SHELLS
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
287 Shells Church Road, Grantville,
PA 17028
Office: 469-2586
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SHELLS
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH
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CAPITAL CAMPAIGN WEBSITE: http://capitalcampaign.catherineann.net/
STRATEGIC PLANNING COMMITTEE NEWS Capital Funds Campaign Through the Flames, Into the Future SHELLS CHURCH BUILDING PROJECT UPDATE: FEBRUARY 2012 Arthur Funk & Sons continues to work with Shells volunteers to restore and expand our Shells Church building. Unfortunately, the over two month delay in receiving our Building Permit has been just too much to overcome and our original goal of being back in our building by Easter 2012 will not be accomplished. Our new goal is to be back worshiping at Shells by June 3rd with a special dedication worship service with attendance by the Bishop scheduled for June 24th. While it is disappointing to have to delay our return to our historic place of worship until June, this extra time will allow us to add some much needed improvements to our project. Just to mention a few of the major improvements that this extra time will allow:
These additional improvements will greatly improve the functionality and efficiency of our building and are all being planned to be accomplished within our approved budget of $575,000 plus insurance reimbursements. Our ultimate objective remains to restore and expand our building to be more functional and meet our needs while keeping the look and feel of Shells Church. The major highlights of the building plan remain:
Be sure to check out our progress on the Capital Campaign website which contains pictures and other information. http://capitalcampaign.catherineann.net/ As usual, questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome and appreciated. In His Service, Shells Church Building Project Update Considerable activity has been occurring at Shells as Arthur Funk & Sons (AF&S), in conjunction with Shells volunteers, have begun the work of restoring our Shells Church building. With the receipt of the Building Permit on December 9, 2011, we can officially begin the expansion phase of our project. As most of you are aware, our restoration and expansion project is a result of the work done by the Strategic Planning Committee with input from the congregation. A smaller building committee was then formed made up of: Rick Blair, Rick Hoover, Jim Gill, Tom Gordon, Steve Espenshade, Pastor, and Al Germann to implement our plans. From that committee, a three-person team was called to be responsible for the day-to-day responsibilities. Tom Gordon, since the fire on April 2nd, has been our key contact with the insurance company and adjuster. Steve Espenshade has been the key person responsible for general property and the plumbing, heating and air conditioning issues. And, Al Germann is the person responsible for the day-to-day contact with Arthur Funk & Sons. This three-person team is working together to ensure that we get a fair and equitable settlement from our insurance company and that we get the most value and best return from the money spent with AF&S. Our ultimate objective is to restore and expand our building to be more functional and meet our needs while keeping the look and feel of Shells Church. The major highlights of the building plan include: 1) To restore and expand the Sanctuary ---All the stained glass windows will be removed, repaired, and reinstalled. ---New pew seating will be added for an additional 57 people, increasing the pew seating to 130 on the first level. The balcony will also be renovated to include 2 rows of full size pews, including 2 rows in the rear of the balcony where the organ pipe room was located. This will provide 79 safer and more comfortable seats. This expansion and renovation will allow for growth and will allow us to fit in the Sanctuary should we choose to continue with one Sunday service. 2) An expanded Chancel area with seating for the choir. 3) A direct street level entrance and exit to the Social Room from Shells Church Road with convenient parking immediately outside the door. 4) Adding a first floor Sanctuary level handicapped-accessible bathroom between the Narthex and Sanctuary (in the alcove by the North stairs). 5) Building 2 handicapped accessible bathrooms on the second level in the Christian Education Building immediately behind the Sanctuary. 6) Installing a sound system in the Sanctuary for better hearing and sound quality. If anyone has any questions or would like more information about the details of our building project, please don't hesitate to ask Al, Tom, or Steve. As with any remodeling project, there are always challenges to overcome and our project is no exception. As the plaster from the east Sanctuary wall was removed, we uncovered huge log timbers that need to be safely removed. A large rock that was hidden behind a wall was uncovered and had to be chipped out. Cracked sewer pipes were uncovered and are currently being replaced. Our permit approval was delayed as a result of personnel changes at Light-Heigel, the Township's engineering firm, and not having a certificate of occupancy for the Christian Education Building that was built in 1961. We finally received the Building Permit on December 9, 2011 but are being required to make some unplanned and unbudgeted updates to the Christian Education Building. Even with all these, and I'm sure additional challenges that are still to be uncovered, our goal is to be back in our building by April 8th, Easter 2012. While this is becoming a very aggressive goal, with some lucky breaks, decent weather, and no more challenges to delay our progress, we are still hoping to be able to achieve our Easter 2012 goal. What we can accomplish during the month of January should determine if we'll be able to have Easter service in our newly restored and expanded building. Be sure to check out our progress on the Capital Campaign website, which contains pictures and other information. You can access this new Capital Campaign website from a link on the Shells Church website. In His Service, Al Germann Building Project We need your suggestions and input--- Log beams/timbers---As we prepare to remove the East Sanctuary wall, large, old, log beams/timbers were uncovered. Obviously, we want to make sure they are put to the best use so the question is how??? So far, it has been suggested that we use some to 1) make a large cross(es) for use on the Church property, perhaps by the pavilion; and 2) to make Advent logs for use at the Church and by members at home. All other suggestions will be appreciated and considered. Stained glass pieces---As we repair the stained glass windows, we will be left with pieces of original glass that will be too small to use in the windows repair. Again, any suggestions for the use of these small pieces will be appreciated and considered. Please contact Al Germann with your ideas and suggestions agermann@ paonline.com Words of Wisdom from Kirby-Smith Associates our Capital Campaign Consultant ~ Examining Your Lifestyle Money and time are the two of the most valued commodities in today’s culture. Nobody has enough of them, everybody wants more of them, and somebody always wants us to give them ours. Such is the dilemma that Americans face. Yet, while the amount of time and money that we have may be limited, how we use it is a matter of choice for most of us. The talk of sacrifice is uncomfortable for many us because it congers up visions of pain and suffering. Yet, each of us has places in our lives where we could make changes that are beneficial without causing any pain. In many cases, “giving something up” or “sacrificial giving” is a matter of doing things a little different, or re-evaluating our assumptions for spending. With this in mind, and recognizing that each of us wants to participate to give to God through the church’s Capital Stewardship Campaign at a significant level, here is a process for you to discover what money you have and how you spend it. Once you know how you spend your money, you can begin to make some conscious decisions about whether or not we want to continue to spend it that way. Step 1. Keep a cash diary.For the next two to three weeks carry a small notebook or tablet with you everywhere you go. Write down every cent of cash that you spend. Be sure to include every cent. That includes money put in vending machines, given to children, etc. Step 2. Analyze your spending.Review your checkbook, credit card slips, and cash diary. Break your expenditures down into these categories:Fixed – Mortgage, taxes, insurance, school tuition, and other expenses over which you have no control. Variable but repeating – Electric utilities, car expenses, telephone and long distance charges, and other expenses that have costs that you can control by the choices you make. Discretionary – Hobbies, snacks, entertainment, meals out, etc. Step 3. Prayer.With your worksheet in front of you, lift your budget and the way you spend your money to God in prayer. Ask God what He wants you to give to this campaign at this time. Ask God to show you the places that you can make changes in how you spend your money and in your life so that He would be more glorified by your actions. Step 4. Discover.Look at your budget and expenses again. What is God revealing to you? Where are the places that you “free-up” money or change your habits in order to give to God? Step 5. Make the Decision.With your spouse, if appropriate, make a decision about what God is showing you can do. Ask for the strength and faith to do what is required of you. Take the step of faith and begin to make the necessary changes as soon as possible. Seek support. Just as “Promise Keepers” know that it is extremely important to find encouragement and accountability in the group, you may need a similar kind of help in keeping with your plan. Change is not easy. Find a friend to support you and pray with you as you live out this important change. Remember that no decision about how we respond to God ought to be made without significant time in prayer. The measure of our giving is four-fold: Have I prayed about it? Is it sacrificial? Is it over and above what I am currently doing? Does it honor and please God? Is it uncomfortable? (Be faithful always means moving beyond our comfort levels!) Words of Wisdom from Kirby-Smith Associates our Capital Campaign Consultant “Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Luke 6:38 A — Antiques, automobiles, acres, annuities, auction unused items, attic treasures, artwork, action figures B — Bonds, bequests, boats, bargain sales, books, bake sale, bonus check, birthday money, basement treasures C — Cash, condos, cows, collections, crops, coins, Craigslist (sell unused “stuff”), clip coupons and give proceeds to church, corporate gifts, charitable gift annuity, charitable remainder trust, charitable lead trust, country club dues, crafts, comic book collection, church construction assistance D — Diamonds, delay buying that new car and give your payment to church, dividends, deferred gift annuity, donate goods and services towards construction, dividend assignment E — Estate, endowment, eBay (auction used “stuff”), electronic equipment, excavating, estate sale F — Farm, furniture, fund-raisers, frequent flyer tickets, fine china, fasting proceeds, fishing equipment G — Gems, gold (bullion, certificates), gun collection, garage sale, grants, garage treasures, golf clubs H — House, hogs, hunting equipment, horse, health club membership, hoagie sale I — Invention (royalties), intangibles, interest, inventory, insurance proceeds, IRA, inheritance J — Jewelry, jacket (furs), junk bond sale K — Krugger and (gold coins), kitchen appliances, keyboard (computer equipment), knife collection L — Labor, land, life insurance (church as beneficiary), life income trust, loose change, luxuries M — Money, precious metals, motorcycle, matching gifts, monthly payments (pay off an item, continue to give monthly payment to church), make something and sell with proceeds going to the church N — Notes (treasury), necklaces, nuggets (gold/silver), naming opportunities O — Oil (rights, royalties), options (stock, etc.), organ, overtime pay, odds and ends P — Percentage of estate, piano, property (real), paintings, pawn sale, planned gifts, pledges, prayer Q — Quarry, quilt, quarterly income, quail (livestock), quick sale, quill (pen collection) R — Rings (jewelry), real estate, refunds, royalties, retirement accounts, RV, raffle S — Stock, silver, scholarship fund, sculpture, savings bond, sacrifice: give up something and give funds to church, i.e., premium cable and coffees, stamp collection, second income, stuff, suppers T — Testamentary trust, trusts, timber, tax refund, truck, TV, toys, tools U — Used car, use an item longer and give cost of new item to church, utility payments V — Vacation home, violin (antique), vacation/timeshare sale, vacation plans W — Wardrobe (deceased person), watch (heirloom), wills, Walk-a-Thon X — Xerox machine (office equipment), xylem (plants/landscaping), xeric (moisture/air conditioning) Y — Yacht, yard sale proceeds, yard equipment, yen (foreign exchange/leftover foreign monies) Z — Zero coupon bonds, zucchini (food stuff), zills (cymbals and drums), zebra (just kidding)
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