Ventura Church of Christ

Exploratory Building Committee

Main purpose – to give the elders a detailed report; after exploring all expressed suggestions for a new building or for renovations to existing building.

Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed – Proverbs 15:22

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you and a future.” - Jeremiah29:11

HOW WE GOT THE COMMITTEE

In May 2004, elders of the Ventura Church of Christ began looking at needed repairs and improvements to the current infrastructure, including the buildings and parking lot. By June 2004, deteriorating conditions required spending $29,000 for a new roof on the education building. By August, it was apparent other repairs were drastically needed and would run at least $67,000, with actual costs likely to run well over $100,000.

In September 2004, a proposal was presented to the elders to form an exploratory building committee consisting of Ventura members, to review and assess options, determine the costs and report their findings. A charter was approved, and the group started conducting scheduled open meetings in October 2004. The group held 16 meetings, with the average meeting lasting about 1.5 hours.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Tyler Yager, vice chairman Karl McDonald, recorder

Scott Ball Marty Davis Joe Flynt Ivan Lesley

Kathie Michaud Sean Michaud Phillip Mullins Nolan Weir

PROCEEDURE

The committee requested and got input from all areas of ministry here at Ventura. Those inputs led us to compile a list of 43 separate objectives, ranging from more rest rooms to a larger fellowship area. These objectives would later be used to help grade each potential proposal.

Some of these objectives were very unique for a church. For example, we have budgeted money to have a baptistery capable of serving anyone in a wheel chair. In addition, the kitchen will focus more on warming food than cooking a meal from scratch, to better accommodate the nurture group luncheons.

Other items were considered for practical value, such as using durable, washable materials for the walls.

The most important objectives were to improve the morale of the congregation and come up with a building that could be used as a tool to spread the Gospel.

Complete List of Future Building Objectives

Improve the morale of congregation
Refocus on main mission
Expand number of classrooms
Expand fellowship room size
Expand seating capacity
Expand renovate parking lot
Expand nursery
Expand kitchen size and capacity (appliances)
Renovate water supply
Make it affordable
Build in safety
Improve security of resources
Build more restrooms
Use exterior to attract visitors
Update signage
Expand offices
Improve A/V, phone, and PC capabilities
Larger pantry
Use contemporary décor
Improve energy usage (central lights and thermostats)
Expand teacher’s room
Secure vehicle storage
Maintenance and cleaning storage
Keep expansion options open
Sound deadening for rooms
Durable facility
Insect control
Parent’s training room
Fenced in playground
Ask TX Dot about lighting for safer entry and exit to building
Well light driveway
Lawn maintenance storage
Clothing storage
Professional landscaping
Children’s toilets
2 to 1 ratio of women’s toilets to men’s toilets.
Kitchen and restroom expansion options.
Color changes.
Washable walls for the classrooms.
Insulated walls and doors for privacy.
Conference room and integrated library.
Washer/Dryer and room.
Covered access.
ADA accommodated baptistery

Building Renovation and Relocation Options

After compiling the objectives, the committee came up with five options for consideration.

1. Build new facility on existing land; use none of existing facilities; remove old buildings

2. Build new facility on existing land; use some of old facilities and remove others

3. Build supplemental classrooms, offices and storage and use all existing facilities AND

Renovate existing facilities OR
Do bare minimum repairs on existing facilities

4. Sell all land and buildings currently owned AND

Buy land nearby (3-6 acres) and build to suit OR
Buy existing facility, renovate to suit OR
Rent existing facility (school, government, private, etc.) and build (items a or b)

5. Renovate existing facilities as little as possible to meet bare minimum needs

FINDINGS OF THE COMMITTEE

During our research and planning, we realized two of the options were so close to not warrant a separate vote on each one. Of the three final options, one was voted unanimously as the most favorable.

The final options involved the following:

Selling the current property and buying an existing structure.

The empty Albertson’s store was examined, and the final cost to the congregation would be $1,850,000. This option met all of our objectives, but was voted our third choice.

Renovating existing facilities

Renovating the current buildings including the mold in the education building due to the extensive water leaks, which, according to the insurance adjuster, were caused by years of condensation buildup as well as the water leaks we experienced during the problems with the roof. This option would cost approximately $516,000. This option did not meet several of the objectives and was rated second of the three by the committee.

Sell all land and buildings and build to suit

The option selected to recommend is to sell the existing land, expecting to net $1,700,000. We would then buy a new parcel of land, and build a new building, parking lot and other items needed for a place of worship. After all costs were totaled, this would cost just over $1.5 million, leaving us with a surplus of about $160,000. Because this option met our objectives and provided a surplus, it was voted our first choice.

CONCLUSION

The committee votes were unanimous to sell the existing land and buildings and build to suit.

The recommendation was presented to the deacons, and their vote was unanimous in agreement with the committee.

The recommendation was presented to the congregation, and their vote was unanimous in agreement with the committee.

REFLECTION FOR THE CONGREGATION

Remember that this building has been a blessing to this congregation. The body of Christ has worshipped here for more than 30 years. We’ve had weddings, funerals, baptisms, dinners, classes and parties, all here within these walls.

God is blessing us once again. If Wal-Mart had built their store as little as a mile away in either direction, this property wouldn’t be worth as much as it is now. We would still have a very deteriorated and deteriorating building, but we would not have the option of selling it for enough money to build another one.

We have Biblical examples of how God wants his people to deal with blessings:

After asking for deliverance, God gave the children of Israel what they asked by sending them Moses. But they never saw the Promised Land because they mumbled, grumbled and stumbled. In Numbers 32, we see that God took his blessing away from them and gave it to their children.

The one-talent man in Matthew 25 did nothing with what he had been given, out of fear. He lost that talent, and it was given to someone who had proven he knew how to use it.

On the other hand, we have the example of the two-talent and five-talent men. They took what they had been given, and used it to make more.

In Acts 8, the church was under a great persecution. However, the faith of those Christians led them to teach the Gospel wherever they went as they fled this oppression, and they turned it into a great victory for Christ and his church.

Pray and seriously consider this opportunity that God has given to us as we work toward our concerted goal.