CLPC Steps Out in Faith to Make Lemonade

Heeding Laura Huebel's call to "step out in faith," approximately 200 members present overwhelmingly approved two motions authorizing the session to retain the architectural firm of Ambrose, McEnany and House to develop plans for a new CE Building and buildout of the Church Life Center's (CLC) second floor.

John Swartwout, chairman of the Renovations Task Force, said the design plans, which would cost about $72,000, would be presented to the congregation in late spring. The congregation will meet again in July to decide whether to approve the design and financial plans. Construction would not begin until after the congregation's final approval.

"Our decision is the demonstration of our commitment to realizing the larger CLPC vision in the service of God in this community," said Paul Marshall, a member of both the day school board and the task force. Marshall said that a well-executed capital campaign could typically raise one and a half to three times the current operating budget.

The task force estimated it would cost $2.8 million to build a new CE building and $1.2 million to finish the second floor of the CLC and make other changes. The buildout of the CLC would add 4,400 square feet. Other changes proposed include the addition of parking spaces and renovation of the asphalt portion of the parking lot, a covered drop-off area at the sanctuary, a drop-off area on the Bowsprit side of the CLC and a bell tower that would distinguish the church from nearby office buildings, Swartwout said. The $1.2 million would also pay for expenses not covered by insurance to complete renovation of the sanctuary.

Before approving the two motions at the nearly two-hour meeting, members turned down a motion proposed originally as an amendment by Don Metzler. Metzler argued that the decision to hire the architectural firm should be postponed until after the capital campaign, scheduled for this spring, had secured commitments for $4 million.

Associate pastor Craig Goodwin served as moderator of the meeting, because senior pastor Jack Haberer was in Dallas honoring a preaching commitment made long before the meeting was called. Goodwin said Metzler's amendment would effectively void the first motion on the agenda and would have to be voted on as a separate motion.

In response to questions about how the delay proposed by Metzler would affect plans, Cliff Cunningham, project manager for Project Hallelujah, noted that the hope was for the day school to open in the new building for the school year 2004-2005, and that would not be possible if no designs were drawn until this summer. Marshall said that if the original motion passed, demolition of the CE building could take place this summer, when day school students were on vacation.

Huebel urged the congregation to vote for the task force's motions by saying, "God is pushing us to step out in faith." She quoted a favorite song, which asks, "Will those who come behind us find us faithful?" Both Nancy Belknap and Jake Mireles reminded the congregation of the number of potential church members who first come through the door as participants in programs that, in the past, took place in the CE Building. "The water is free, but the bucket costs money. We need a better bucket," said Mireles.

During presentation of the motions, Swartwout reviewed the task force's conclusions that remediating the mold problem and remodeling the CE Building would not be cost efficient and that the final product would be inadequate. Swartwout said a renovated CE building would still not have enough space for CLPC's programs or offices. To obtain code compliance, the church would have to install an elevator and second stairway and would have to spend thousands of dollars to make the restrooms compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Task force members worried that once remediation began, workers might find inside the walls more structural damage, which would not be covered by insurance. The end result, said Swartwout, would be a 35-year-old building with a life expectancy of 15 years.

At the meeting, Mike Ray reinforced the notion that more damage would be found inside the walls. As early as two decades ago, Ray and fellow members removed smelly, rotting wood from the building. "When I saw these plans, I got excited for the first time," he said, since discovery of the mold problem.

Written by Vicki M. Cherewaty

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