We have almost $800,000 of outstanding principal on our current mortgage. While there are many details to work out yet, it is anticipated that any commercial financing we will need to secure will require the first mortgage to be satisfied, meaning all debt will be combined into one mortgage. Because of this, we are asking members to make a commitment which will be inclusive of both the old mortgage and new building program into one pledge (as the resulting mortgage will be), or in other words, you will continue to give to the general fund and one building fund. Please watch for information on First Fruits Sunday, April 29, 2007, coming soon (the beginning of our giving).

Some of the rooms on the floor plan are labeled "music room" and "child care". I thought we had not decided yet?

There are labels on some rooms to indicate possible uses. Since some uses are high priority, such as music, we have shown that in possible locations in Options 1 and 2. The "child care" label is used to indicate that the "cry room" could also be used to provide child care space separate from Grace Christian Child Care during the week so that families attending week-day programming at the Church can have a separate child care.

The Youth Room location depends on which option(s) is(are) constructed. If we construct Option 1 ONLY (the second floor) the youth rooms could be on the second floor. If we construct Option 3 ONLY (the expansion of the APR) or in conjunction with another option, the youth rooms could be in that area. The expansion of the APR would accommodate a removable stage and facilities for sound/video/etc. (We have not envisioned permanent facilities, as the APR has to be very flexible for a multitude of uses.)

Correct, this change is already in process.

Details for the kitchen corner of Option 3 have not been finalized. This deficiency has been noted and will be addressed.

This is true, but in order to fit the building and the parking lots on the property and taking into consideration the topography of the property, the mandatory set-backs, water drainage, we have attempted to maximize parking and building. Overall, we have a net gain of about 20 parking spaces and have addressed traffic flow problems.

The discussion of spacing out the services is one that we should have. However, even if we add time between the 9:35AM service and the 10:45AM service, we may still have a parking problem. With the number of people in the late service, we are at or above the actual / practical number of parking spaces needed (not the 1 parking spot to 3 people ratio required by Derry Township). The other thought is that we could add a parallel service in the APR at 10:45AM, which would require additional parking. I think that we have to add parking in any scenario.

If I have comments on the building design itself, how do I make those known?

You can speak to one of the members of the Building Committee at the Sunday Morning Fireside Gatherings or at the Lenten Dinners on Wednesday evenings, you can use the Question Cards at the Welcome Center in the Narthex, or you can contact our architect, Jack Althouse, directly at 1-610-754-9360 or by e-mail at jack@althousejaffe.com. The Building Committee welcomes your input and Jack Althouse would love to talk with you.

GUMC will mail a Commitment Card to you on March 16^th. It is important that after prayerfully considering your three-year contribution to the building campaign, that you fill out a commitment card. Commitment Cards enable our church leaders to make wise financial decisions about building options. After completing your commitment card, place it inside the accompanying envelope and bring it with you to Celebration Sunday. Each family will have the opportunity to place their pledge at the altar. If you are unable to attend, it can be mailed to the church office.

Ideally, we would like to raise all $4.5mm in order to build the total master plan. Realistically, we will have to scale our building plans to fit the amount raised, plus any financing we can secure (e.g. 20 year commercial mortgage). In order to build the necessary first option, we must raise $1.5mm at a minimum.

No effort will be made to tell any person or family what he or she should commit. There are, however, some guidelines that might be used to determine one's part. "Have I asked God to direct my decision?" "Does this amount give an accurate reflection of who I am and what my resources are?" "Is this amount truly sacrificial?" "Have I been a good steward of the gifts that God has bestowed upon me and my family?" The key ingredients of a worthy commitment are prayer, sacrifice, and faith. These three guideposts will lead you to the right decision regarding your stewardship.

We are asking everyone to make their first offering to the building campaign on First Fruits Sunday, April 29, 2007.

No one knows the future. We ask only that you pray and let God lead you to a sacrificial commitment. If your circumstances change, you can revise your commitment accordingly by contacting the church office to make any increases or decreases.

No! As with all church receipts, commitments will be confidential. Your periodic church statement will include the Building Campaign and will reflect your pledge versus your giving to date in order to keep you informed of where you are in your stewardship.

That is your decision. Most of our congregation will give weekly or monthly, and some will give quarterly or annually. Some members may chose to give stocks, bonds or other appreciated assets after consulting their tax advisor about the tax benefits. You can use any mix of the above you feel is appropriate for your situation.