Frequently Asked Questions

Growing God’s

Table

Rocky River Presbyterian Church 2013 Capital Campaign

~ Vision & Usage ~ 1. What is the purpose of this building? This building will provide much-needed space for fellowship, meetings, and study. It will help us reach out to the community and expand our mission outreach. It will also provide a more comfortable and accessible facility for all our members. 2. Will we still use the existing educational building? Will it be upgraded? The existing building will continue to be used. Renovations to the current building are not part of this campaign but, hopefully, will follow soon. 3. Will the preschool be moved into the new building? The preschool will remain in the current building for now. 4. What new programs/missions will this building enable? There are many possibilities such as:

(1) Providing meals for the homeless (4) Hosting larger gatherings such as Presbytery (2) Shelter for families affected by storm, fire, etc. (5) Workshops or training sessions (3) Clothing or food pantry (6) Exercise classes

5. How will this building help our congregation? People with limited mobility are not able to access all parts of the educational building. The elevator will solve that problem. The restroom facilities will be much better than we currently have. We will have more space within the two buildings to allow for classrooms and offices. We will have a fellowship hall that can accommodate the entire congregation and an updated kitchen. 6. Do we really have enough membership/usage to justify such a building? Yes.

~ Building Specifications ~

1. Do the plans reflect the current desires of the congregation? Yes. In 2008, a committee surveyed the congregation and reported on the facility needs. Meetings were also held in 2012 to gather information from the congregation concerning needs and wishes. The findings were used in planning the new building. 2. What is the size of the new building? Overall it adds 19,500 square feet or approximately 6500 square feet per floor. 3. What are the start and finish dates? The start date has not been determined. Once started, it is projected to take about nine months to complete. 4. Where will the building be located? It will be on the right side of the current educational building, opposite from the sanctuary. 5. Why was this location chosen? Every effort was made to make the design pleasing while meeting code requirements. Other than the grove, this was the only suitable location.

6. What will the new fellowship hall be like? Located on the main floor, it will be a large rectangular room with no columns. It will have a high ceiling and will be approximately three times larger than our current fellowship hall, seating 192 comfortably at round tables. The kitchen will be located through the back of the fellowship hall and will include a serving window. 7. Will the new building have adequate facilities for nursery and young children? Classrooms will be located on the top floor. Refurbishment of the current building or finishing the new basement could allow for rooms designed specifically for younger children. 8. Will the new building be wired for technology? Provisions for future wiring needs have been included. 9. Should the new building be larger than currently planned in order to allow for future needs? Due to constraints, the building is as large as possible. It gives us plenty of new, useful space as we move forward in our faithful life. The unfinished basement also allows room for projected growth. 10. Can we scale back the size of the building to save money? We are currently struggling to find space for classes and offices, and we cannot all fit in the fellowship hall. The committee has already scaled the building down as far as they can while still meeting our needs. This design gives us the room for classrooms, meeting places, and restrooms on all levels, as well as providing accessibility for all members. 11. Will there be sufficient parking? The parking will match the seating capacity of the sanctuary – approximately 400 (which meets county code and our projected growth). 12. Will there be adequate office space in the new building? Final design decisions need to be made, but between the new and existing buildings there is adequate space. 13. Is our storage problem addressed? Yes, there is designated storage space on each floor. The elevator, which is 5’x6’, can be used to move furniture to other areas if necessary. 14. Will the kitchen be larger? Although the cooking area is basically the same size as our current kitchen, we have added dishwashing and pantry areas. This frees up a lot more space in the kitchen. 15. Will there be some type of covered entryway? There will be a covered entrance on the side, but not a drive-through. 16. How will the new building provide more accessibility for our members? The connector between the existing and new building will include stairs and an elevator. This will enable all levels of both buildings to be fully accessible by all members. 17. Will our restroom situation be improved? Greatly! Each floor will have multiple-stall restrooms in the connector. 18. Will the preschool be able to operate during the building process? Yes.

19. What will the basement be like? The basement is being left unfinished for now, but with all the basics such as heating/ac, lighting, electricity, and a polished concrete floor. There will not be interior walls yet. The restrooms on the basement level will be fully finished. It is a walk-out basement, ready for whatever options we choose in the future. 20. What kind of construction will be used in the building? It will be steel construction with sheetrock on the inside. The exterior will be brick, and has been designed to match our current facilities as much as possible. 21. Will we have to pave the parking lot? No. 22. How does the new building’s size compare to the existing educational building? It is roughly the same size and scale. The committee deliberately had the new building set back further than the sanctuary so that it would not appear more important. 23. Will furnishings be included in the overall cost? Commercial-grade kitchen appliances, the restroom fixtures, and the tables and chairs for the fellowship hall are included in the price. Other furnishings are not. 24. Will there be any provisions for the music department/library/history room? There is space that could be designated for each.

~ Capital Campaign ~

1. Why are we calling this “Growing God’s Table”? While we certainly want to raise enough money to finance this new building, our goal goes much further. We hope to increase our faith, fellowship, and service to the world through this campaign. The new facility will enable us to gather around the table in fellowship as well as expand our opportunities for service and growth. 2. How much money do we need? Estimated cost of the building project is $2.4 million. 3. How much money do we have? Approximately $1.32 million. 4. How will we make up the difference if we don’t raise enough? The Session is carefully exploring our options which could include a low-interest loan if needed. 5. If a loan is needed, how much debt can the church safely borrow? The capital campaign and commitments should reduce the gap to an amount well within the capacity of the church to repay. Every effort is being made to ensure that we are protecting the financial stability of the church. 6. How will the money be used? We will build a three-story building with classrooms on the top floor, the fellowship hall and kitchen on the main floor, and a ready-to-finish basement. There will be an area connecting the two buildings that will include stairs, an elevator, and restrooms.

7. How does the current economy affect this project? Our congregation is a vital and growing people of faith. Our need for this new facility is felt more each day. We have been blessed with gifts to our building fund that have given us a very solid foundation to begin this project. Additionally, interest rates, construction materials and building costs are currently low. We have confidence that this is the right time to get started, and believe God will bless our efforts. 8. Why are you asking members to pledge to this project? Pledging shows commitment and faith as well as providing a means for responsible financial planning for the church. 9. What happens if my circumstances change, and I cannot pay my pledge? The pledge is an estimate of what you believe you can give. It can be adjusted either up or down as needed. We hope you will let the church know if your pledge needs to change so that we can plan accordingly. 10. Will we wait until all the money is in before starting the building? No, we will wait until the commitments are in and final financial plans are in place. 11. How long will the capital campaign last? 3 years 12. Why are we utilizing a consultant to help with the campaign? This is a large and very important undertaking. The Session felt we needed the guidance of someone who has successfully led other churches through this process. 13. Will the church be able to handle the increased maintenance/operational expenses of this addition? Yes. We also feel that as our mission and outreach grow, so will our stewardship. 14. Is my pledge in addition to my normal giving? Yes. It is very important that it not take the place of your normal stewardship. 15. Is there a “right” amount to pledge? The right amount is the amount you have reached based on your circumstances and with prayerful consideration. It will be different for each member. 16. Will my pledge/gift be confidential? Yes. 17. Will my gift be tax-deductible? Yes. 18. What happens if we raise more than the required amount? Additional funds will enable us to complete the furnishings for the new building as well as consider renovations for the existing building. 19. Does the Session feel comfortable going ahead with this campaign? Yes. We have discussed at length whether the time is right and whether we feel led by God. We feel this is the right thing to do now. 20. Who is leading the capital campaign? The campaign chairs are Lindy Linenberger and Joe Novobilski. Along with those chairs are many other church members who volunteered to lead and serve on various committees.