Building to Touch Lives

Building Committee - 2004

The Building Committee that began working in August of 2001 to answer the needs identified in the Vision 2000 seminar completed its task this year as we celebrated the consecration of our new and remodeled facilities in June. Members of this committee are Bob Douglass, Vera Doull, Lynn Haffner, Charles James, Cindy Noll, Chuck Olsen, Neil Recker, Chuck Reeves, Dorothy Thiessen, Kent Thomas, Marvin Vogel, and David Walmer .

The work on the building itself was essentially completed in late February with the curbs and gutters being finished in May. Our contract called for a guaranteed maximum price of $701,785.00 subject to change orders for additions, deletions and unanticipated circumstances. The cost overrun amounted to $5,400. Permanent financing was arranged with Commerce Bank and our mortgage payments of just under $3,500 monthly began in July. Our payments are fixed for five years with the provision that we may pay down the principal with funds accumulated at the end of the Capital Campaign in July of next year, thus lowering our monthly debt service. This underscores the importance of meeting Campaign pledge obligations. We have met our anticipated contributions at year-end ’02 and ’03 and the benefits of continued full support are obvious. Thanks to all who have faithfully supported their commitment to this project.

There is a song in Lerner and Loewe’s book for the musical My Fair Lady entitled “You Did It”. If memory serves, the lyric goes something like this – you did it, you did it, you really, really did it, etc. We did do it. We did it with prayer and with God’s inspiration and guidance. What we do with it is the continuing challenge. We have some tools now that we didn’t have before. It would be a waste to have a workshop filled with equipment or a kitchen complete with the finest cookware and latest appliances and not use either for their intended purpose. We have the Lord’s work to do here on this corner of our community and beyond – lets get cooking and make some sawdust! On second thought, forget the sawdust, we have had enough of that over the last year. You know what I mean.

Words cannot express my thanks and appreciation to the members of this committee and to Rev. Cheryl for their inspiration and perspiration over the last three years. We were blessed with expertise in architecture, engineering, legal matters, decorative skills and many other talents. Thanks to them and to the congregation for supporting us along the way and thank you all for your kind words and the very special remembrance presented to me at the consecration service. You touched my heart.

Chuck Reeves
Chair, Building Committee