RENOVATION UPDATE NEXT

Progress is full steam ahead. If you attended Sunday, you saw that work in the Atrium and the main hallways started. They did all the prep work of sanding and caulking and will paint this week. Sunday, when you arrive, that should be a done deal! Whoohoo…I mean hallelujah! We have also started packing the offices up for renovation. We will be getting fresh paint, new carpet and some new furniture. So for a week or two, we will be out of our office environment. The major work in the Worship Center this week includes: completing the sheetrock and sanding of the ceiling; redoing and finishing the balcony walls; frame up the restrooms in the front of the worship center. We are enlarging the two restroom areas in the front of the church. This will provide more spacious rooms compared to the former small rooms. The balcony wall will increase in height while increasing the site line for those who sit in the balcony. This was a much needed correction. Our plans are still to have the Big Reveal on Sunday, September 13. On that Sunday we plan for one worship service and will celebrate with baptism and the Lord’s Supper. What a day that will be!

LET’S GROW DEEPER TOGETHER

Believing we will be finished with the renovations, we plan to start Wednesday night discipleship options on WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9. There will be 4 options for adults: serve with our Kitchen Krew; Praying Like Jesus led by Jeff Koch; First Place 4 Health led by Janie Brown; Recovery Bible Study based on the 12 Steps led by Pastor Tom. We will also provide preschool care, as well as Preschool/Children Awana ministry and Surge: Youth Worship. It is a great fall lineup. Our goal is to help you grow deeper in God’s Word.


CHAIR COUNTDOWN

It is wonderful that we already have financial gifts given to purchase 276 chairs. The “competition” between Connection Groups was designed to help everyone participate whether they gave a little, a lot or none at all. There really is a triple blessing potential here. First, everyone, every family, every connection group can participate in purchasing chairs that will be used in worship for years to come. It is not about the amount, it is about participation…being a part of a beautiful celebration. Second, we have an offer of matching funds. If we raise the funds for 200, 300 or for all 430 chairs, an equal amount has been pledged to the overall renovation project. We receive blessing on top of blessing. Third, whatever amount we give toward the purchase of chairs is the amount we can keep in savings for a rainy day…and those days surely come. We have over the past 2 years, replaced multiple roofs, and entire boiler system and cooling tower and have paid over $7,000 for plumbing issues. Old buildings require ongoing repairs. We are blessed to be able to pay for this project…however the Lord sees fit to provide. God is good all the time and all the time God is good.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom

ONE WEEK DOWN, FOUR TO GO

We have successfully had our first week of worship in the Fellowship Hall. Interestingly enough, several who were present remembered when JIBC first had our worship services in the Fellowship Hall. The 8:30 service had around 85 in attendance. Wow! Great job. Thanks to all who made the shift to the early service. We could still use around 25 more to attend at 8:30. The 11:00 service had around 140 or so in attendance. That was full but not packed like sardines. We will add more chairs for this coming week and have a few more attending the 8:30 service. It’s all good. Our thanks to all who are going the extra mile to make this change possible. If I could make a request for some of our home folks it would be this: if you are able, please sit toward the front and toward the middle. We have quite a few guests who come in right at 11:00 or just after. While we are standing and singing, it is difficult to see available seats. Not everyone can sit forward and to the middle…we understand. No problem. We want you to sit where you are comfortable. If you can, it will be a big help.

RENOVATION UPDATE

We are now well under way in the sanctuary renovation. This past week saw quite a bit of activity. First, the painting prep work of sanding and caulking is going full steam ahead. We are replacing the “popcorn” ceiling with sheetrock. As I am typing this, they are finishing that part of the project. They will begin taping, mudding and sanding this week. We are working to enlarge the two restrooms in the front of the church. That will be a much welcomed change from the formerly very small restrooms. Work has begun on the booth for our audio/visual team as well as new risers for the balcony to improve the sight line. So, right now it looks like what it is…a construction zone. All the construction and visual type people who have eyes to see what is not are positively moved by what they can “see”. Right now, I just remember this is what it looked like last time…and it turned out beautiful then too!

NOW, LET’S TALK ABOUT THOSE CHAIRS

On a $200,000 renovation project, we have around $150,000 already in hand for this project. We are so blessed by God to have the rest in savings and can pay for this project without going in debt. Several of our leaders felt like the church members and friends would like to give toward the project. The idea was to be a part of the project, to have heart and hand, in the renovation. It was a very doable idea to ask the church to give toward the purchase of the chairs. Here is the reality: whatever monies we do not use from our savings can then be used for other needs. So, if we give $20,000 toward the purchase of chairs, we actually keep that amount in savings to use for air conditioning repairs, emergency repairs, unseen opportunities, etc. Really…the goal was to give everyone an opportunity to participate. The idea got a little better when it was suggested that every Connection Group be challenged to have 100% participation. Simple: having every member of every Connection Group give toward the purchase of chairs. The focus was not on the amount given. It could be $5, $50, $500 or $5,000. Participation, not amount, was the goal. A good idea got even better when an offer was made to give matching funds. So, if the entire amount was given for chairs, that amount would be match ed andgiven toward the project. Don’t over think this or make it complicated. Rejoice, God is good all the time and all the time, God is good.


See you Sunday, good Lord willing,


Pastor Tom

HERE WE GO!

This past Sunday we began the renovation of the worship center.

Volunteers from our church family and friends joined volunteers from the church family in St. Stephens. We moved out all of the church pews and they were loaded onto the trucks…just seconds before the rains came down. Perfect timing of the Lord. The joy of the men that helped us move them was tremendous. A terrible storm had destroyed their church and the donation of pews will go a long way in helping them to rebuild. They were scheduled to get the lights on Tuesday, August 4. The pews were a donation from JIBC. Their church made a $3,000 donation for the lights. Winner, winner, chicken dinner. Sorry, but that was fantastic compared to the price we were quoted for used church lights. Now, keep your ears open. We are trying to set a date when our two church families could join together in St. Stephens for a praise service. Oh, what a joy that will be! 

Today, we have the painters who are sanding and caulking. They are doing all the prep work to prepare for the last stage…painting. It is a busy bee hive in there. Lights have come down, the old stained and wrinkled carpet is up and wonderful progress is being made. Please pray for all of the workers that they will be safe and blessed in their work here at JIBC.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BUY A CHAIR? Here is the fabulous news about the chairs. Each chair cost around $50, not including shipping, handling, taxes, etc. We need about 420 chairs. We have had an offer of matching funds for the chairs. If the JIBC family gives the funds to buy 200 chairs, the donor will match that amount. If we raise funds for all 420 chairs, the donor will still match that amount in a gift to the renovation! God is good all the time and all the time God is good. Let’s see if we can match the blessing of this gift. We are asking each Connection Group to have 100% participation in buying chairs. The friendly competition is not about which Connection Group has the largest amount given, but rather who has the greatest participation. What an opportunity.

By the way, can you guess what the number one question is about the chairs? It is not what color. The number one question is how big are they? So, let me put it this way. They are the largest that the church industry makes. The only thing larger would be love seats! They are back supporting, bottom comforting, interlocking with a place for hymnals and other items. We believe they are the best in the church chair industry. I can preach for hours before you will get uncomfortable…ok, that was a little over the top.

See you Sunday, good Lord willing,

Pastor Tom