 11:00 AM at 8401 N. Kentucky Ave. The building is in the 41 North Business Park complex behind Bob’s Gym. More specifically, it is between Budget Car Rental and Medical Staffing Solutions at the above address. A map is available here.
Our By-laws state that a 2/3 majority of all eligible voting members over 18, not simply those present at the meeting, is required to approve action of this kind. Some decisions only require a simple majority, but non-budgetary expenditures over $20,000 require a 2/3 majority to approve. Therefore, it is very important that we have as many of our voting members as possible present to vote on this decision. Since the meeting will be held at the facility in question, there will be a brief opportunity to tour the building again and we will allow for more discussion before calling for a vote. If you have specific questions you would like addressed before Sunday, feel free to contact myself or any of our elders here.
Please pray this week that our congregation will be united on this decision, whichever way the vote goes. I plan to fast this week as well on Wednesday during lunch and dinner and let my growling stomach remind me to pray about this decision. Anyone who wishes may join me in that endeavor.
Again, please pray and if you are a member, come to the meeting Sunday and help us decide if this is the next home for Family Bible Church.
Pastor Colin