Press Release for Oak Grove United Methodist Church, Roxboro, NC
Today the Oak Grove United Methodist Church of Roxboro, North Carolina voted unanimously to begin their Strategic Master Planning for the addition of new facilities. Plans call for renovation of the present sanctuary and new construction to include a fellowship hall with educational space. They will also be developing a columbarium to be added to their present cemetery.
Oak Grove UMC is a historic church having been established in 1820. Throughout its history it has been known for the family atmosphere of the warm and welcoming congregation. Presently Reverend Diane LeBlanc is the pastor. Since coming to Oak Grove UMC, she has been instrumental in expanding both the children’s and youth ministries.
Pastor LeBlanc, whose birthday was celebrated today also, said, “This is the most exciting time in our history. This expansion will allow us to continue the growth that we have been experiencing as we minister to the community.”
Kevin C. Goins , senior partner of Trinity Design Group is the architect for the project based out of Nashville Tennessee. Construction is slated to begin late in 2009 or early 2010. The plans will develop new fellowship space with classrooms to provide for the increasing needs of both the children and youth of the community. A new kitchen will also be developed allowing the church to provide ministry to various groups as they use the church’s facilities. The music ministry, which is also expanding, will receive renovated space as well.
How do I make sure my construction project matches my budget?
One of the most common mistakes that churches make is designing facilities that they cannot afford. This typically happens because the church hires an architect and counts on the architect to design a facility that matches their budget. Unfortunately, architects do not have the expertise to accurately determine what a project will cost. Very often the result is a project that is well above what the church can afford. The church can avoid this issue if they have a team, rather than just the architect, working for them. The team should first develop a plan that takes into consideration the church’s vision, needs and resources, insuring that the design will fit into their long-term plans; that it will meet both current and future needs; and it fits within the resources they have available to pay for the project.
Another common reason that construction projects go over budget is the approach that churches take to getting their facilities built. The traditional approaches used for residential or commercial construction are usually not the best approach for churches. There are unique factors (church personality; structure; etc.), challenges (decision by committee; multiple sources of funding; etc.) and opportunities (tax exemption; volunteer labor; etc.) with church projects and the traditional approaches to construction do not adequately address them. As different factors and challenges arise, frustration can set in due to the lack of appropriate systems and procedures to address them. These issues almost always result in additional costs to the church. The lack of appropriate systems and procedures also prevent the church from taking advantage of opportunities to save money and reduce costs. The result is that nearly 80% of construction projects go over budget by an average of nearly 30%.
This experience can be devastating to a church. The typical church has raised all the money they can raise and borrowed all the money they can borrow to meet the construction budget. For the construction costs to increase by 30% during the execution of the project is beyond what the church is capable of doing. The project is either put on hold and goes unfinished or the church gets over committed financially and puts the church in a very risky position. The fallout over this experience can be very difficult for the church to overcome. This experience is why many pastors who led their church into a construction project end up leaving shortly after the project is completed.
So how do you keep a project from going over budget? First, follow the design process recommended earlier. Secondly, work with a builder that has the systems in place to deal with the unique characteristics of a church construction project. The most effective way to do this is an open book approach that allows the church to sit at the table and be involved in the evaluation and decision making process. This should include the church and the builder in the design process where many of the critical decisions are made. It should also include the church in monthly meetings throughout the project where the budget, quality and schedule issues can be evaluated and monitored each step of the way.
Ideally, the builder agrees to a set fee and allows all of the savings that are accumulated during the process to go back to the church. With this team approach, with everyone working together to achieve a common goal, significant savings can be accomplished throughout the project. The result should be a project that is completed at or below budget, with a level of quality that meets or surpasses the church’s expectations, and is completed on schedule. If these three factors, budget, quality and schedule, are addressed successfully, the church will be well served and the vision of the church will be moved forward.
A church construction project should be an exciting time where another step in the vision of the church is being realized. It should be a time where everyone gets a renewed focus and a renewed excitement about what God is doing in and through the church. However, too many times the result is just the opposite. Disappointment, frustration, second guessing and placing blame for failure take the place of excitement and commitment. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. If the church will take the right approach and team with the right people, it can be the beginning or the next step in the fulfillment of God’s calling on the church.
When the phrase “Master Plan” is used there is a significant diversity of meanings and understandings associated with the term. For some, it is a simple straightforward process of laying out the site and identifying future buildings. For others, it is a long process of multiple interviews, extensive investigation and recommendations that culminate into a master plan. This process may be carried out by an architect/engineer or a consultant/ planner. There is also a significant variation in costs associated with this process, ranging from a few thousand dollars to tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
So how do you determine the appropriate approach to take? What process is worth the time and money that will be invested? There are some scriptural principles that we can use to help make that determination. As church leaders, we are very familiar with what scripture says about the importance of vision. One of the most quoted verses is “Without a vision, the people perish.” The vision that God has given to the local church is foundational to making good plans and decisions. All churches have a common purpose and mission, but the vision should be unique to a particular church with a particular personality and gifting, in a particular location with a particular culture that has particular needs. Any master planning process that does not take this into consideration will fail to serve the church’s needs.
It is important to understand that buildings are simply tools to be used by the church to carry out the vision that God has given them. This is why a master planning process led by an architect/engineer falls short. The focus is on buildings with only a cursory understanding of the vision of the church. It becomes a mechanical process of the architect creating a plan based upon codes requirements, site features, common practices, etc. These are all important issues that must be an integral part of a comprehensive master plan but it fails to give proper attention to the unique vision of the church. The best building design that money can buy that does not fit the church’s vision is worthless.
Another important scriptural principle is “counting the cost” up front. One of the most common mistakes that a church makes is hiring an architect or consultant; telling him everything they want in their building; spending tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in design fees; only to find out that they couldn’t afford the building if they had to. It is an exercise in futility to invest time and money into planning facilities that they could never afford to build. Scripture says that “there is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death”. This happens to many churches in the master planning process. They move forward with what seems to be a common sense approach, but run into all kinds of issues that create huge problems that can devastate the ministry and witness of the church.
So how do you avoid these dangers? How do you develop a game plan that does focus on the church’s vision; that does match the resources the church has available and still meets the church’s practical needs, both current and future? One more scriptural principle helps to answer this question. “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.” The key word in this principle is MANY. There is no one person who can adequately address all the needs and issues that should be addressed in a good comprehensive master plan. It requires a team of professionals, bringing their particular perspectives and expertise to the process. This is the only way to develop a comprehensive master plan that takes all issues into proper consideration.
An effective master planning process requires an experienced church planner that can help the church clarify and articulate their vision and an experienced church architect that can design facilities that effectively meet the needs dictated by the vision and an experienced church builder that can insure that what is being designed fits within the resources the church has available. This three member team, working with the church, can develop an effective, comprehensive master plan that fully reflects the church’s vision; that provides for effective and efficient facilities and fits within the budgetary constraints of the church.
This church is located in Smyrna, TN. With plans to begin construction in the Spring of 2010, this first phase project includes a worship center that will seat approximately 600. The church currently meets in a school. The site has been fully planned to include a future Sanctuary with a seating capacity of 1200. The architecture captures the vocabulary of its neighbors as requested by the church. This first phase worship center has been designed to be a family life center with a gym after the final sanctuary has been constructed.
Who should be involved in the master planning process?
Church structure and practice have a great deal to do with who is involved in the process. Sometimes denominational guidelines dictate the participants. The ideal is to have approximately eight to twelve people who represent the diversity of the congregation, along with the specific areas of ministry that are core to the church. The participants may be staff members, influencers in the church, people who have the vision and a passion to see the vision carried out. The participants do not necessarily need any type of design, building or finance experience, although it can sometimes be helpful, as long as their experience has not created a narrow view that prevents them from looking at things from a fresh perspective. Sometimes, participants who have some type of exposure to the industry can be a major road block.
Sometimes a church may want to conduct separate interviews for differing ministries of the church and possibly interview multiple church members. This can be helpful, especially if the leadership does not have a good feel for where their people are and what they are thinking or if they are not well represented by one of the team members. However, these separate interviews should never take the place of the collaborative process that takes place as the team discusses all areas of the church within the context of the overall vision of the church. This collaborative process helps to get everyone on the same page with a common vision and common priorities, rather than competing priorities and hurt feelings.
A church is rarely able to address all the facility issues and ministry needs at one time. Priorities must be established and some needs must be delayed until later phases of growth. If the team works together to establish those priorities and the church is well represented within the team, the church has a team of advocates that can promote unity and support within the various ministries and segments of people. This is absolutely crucial to the success and support of both current and future projects. If this unified vision is not established, winners and losers are created and turf battles ensue. A wonderful opportunity to create unity and excitement and a common vision is lost.
If the team does a good job of considering all aspects of the church’s ministry and develops a comprehensive game plan that addresses all needs and issues in either current or future phases, people will buy into the vision and get excited about seeing the vision carried out over time. When properly handled, the master planning process can be one of the single most important events in the life of the church. The leadership can become committed to carrying out a common vision and have the tools to communicate and to lead the congregation toward that same vision.
When the phrase “Master Plan” is used there is a significant diversity of meanings and understandings associated with the term. For some, it is a simple straightforward process of laying out the site and identifying future buildings. For others, it is a long process of multiple interviews, extensive investigation and recommendations that culminate into a master plan. This process may be carried out by an architect/engineer or a consultant/ planner. There is also a significant variation in costs associated with this process, ranging from a few thousand dollars to tens and even hundreds of thousands of dollars.
So how do you determine the appropriate approach to take? What process is worth the time and money that will be invested? There are some scriptural principles that we can use to help make that determination. As church leaders, we are very familiar with what scripture says about the importance of vision. One of the most quoted verses is “Without a vision, the people perish.” The vision that God has given to the local church is foundational to making good plans and decisions. All churches have a common purpose and mission, but the vision should be unique to a particular church with a particular personality and gifting, in a particular location with a particular culture that has particular needs. Any master planning process that does not take this into consideration will fail to serve the church’s needs.
It is important to understand that buildings are simply tools to be used by the church to carry out the vision that God has given them. This is why a master planning process led by an architect/engineer falls short. The focus is on buildings with only a cursory understanding of the vision of the church. It becomes a mechanical process of the architect creating a plan based upon codes requirements, site features, common practices, etc. These are all important issues that must be an integral part of a comprehensive master plan but it fails to give proper attention to the unique vision of the church. The best building design that money can buy that does not fit the church’s vision is worthless.
Another important scriptural principle is “counting the cost” up front. One of the most common mistakes that a church makes is hiring an architect or consultant; telling him everything they want in their building; spending tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars in design fees; only to find out that they couldn’t afford the building if they had to. It is an exercise in futility to invest time and money into planning facilities that they could never afford to build. Scripture says that “there is a way that seems right to a man but in the end it leads to death”. This happens to many churches in the master planning process. They move forward with what seems to be a common sense approach, but run into all kinds of issues that create huge problems that can devastate the ministry and witness of the church.
So how do you avoid these dangers? How do you develop a game plan that does focus on the church’s vision; that does match the resources the church has available and still meets the church’s practical needs, both current and future? One more scriptural principle helps to answer this question. “Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.” The key word in this principle is MANY. There is no one person who can adequately address all the needs and issues that should be addressed in a good comprehensive master plan. It requires a team of professionals, bringing their particular perspectives and expertise to the process. This is the only way to develop a comprehensive master plan that takes all issues into proper consideration.
An effective master planning process requires an experienced church planner that can help the church clarify and articulate their vision and an experienced church architect that can design facilities that effectively meet the needs dictated by the vision and an experienced church builder that can insure that what is being designed fits within the resources the church has available. This three member team, working with the church, can develop an effective, comprehensive master plan that fully reflects the church’s vision; that provides for effective and efficient facilities and fits within the budgetary constraints of the church.
There are a wide variety of processes used to develop master plans. Some processes may be carried out in a matter of days, while others can take a year or more. Some processes are structured and analytical, while others are much more intuitive and free flowing. Some processes involve large numbers of church members while others utilize the input of only a hand full of people. The type of professional that is selected to carryout the master planning process usually determines what the focus and mechanics of the process will be. So, it is very important for the church to understand the differences and make an educated decision as to what process works best for them.
Most master planning processes are led by architects. An architect is absolutely essential in developing an effective master plan. Their knowledge and expertise related to construction methods, aesthetics, building function, codes, etc is necessary in order to develop a master plan that can be successfully carried out. However, architects do not have the breadth of knowledge and expertise to address all the issues that should be addressed in a comprehensive master plan. The church’s vision and resources, along with the actual costs associated with the construction of the facilities is not something an architect is qualified to address.
Many churches have recognized that architects are not capable of helping them with their vision clarification and implementation. So, they turn to church planners/consultants to lead them in their master planning process. They now have a greater focus on their vision which is absolutely essential in developing an effective master plan, but they are now missing the critical input that an architect brings to the process. The result can be a master plan that may be impractical and never gets carried out or gets significantly reworked in the process of architectural design.
Both of these approaches lack one other very important ingredient. Neither approach adequately addresses the issue of construction costs. Neither professional is qualified to thoroughly analyze the factors that effect construction costs and make recommendations that help keep project budgets in line with the church’s resources. A master plan that does not first accurately determine the resources that the church has available and then accurately determines that the plan fits within those budget restrictions, is virtually useless.
There is only one approach that effectively addresses the issues of vision, needs and resources in one comprehensive master plan. That approach is for the church to engage a team made up of an experienced church planner, an experienced church architect and an experienced church builder that can together, along with the church, address every issue that needs to be addressed in developing a comprehensive master plan. This integrated approach that allows the church to sit at the table and engage in the dialogue and be part of the process results in a master plan that is an accurate reflection of the church’s vision; that meets the practical needs of the church and fits within the resources available to the church.
The master planning process can take as little as a few days or as long as a year or more depending on the approach that a church takes. If the process is not given an adequate amount of time, the master plan can be too general or too dependent on the architect or consultant’s vision rather than the church’s vision. If the process is stretched out over a long period of time, it can become a very disconnected process that can become very frustrating and tiring and end with a very esoteric plan.
So, what is an adequate amount of time? What steps are necessary to develop a comprehensive master plan? The process should progress at a fast enough pace that the participants remain engaged and “up to speed” on all that is going on. It does not need to be so accelerated that decisions are being made for the church rather than with the church. A professional should never come in thinking they already know more about how you should carry out your vision than you do. The professional should be a strategic outsider that comes along side the church and helps them to develop a plan that is an accurate reflection of who they are and what God has called them to do.
There are too many organizations, especially denominational, that have the attitude that they know more than you and they can make better decisions than you. They simply want to gather enough information from you that they can develop a plan for you and tell you what you need to do. Because of their superior knowledge and intellect, they simply need a few days to glean the information that they need from you and then they can come back to you with their plan for your future. A church should never hand over the responsibility for working through their God-given vision to someone else. They should seek help from someone who can lead them through the process but they should never delegate the responsibility.
The process should also not be turned into a series of monthly meetings that go on for an indefinite amount of time. The more time that goes on between meetings the more time has to be spent getting everybody back on the same page. And the greater the distance from the first meeting to the last, the less coordinated the overall plan. The plan can become very segmented and compartmentalized and lack the clear and compelling vision that motivates and inspires the leadership and the body.
So, how long should it take? The process should be measured in weeks rather than days or months. Ideally, once the first meeting is kicked off, the team meets at least every two weeks until the process is completed. Typically, it should be a six to eight week process, unless issues are uncovered that require additional attention. The process should simultaneously deal with vision clarification, resource allocation and feasibility, and site and facility planning. They all go hand in hand. A plan that does not include vision, needs and resources is an incomplete and inadequate plan. The church has no assurance that their master plan will bring about the fulfillment of their vision without this comprehensive approach.
The Assembly at Durham Christian Center has announced today the kick-off of their Strategic Master Planning for their new site. This will include plans for new construction and development of their first phase for worship, conferences, and ministry. Pastor Sylvester Williams, founder of the ministry and Senior Pastor, has seen incredible growth in the fellowship of the church. They emphasize full ministry to the whole family with emphasis in local and international ministry. Pastor Williams is affiliated with both Truevine Assembly of Pentecostal Churches, Inc., and United Holy Work. Kevin C. Goins is the architect for the project based out of Nashville Tennessee. Construction is slated to begin late in 2009 or early 2010.
Trinity Design Group is presently providing architectural services for a new 500-700 seat sanctuary addition to First Baptist Church of Hickory Withe in Eads, Tennessee. Several months ago we contacted Mr. Rick Thurman of TDG and set up an initial meeting with our building committee. We expressed to him our current needs and budget constraints. We were very pleased and excited that TDG was able to return to us with a design that exceeded our expectations Read more
![DSC01037[1]](http://www.trinitydesigngroup.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/DSC010371.JPG "DSC01037[1]")
Press Release for Oak Grove United Methodist Church, Roxboro, NC
