2
Dear Gethsemane Members:
During the last two and one
-
half years many hours have been given by generous
church people in accessing the needs of Gethsemane to move into the future
and remain a vital source for God's work in this world. We are now ready to
share the plan that will meet our needs for the years ahead. This plan focuses
on maintaining the facilities with much needed repairs and adding more viable
space and aesthetic aspects that will modernize and update our facility.
In many ways the church should always remain the same. Such as the call to
mission, a place to hear the word of God, a place to share in the acceptance of
people who love you and care for you in Christ's name. There is no doubt Geth-
semane does that and does it well.
This community is changing. People are changing. When looking for a church
not only are individuals looking for the things mentioned Gethsemane is doing
well, they are also looking for a place that is physically comfortable, safe and
attractive.
It is believed by the Administrative Council the financial cost is within the reach
of Gethsemane and the work to be done will allow for the long term viability of
the church and its ministries.
On October 4, at both services, we invite you share in the unveiling of the plan.
Immediately following the first and second services on October 4 and October
18 there will be detailed informational sessions to become better acquainted
with the project and allow for questions. Please plan to attend one of these
sessions. If you are unable to attend, please contact the office and every effort
will be made to provide you with the information.
Mark your calendar as on November 1, following one service at 10:15am, there
will be a congregational meeting and vote by Gethsemane UMC members as to
the direction Gethsemane will take.
The future of Gethsemane is in your hands.
3. New Addition
†Relocation of the administrative ofïŹce to the entrance of the
church. This will provide a safer work environment by knowing
who is entering and leaving the church. This will also be more
welcoming to members and guests entering the church
†Pastorâs ofïŹce will be moved to the new addition with an
attached conference room. This will provide a better work space
for our Pastor while also offering better access to the sanctuary.
†This addition will also free up more classroom space and allow
us to move the choir room to the current pastorâs ofïŹce area.
6. Sanctuary improvements
†We will begin with insulating the concrete block walls and ceiling. This
insulation will provide a much more energy efïŹcient church. We have been
working with Focus on Energy to apply for available grants to help offset costs
†New front wall and stained glass window. The window is the one part of the
project that changes both the interior and exterior of the church. This window
will set our church apart from others in the area.
†A new color scheme and lighting in the sanctuary will provide a more modern
feel and welcoming atmosphere.
†Audio and visual equipment will be added in the sanctuary to provide access
to use the church in new ways. This will also assist those who may have
difïŹculty reading hymns and other messages.
9. Narthex
†In the Narthex we will begin with installing a
beautiful stained glass window which will allow for a
much brighter space within the church
†We will also be adding a new drop ceiling with
improved lighting
†Updating the ïŹreplace and color scheme create a
welcoming environment upon entering the church
11. Upper Fellowship Hall
†The upper fellowship hall will be changed to create a larger area for those
using the church. Removing the current choir room and storage closets
will remove the bottle neck created during our fellowship after service.
†A serving station/coffee bar will be added in the south side of the room.
This will move trafïŹc ïŹow away from the Narthex and into the room
during times the room is in use. This serving area will have a
refrigerator, sink, and dishwasher
†Our goal is to create a space that can be used for post-service fellowship
as well as other events. This space will be able to host almost every event
we have at the church, this will allow for an easier time for those that
have trouble negotiating the stairs.
12. Downstairs
†The lower fellowship hall will be changed to provide a dedicated
entrance, removing the current set up of multiple doors. This will
allow for the addition of another classroom/meeting space in the
area currently used by the Sunday school program. A drop ceiling
will be installed throughout the downstairs to encase the asbestos
based pipes in the ceiling.
†In the hallway and classroom area the piping will be boxed in with
drywall and painted
†The entire downstairs area will receive updated paint and lighting to
ïŹow with the changes that are being made in the rest of the church
13. Fire Sprinkler System
†We felt it was important to add a ïŹre sprinkler system to the entire church for a
number of reasons.
†We have been grandfathered in with the current ïŹre code.
†By adding a sprinkler system to the church we were able to remove the
current ïŹre doors installed and open up areas like the upper fellowship hall.
†Our church was restricted from offering programs like daycare and senior
activities because we did not have ïŹre suppression.
†We can expect better insurance rates in the future due to the addition of the
sprinkler system
†It was the right thing to do for to safety of our members and guests.
14. The process
†The planning for this renovation has been taking place for a number of years. As we would
address one area of concern another area would arise. In the end the decision was made to do a
complete renovation that would set our church up for success for years to come.
†During this process it was discussed many times that it would be much easier to sell the existing
church and land and relocate to build a new church from scratch. Our group felt it was very
important to preserve the legacy that was established by those who came before us and that this
church was worth renovating.
†We tried our best to take into account the needs of everyone in the church. One area that we had
a number of discussions was the addition of an elevator. The elevator would not ïŹt within our
current ïŹoor plan without major adjustments being made. In the end we felt it was better to
update the upper fellowship hall to accommodate more functions without the need to go between
the two areas.
†Ultimately we feel we have come up with a plan that will serve our church, our mission, and our
community for the next 25-30 years getting us to our 200th anniversary in the Pewaukee area.
15. 01
Project
Breakdown
†Total project cost 1,150,000.00
†Conference requires 1/3 in cash, 1/3 in pledges,
and up to 1/3 in a loan
†Cash of $383,000 we currently have
†Pledge of $383,000 over a 3 year period
†Mortgage of $383,000 through the United Methodist
Foundation
†Mortgage amount would be higher at ïŹrst until all
the pledges come in over the 3 year time frame
†The ïŹnal mortgage payment would be around
$2,300 per month based on a current rate of 4%
ïŹxed for 5 years on a 20 year amortization. This is
about $1,300 higher than our previous mortgage
payment, but is affordable based on our current
ïŹnancial trends
16. 01
History of prior
building
projects
†In 2007 we completed a renovation project
valued at $465,000
†We received $225,000 in cash and pledges
from 2007-2009
†The starting mortgage loan balance of
$240,000 was fully paid within 8 years
†We are currently debt free and ïŹnancially
healthy
17. Project Breakdown
†Sanctuary front wall replacement including stained glass window
$285,000
†Drive way and parking lot replacement including new exterior
lighting $155,000
†Sprinkler system installation $160,000
†New addition with ofïŹces $150,000
†Audio visual equipment $25,000
†Infrastructure updates, maintenance, and repairs $345,000
18. 01
Considerations when
asked to make your
pledge
†We are off to a very strong start with our current
cash position. Much better than when we
started the previous project
†We are asking for a three year pledge
commitment but our preference is to receive as
much as possible earlier in the process, in order
to minimize the initial loan amount
†Building project pledges are over and above
normal annual pledges. We still need to be able
to pay the normal monthly bills
†Each member should prayerfully consider how
much they can give
†To put what is needed into perspective we need
100 members to pledge $4,000 each over a three
year period