Church Building Expansion Plan Question & Answer
Q: What is CBET?
A: CBET stands for Church Building Expansion Team. This is a team commissioned by BOE to perform the following mission;
- Remodel the recently acquired property next door so that it can be used for church ministry as soon as possible.
- Study the potential of church property next door and come up with an overall church building expansion plan to meet current and future church facility needs.
- Organize several working groups to execute the plan once the plan is approved by BOE and congregation.
Q: Our Church already has a very large sanctuary, a nice chapel and a lot of classrooms. Why do we need another building expansion plan?
A: Yes. We have a large sanctuary, a nice chapel and many classrooms. But, according to our recent study, we still urgently need many more rooms for Awana program, adult Sunday school, nursery ministry, children program, Youth activity, fellowship meetings and college ministry. We also need more parking spaces. More importantly, if we want to promote community outreach and spread gospel to our neighbors we need an indoor gym and an outreach activity center to attract seekers. Church did not have any significant building expansion in the past 23 years. Many church ministries are limited by the church facilities.
Q: How much does this expansion plan costs?
A: Based on the master plan that CBET recommended to the BOE, the estimated total cost will be around 6.2 million.
Q: That’s a lot of money. How can we afford it?
A: Church can raise the fund by member one time donation to the building expansion project and issuing church bond. According to the fundraising plan that CBET recommended to the BOE, if church members can donate total of $1,000,000 for the project, church issues total of $5,000,000 1 to 15 years church bond plus $200,000 building fund that church expected to receive by the end of June, 2012 then church will have 6.2 million for the building expansion project.
Q: Wow, $1,000,000 is a lot of money. Do you think church members have that much money to donate to the project?
A: $1,000,000 sounds like a lot of money. But let’s assume that church has total of 400 units (single or family) regularly donate to the church. If, in average, each unit can donate $2,500 or $210 per month for 12 months then we’ll have total $1,000,000 within a year.
Q: $5 Million church bond is a lot of church bond to sell. How can church members come up with so much money to buy all these bonds?
A: $5 million is a lot of money. But, again, if church has 400 units regularly donate to the church and if, in average, each unit can purchase $12,500 church bond then church can sell all church bonds. Church member can use the money in their retirement account to purchase church bond. Boston Metro-West Bible Church issued $1.4 million church bonds a few years ago. They have about 50 units regularly donate to the church and they sold all the bonds within a month.
Q: How can church pay back the money borrowed through church bond program?
A: Assume that the church issues the same kind of church bond with the same interest rate that Boston Metro-West Bible Church provided then each month church will pay the bond company about $31,611 for the next 15 years to pay back the money borrowed through church bond program.
Q: $31,611 monthly payment is a lot of money to pay each month. How can church afford that?
A: Yes, it’s a lot of money to pay each month. But, again, if church has 400 units regularly donate to the church then if, in average, each unit is willing to donate $94 more each month, the monthly payment of $37,632 will be covered. Church issued church bond 20 years ago for the building project that built our current church building. At that time Church paid $20,120 each month for 15 years to pay back the money borrowed through church bond program. Church has done it before with fewer members. Church should be able to do it again.
Q: What do we get after the building expansion project is completed?
A: According to the master plan that CBET recommended to the BOE, we’ll have total of 18 additional rooms for church ministries, 150 additional seats in the sanctuary, a new church entrance with large lobby/fellowship hall, a full size indoor gym, a 8 rooms outreach activity center and 153 additional parking spaces.
Q: How long it will take to complete this building expansion project?
A: It will take about 2 years to do detail design, town approval, contractor search, and fundraising for Phase I construction. After all that, it will take another 2 to 3 years to do the Phase II and Phase III construction.
Q: Has the team considered the possibility of expanding the existing Chapel for English Ministry Sunday Services and other ministries' needs instead of building a new one?
A: The CBE design team had studied the possibility of expanding/renovating the current existing chapel for English Congregation Sunday service. However, expanding/renovating the existing chapel does not help the current congestion problem between Chinese Sunday worship and English Sunday worship and the congestion on the parking situation between Chinese worship and English worship. Besides, currently the existing chapel is used for Chinese Sunday worship over flow area and Chinese adult Sunday school class room. If English congregation Sunday service moved to the existing chapel then it will impact Chinese Adult Sunday school class room situation. The best solution is still to add a new chapel for English Sunday worship service so that the Chinese Sunday worship service will have the potential of providing two services in the morning and double the Sunday worship capacity.