Thanks, Alan and Laurie!
3475 Kimball Avenue, Waterloo, Iowa 50702 WORSHIP: Sunday, 9:30 a.m. HOURS: 9 - 1, Monday - Friday
BUILDING GOD'S KINGDOM BUILDING GOD'S KINGDOM BUILDING CAMPAIGN
With grateful hearts, the members of Central Christian Church
sincerely thank Dr. Alan Asher and Laurie Braaten-Reuter for
providing the fabulous Violin-Piano Recital on April 8, 2011. They
donated the entire free will offering of $1,200 to the church's
BUILDING GOD'S KINGDOM Building Fund!
PRAISE THE LORD FOR THIS INCREDIBLE GIFT!
Go to PHOTO GALLERY to view some pictures taken that evening.
CURRENT ELECTRIC LIFT CHAIR OR NEW ELEVATOR?
Let's see now, which shall we choose? Hmmm. . . .
The time has arrived for Central Christian Church to provide quicker access
between its building's two levels for those people having difficulty with stairs.
One phase of Central Christian Church's BUILDING GOD'S KINGDOM Building Campaign
is to replace the existing electric lift chair with a new elevator. Being mindful of those
folks who need extra assistance when stairsteps are involved, Central wants to provide
this accommodation. How exciting will that be!
While the current electric lift chair works just fine, it is relatively slow and can only help
one person at a time. If someone needs assistance to go upstairs or downstairs, he/she
will typically experience one of three situations:
1. The lift chair may be available on the same level as the prospective rider.
That's good!
2. The lift chair may be available but on a different level than the prospective rider.
Thus, it must make the slow trip towards its passenger--either up or down.
That's not as convenient.
3. The lift chair already has a rider and is either on its way up or down, which may not
be coming towards the waiting passenger. Okay, now it becomes a waiting game.
That may prove to be an exercise in patience.
Watch these trees change with the seasons.
BUILDING GOD'S KINGDOM will take many seasons, and the direction
of our building plan will most likely undergo a few changes, as well.
However, God is leading this journey, and with His guidance, we will succeed.
CENTRAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH'S
BUILDING GOD'S KINGDOM
CAPITAL FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN
Our Current Facility
Architect's Proposed Building Plans
Upper Floor Plan
Lower Floor Plan
Some Background 
BUILDING GOD'S KINGDOM
In January of 1897, five ladies brought 30 people together to worship and lay the
groundwork for a successful start to Central Christian Church in Waterloo, Iowa. We
grew to 240 families in 1963 who took the risk to move “out” to eight acres on Kimball
Avenue. Our current building and ministries have spread God’s word.
We now want to honor those who laid the foundations by again taking the risk to
move “out.” This time we want to build a space that will foster new ministries that will
reach those who need to hear Christ’s word today.
Central Christian Church is a caring, spiritual, friendly family. We want our children, Why This Is Important → Facility and Function are intertwined in the church. CHALLENGED TO GIVE… Financially, Prayerfully, Spiritually We are all called to support the stewardship of this community of Christian II Corinthians: 9 6 “But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or
grandchildren, future generations, and our community to experience God’s love
through this body of believers.
Therefore, we are launching an approximate $1.3 million dollar capital campaign and
ministry transformation program. We have the privilege to join God as He guides us
in this new endeavor that will allow us to express His love to our greater community.
OUR CHURCH BUILDING is the place from which ministries are launched to be
Jesus in the world today and where lives may be touched for Him.
Currently, our Facility does not support the Function we want to achieve. To have a welcoming and accessible building
* new Narthex, elevator, ADA-compliant restrooms To have a building that will foster ministry opportunities rather than
restrict creativity
* new Fellowship Hall To have a place that is open and responsive to community needs
* revitalized ministry
journey, which we will continue until it is completed.
believers. In order to preserve our strong faith heritage, an equal sacrifice—not an
equal gift—is needed from everyone who gathers to worship in the name of Jesus. Every church family has been encouraged to say “Yes” to help our
capital campaign to raise an estimated $1.3 million dollars. Gift(s) can be given one-time, annually, monthly, or weekly.
Most people can provide far more than they initially thought by
giving over a five-year period of time. Pledge cards to show Commitment of Giving are available at church. Pledge cards may still be turned in to the Church Office.
We ask that all Commitments of Giving to the BUILDING GOD'S KINGDOM Campaign
be made prayerfully.
soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.
of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
CAMPAIGN PROGRESS SO FAR
[from an article in March 17, 2011, The CONNECTOR ]
Praise God! Our BUILDING GOD’S KINGDOM journey has truly begun! We
continue to receive cash contributions and five-year pledge commitments to
provide resources for future building. Also, we are looking for people to serve
on the three task committees created by the Ministry Council. Our Lenten
travels will provide spiritual openness to what God is calling us to do.
In response to some questions regarding the BUILDING GOD’S KINGDOM plan,
we are providing a brief review of the ground already covered in this pilgrimage.
Going back to July 2008, the Futures Committee offered three recommendations:
1. Decide on the specific group for which we were targeting our programs.
2. Appoint a building and lands group that would further investigate the
requirements needed to build a new Fellowship Hall.
3. Build up our own spirituality so that whatever we would decide to do
would be the will of God.
In Spring 2010, Tim Jones from Struxture Architects was enlisted to submit
plans for a new Fellowship Hall. After listening to our discussions, Tim drew up
two possible schemes that would fulfill our requirements. One was to expand the
current Fellowship Hall. The second one was to build a new hall on our upper
parking lot.
During July 2010 the Ministry Council created "Achieving the Goal (1963-2011 --
The Extraordinary Journey)." Every Sunday from July 25 to September 12,
someone from this group spoke during worship, describing the concepts being
considered in order to move God's Kingdom forward. On September 12, 2010, a
special congregational meeting was held after worship, which passed the following
resolution by a 56-13 vote:
After prayer, congregational input, much conversation and intentional
discernment, the Ministry Council recommends to the congregation, for
prayerful consideration and vote, the approval of a Capital Fundraising
Campaign of approximately $1.3 million for the Upper Level Addition
(proposal Scheme 1A of the architect’s drawings).
The goal of this initial campaign, anticipated to be completed by
December 31, 2010, is to secure commitments/pledges of at least
$1 million dollars to be paid over a ten-year period. A cash reserve
minimum of $500,000 should exist prior to proceeding with the
construction phase of this project.
MariLynn Pierce, Church Moderator, appointed the Faith Fund Task Group
[FFTG] with Wendy Brudevold and Lisa Walker as Co-Chairs. Other group
members are Alan Asher, Dr. L. Brent Cantrell, Sharon Gatewood, Jane
Griffith, Julianne Kahn, and MariLynn Pierce. Serious group work on the
Capital Fundraising Campaign, which was named BUILDING GOD’S
KINGDOM, began in November. Also, the General Board of the church
met on November 21 after worship to extend the length of the Fundraising
Campaign to May 1, 2011.
The FFTG met in November and every Monday, beginning January 2 through
February 14, 2011. We prayed, discussed, and listened to what God was telling
us that this congregation should do to move forward. A six-week campaign was
designed that featured faith speakers during worship each Sunday, a reduction
of the resolution’s pledge term from ten years to five, educational materials,
CONNECTOR articles, and letters to our congregation. Two major focuses were
determined--spiritual growth of our members and groundwork for a pledge
campaign that would provide resources to update our building, so new ministries
can be offered to bring people to Christ.
On February 13, 2011, we celebrated God's work as the pledge cards were
returned. As of March 8, 2011, our financial report shows the following:
BUILDING FUND BALANCE (3/8/2011) - - - - - - - - - - - - - $90,147
CASH CONTRIBUTIONS (8/2010 – 3/8/2011)
46 contributions from 24 contributors - - - - - $25,133
PLEDGES (1/2011 - 12/2015)
48 pledge cards - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -$343,486
Then on February 21, 2011, the Ministry Council created three task groups to
continue to move this campaign forward:
1. The Faith Fund Task Group is continuing with responsibility for
communication, encouragement, and promoting additional
fundraising.
2. Dr. L. Brent Cantrell is forming a task group to investigate various
ministries that our new facilities will allow us to pursue.
3. MariLynn Pierce, Church Moderator, is appointing a building and
lands oversight group that will work with city building inspectors,
ADA compliance, architects, and land developers to see if there is
a market for any of our land.
The FFTG and our Ministry Council are undergirded by the following
principles:
~ God is guiding us.
~ We are committed.
~ We will build up our resources.
~ We are not going to fail.
~ God is guiding us.
Now we turn to you, our congregation. All of these task groups need
passionate members who are enthusiastic about Central Christian Church
moving into the future. Please pray for God's guidance about which
committee you might like to join. Then let your desire be known. Each
group can accommodate those members who feel God’s calling to participate.
With grateful hearts,
Faith Fund Task Group
