How did this project begin? When was it approved?

The “For the Next Generation” proposal began in Summer 2023 when significant facility and safety concerns in the Pipe Youth Ministry area led the Facilities Team to seek Session approval to consult with an architect to renovate the whole area for the first time in forty years. Similar concerns began to be voiced in the office, music, and library areas of the church and, as a result, the projects were grouped together in a single, capital campaign. The project was approved by the Session in May 2024 and the capital campaign to raise necessary funds launched in July 2024.

Why are there two different architects being used?

For the Pipe/Youth Ministry renovation, we knew that we wanted to maintain a thematic and design continuity with the Children’s Ministry program in “The Grove” and the best way to accomplish this was to work with the same architectural firm, ELEVATE Studio (Grand Rapids, Michigan). For our other renovation efforts, we contracted with a local, Flint-based architect, Sedgewick+Ferweda, who were highly recommended and have been a joy to work with.

Why is the project broken into two construction phases? Why not do it all at once?

We broke the construction portion of this project into two phases to help our fundraising efforts and to minimize disruption to key ministry areas. First, we are committed to only moving forward with construction when enough funds to complete that phase have been committed. Splitting the project into two phases enables us to continue our fundraising efforts for the second phase while the first phase is being completed. Secondly, given that these spaces are major ministry centers for the church, we thought it best to minimize any disruption to those ministries by phasing out construction.  

How are we paying for the project while we wait for funds committed over five years to come in?

The Finance Team is planning to cautiously utilize some eligible invested assets along with a construction loan through the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program (PILP) to pay for the up-front costs while committed funds come in during the campaign. 

What is a PILP loan and why should I care about it?

The Presbyterian Church (USA) provides construction loans to local churches for capital improvement projects at a lower-than-market interest rate. This program is called the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program (PILP) and all interest charged in loan repayment plans goes to fund more loans to smaller congregations. During the construction phase of the project, we will only pay the interest on what we borrow with full payments beginning after construction has ended. With a successful capital campaign, we will be debt-free in five years. 

Should churches be taking on debt to pay for capital projects?

The use of loans to churches may be controversial to some in principle, but doing so represents a prudent and wise use of our current asset allocation, which enables us to continue our mission and ministry efforts while this project is underway. Additionally, we will not be utilizing a traditional bank loan for this project, but rather a PCUSA-organized church loan whose interest payments go to help smaller churches fund their capital projects. Nevertheless, we are committed to repaying whatever funds are borrowed as soon as we possibly can. 

don’t we have enough money in our church’s investments that we could use to pay for this instead of all this fundraising?

The short answer is “no.” While we are blessed to have significant financial resources from our congregational ancestors in faith, those funds are currently invested in order to provide us with annual funding which covers over half of our annual operating budget. If we were to utilize the funds available to us in a lump-sum payment for this project, we would be unable to meet the operating needs of our congregation on an annual basis. Thus, if we are going to achieve the vision of this project, we must rely on the generosity of people who support the mission of FPCF.

Will all donors to this project be recognized for their contribution or just major donors?

We are committed to recognize all campaign participants, regardless of the amount they contribute. We have begun conversations with an artist-theologian to help us design a creative mural in which we will tastefully and joyfully recognize the names of all those who partnered with us to achieve this vision.

Can I give a gift in memory of someone who has died?

Yes! To give a gift in memory of someone, please indicate your interest on your Commitment Card and someone from the Campaign Committee will be in touch. 

What is the deadline for committment cards?

We are asking for all commitment cards to be received by October 31, 2024. 

When should my first installment of my commitment be submitted?

We would like the first installment of your commitment to be submitted by December 31, 2024. If you are making a large contribution and wishing to itemize your charitable deductions, you may wish to make multiple installments in the first tax year to maximize your tax benefits under the current U.S. Tax Code. 

Can I give my total 5-year gift all at once?

Of course! 

What happens if we don’t raise the total cost of this project in five years?

We believe that this vision for the church’s facility is exciting, innovative, and foundational to our ministry efforts and as such, we trust that through your generosity and the Lord’s provision, we will raise all necessary funds to pay for this project. If, for some reason, we are unable to raise the total project costs, the Finance Team will assist the Session in making appropriate decisions regarding the project’s future.