Our goal is $650,00 (or more) and our challenge is to secure the commitments for these funds in 2 months - May/June - this Spring
In the grace of God, it is undeniable that we are once again in a season of steady growth and renewal. God's work continues among us. Women and men, young and old, are stepping into our doors, experiencing something of the goodness of God, and being drawn into the life of Jesus. All the while, our building continually calls out for its own renewal!
In John 6 the story of the 5 loaves & 2 fish has captured our imaginations that Jesus can do far more than we'd expect when His people bring whatever we have to the table.
In honor of those who sacrificed to get us here, and for the sake of another generation encountering Jesus under this roof, it is time to come together in faith, and we hope you will enter into this with us!
The shocking truth is, our sound system is original - as in, the same system that was purchased and installed in 1991... 33 years ago! Here and there, some aspect of it has failed and our resource team has patched it with a hand-me-down from friends at other churches. But we feel it continually, with old and misplaced speakers that blast the front side rows for the sake of the whole room, or connections that repeatedly fail, sometimes in the middle of the service! We're at a breaking point, and for the sake of our core Sunday ministry, as well as all of our internal and external user groups, the urgency of replacing our system is now undeniable.
We are going to invest in a whole new soundboard, system, and speakers and all the other elements of a professional installation. Not only will this improve the quality and clarity of the sound in the whole room, but it means we can actually lower the volume because the system will be designed for our space and needs while also integrating more effectively with our live-stream broadcast. This also means a simpler, more reliable system that will allow a broader group of trained users, and will appeal to specialty productions for both rental groups and in-house events.
It's easy to take for granted the basics like a roof, gutters, and soffits. But our staff, ministry leaders, and Wiseways team understand how important it is to have the basics buttoned up! Over these last few years we have first-hand experience dealing with water damage and even floods, partially due to an aging roof and damaged gutters. These events hijack staff time, derail ministries' effectiveness and steal funds from other needed projects. Lambrick has a complex roof structure, with six different sections, four of which need replacement, along with soffits and gutters that need renewal. Rain and stormy weather are part of Island life, and regularly put these areas to the test, so addressing problems early lessens the chance of another unexpected, unbudgeted, expensive cleanup and repair. It's time to be proactive in securing our building from the elements.
Four flat roofs - 1) Cafe Commons & Hall, 2) Cafe Kitchenette, 3) Offices with skylights, and 4) Main Commons - as well as a sloped roof over the Cafe that needs new shingles. In addition, some gutters and soffits need replacing, along with some stucco repair, and new fascia along the front of the building.
Soup and Bun Lunch. Young Adult Lunches. Youth Leader Dinners. Wedding Banquets. Funeral Teas. And those are just the obvious events that we all know and love. Our kitchen gets so much use, and for good reason.
Considering the kitchen was built as part of the original ('74) construction, it's not a bad size. Its had a few moderate additions over the years, but as everyone knows, it is outdated and inefficient and really hard to keep clean! As a result, we have often had to forego certain special events, ministry opportunities, and even rental requests.
In its current state, our kitchen has a major impact on our ability to host larger events that generate revenue for our annual operations and broaden our connection with the Gordon Head community. A renewed kitchen would create new opportunities for congregational gatherings, and open the door for external ministries and community organizations to utilize and enjoy our space.
To be clear, given the size of the space, this budget will not accommodate a completely new industrial kitchen; however, with careful planning, we can provide significant upgrades for a kitchen anyone would be excited to work in! We'll create a more functional and accessible kitchen, with well-planned storage and workspaces to better support the broad spectrum of people and groups who enjoy working there together.
With a growing roster of everyday ministries in our building, plus Wiseways Childcare Centre, and many community users and rentals, the safety and accessibility of our property and facility are critical. With this, we're very aware that key efficiency upgrades will cut energy consumption and lower ongoing costs in the long run. This is just good stewardship all around. In recent years we have identified several of these types of projects; things like new lights in the auditorium, and new furnaces quickly paid for themselves through energy savings. Who doesn't want to spend less on utilities? We'd like to tackle a few more projects on this list.
Sidewalks. Lighting. Fixtures. These will be among our main areas of focus. There are a number of noticeable sidewalk repairs that need attention, and we'd love to add an exterior accessibility ramp to the cafe to better accommodate those with mobility challenges. Improving lights and plumbing fixtures means avoiding risks that come with old electrical and plumbing, and improving safety and accessibility creates all-around more welcoming spaces. There are strong financial incentives to lighting upgrades, new water fixtures and toilets, and replacing or repairing windows and doors for greater air efficiency.
This online pledge card is an expression of your commitment through the coming 3 years and gives us a sense of how can to plan to complete these projects.
Please contact giving@lambrick.com with any questions.