Some Frequently Asked Questions (Land Purchase)
Update 4.5.10
1. When will all of this happen?
A: Cape Cod Church took ownership of the land at Rt. 151 on Sept. 3rd, 2009. This came after receiving Planning Board approvals and Building Dept. endorsements, as well as having conducted preliminary traffic research.
This allows us to now move on to the design phase in the Fall and Winter of '09 - '10. The capital campaign and construction phase would follow that time and last between 1 and 3 years. Of course, these time estimates can change due to a variety of factors. Ultimately we are reminded that we are on God’s schedule and we are involved in something that will have an impact for Christ for the next 50 -100 years on Cape Cod.
2. What is the next step?
A: On June 29th we will vote to move forward in the purchase of the land, followed by the due diligence period to ensure build-ability. This due diligence period will have us working with our legal counsel and town agencies, along with the developer we are purchasing from.
(The potential land is part of a larger parcel being developed for housing and civic uses)
(On June 29th Cape Cod Baptist Church unanimously approved the proposal to purchase)
Update: See above FAQ 1
3. How will we pay for the Land? Building construction?
A: The purchase of the land was accomplished by using $70K in cash on hand as a down payment and bank financing from the Bank of Fall River in the amount of $600K. Building construction will be accomplished through a planned Capital Campaign along with necessary long-term financing, coupled with the proceeds from the sale of our current property.
4. How will we determine what the new church facilities will be?
A: The form of any new building will follow the function of our ministry needs (form follows function). Determining this will be accomplished through the collaboration of a Building Team (drawn from the church), guidance from the Sr. Pastor and staff, professional and creative direction from the Architect we contract with, and congregational input gathered from planned times of brainstorming and conversation. This new facility will potentially allow us to more than double our seating and triple our parking capacity - while holding only two services. Even more, it will give us dedicated space to create first class children’s and youth areas and secure space for our nurseries. It will provide for open fellowship space where our church community can connect and grow. As shown in the plans, the property will provide outdoor space for walking paths, and open space for athletics, youth, and church-wide events.
5. Who will lead this process and project?
A: A project of this size and scope will require broad collaboration and gifts. In general, we anticipate five leadership and involvement points of contact.
Sr. Pastor: Will direct the process, ensuring the vision for ministry is captured in the construction of facilities, and communicating that process to the congregation. He will facilitate the process by involving the best equipped people at each step of the process.
Building Team: Made up of people gifted in the development and construction of a project of this scope and passionate about the ministry of Cape Cod Church. The building team will be a hands-on group personally vested in the project - utilizing the skill sets of people from our congregation.
Building Finance Team: Made up of current finance team members as well as industry professionals who are passionate about the ministry of Cape Cod Church and personally vested in the capital campaign and funding process. They are tasked with guiding us to the best fiscal solutions and through the capital campaign process.
Professional Services: We plan to contract with an architectural professional - to lead us first through a master plan and conceptual design phase, then create working plans, and finally provide any needed guidance and oversight during construction.
Congregation: Over the last 11 years, Cape Cod Church has completed three separate building projects that have only been made possible by the sacrificial involvement of our many members. We anticipate this project will ultimately involve each and every one of us!
6. What will happen to our current property?
A: We will use the value of this property (through sale, lease, or development) towards the costs of the new project. Obviously, we plan to continue to utilize this property until any new facilities are ready for occupancy. Remember - this is a multi-year process we are entering.
7. Does Cape Cod Church have the money for all of this?
A: This is an obvious question, given the financial turmoil that has engulfed our country over the past nine months. The ultimate answer is that this is clearly a step of faith and will require God's involvement. With that said, we have sought to plan for this day. Cape Cod Church has benefitted fromthe strong and faithful support of our congregation with a 19% growth in income in 2009 and and a 6 year average of 16% growth. This strength in giving is no doubt attributable to the continued growth of Cape Cod Church and the vision we share for the future expansion. Our building and architecture plans will largely be influenced by weekly giving trends, the success of a capital campaign, and if needed some amount of long term financing. As a church, we have financially approached this endeavor conservatively as well.