Bobservations: Third Quarter and Hallway Update from Pastor Britt

For a little over 17 years I have made it a priority to set aside Friday mornings to meet with friends to share our lives, keep each other accountable, and of course, pray for each other. While the location, time, and number of people in this group have changed over the years, there is one constant throughout, Jeff. As years and years of Friday mornings passed, Jeff and I have continued to build trust and confidence in each other, and now I am comfortable (maybe too comfortable at times…) sharing everything with Jeff. But, to get to this level took time, there is no shortcut. Christian author, Peter Marshall, said, “Teach us, O Lord, the discipline of patience, for to wait is often harder than to work.” This quote speaks to me the virtue of delayed gratification. In a world where we expect everything now, patience and postponing our desires are neglected, even frowned upon. Intentionally investing time with Jeff eventually built a portfolio of trust. I view the hallway renovation project at Sunridge in a similar light. In 2016 we began casting the vision to upgrade our aging facility to make it more attractive and functional; a place that reflects the same welcoming spirit of those who attend. It has taken almost three years to raise the funds, but here we are, in the midst of renovating our hallway AND downstairs children’s classrooms – without debt! Proverbs 21:5 tells us that, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, but those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.”

Below is the quarterly letter Pastor Britt sends to those who are financially supporting what God is doing in and through Sunridge. This quarter Pastor Britt shares the progress and opportunities of all of the renovation projects happening at Sunridge.

As the 3rd quarter of the fiscal year budget wraps up, we are in very exciting times here at Sunridge. The work on our hallway renovation has started!

If you recall, four years ago we launched “Renovate,” a campus renewal and repurposing campaign and at the same time started a special category in our budget to fund these much-needed projects – the Capital Improvement Fund (CIF). Since then, we’ve been systematically refreshing our campus. Some of the projects already completed include:

• • Resurfacing the parking lot
  • A new roof. No more buckets in the worship center on rainy days!
  • Re-landscaping our parking lot and entry. Thanks A-team!
  • Remodeling the multi-purpose room. It now has a portable stage and basketball court.
  • Redesign of the classroom for our kids with special needs.
  • And NOW, the hallway renovation has begun! Woohoo!

We’re investing in our facility as a matter of good stewardship because it’s an amazing asset God has given us. But perhaps even more so, we are doing this out of love for our community. We want our campus, from the parking lot to the classroom, from our entry to our worship center, to say, “You’re welcome here!” And, “We were thinking about you!”

Our goal has also been to complete these projects with cash so as to not incur further debt. We don’t just preach Financial Peace, folks – we live it! And YOU have been a strategic partner in this endeavor. As one of our financial supporters (these quarterly updates are only sent to those who support Sunridge financially), God is using your sacrifice to accomplish our mission. We truly couldn’t do it without you!

This is why I wanted to notify you that what you’ve been giving to is becoming a reality. I wanted to personally thank you for being “in it” with us. And, I wanted to inform you of a huge opportunity for us.

In the last year and a half, we’ve been able to raise the nest egg to complete the downstairs hallway. You’ll see new carpet, paint, lighting, furnishings and technology – a whole new look. It will be nice, but not extravagant. It will be very “Sunridge.” But here’s even better news. With the combined efforts of an amazing volunteer design team and contractor, ruthless budget review, and a very generous carpet contractor – we are also able to re-carpet all of our downstairs classrooms! This national carpet vendor is selling us panelized, airport-quality carpet at their cost!

This puts a great opportunity in front of us by placing our basic indoor building renovation (carpet and paint) within our fiscal reach! With the pricing we’re receiving and the help of our A Team, we could also carpet and paint the worship center along with the upstairs hallways and classrooms. In order to refresh our entire indoor spaces, we need to quickly raise $130,000 over and above our regular offerings. That is a drop in the bucket compared to what it could cost us in the future. Doing so now allows us to capture huge savings and assures a consistent design flow in the building. Re-carpeting and painting our interior space have been a milestone marker for me since becoming lead pastor. Our carpet has served us well since 2003, but it’s time for it to be replaced.

So, here’s the big ask, will you, as one of our over 500 financial supporters consider giving a one-time gift to the Capital Improvement Fund, in addition to your regular offering? You can give directly to the fund by clicking here and selecting Capital Improvement Fund as the Giving Fund. Please make this a matter of prayer and thought. Thank you in advance for considering this step.

These are remarkable days at Sunridge. In September, we celebrate our 30th anniversary of being a church in the Valley. We’ll be throwing a huge party to commemorate this milestone, and in the weeks leading up to that date, I’ll be launching a collection of messages called, “A History of Us.” This series will trace the roots of The Church from Old Testament times to modern times. As you’ll see, this is not just the story of countless believers through the ages, but our story as well. It’s such an amazing story of how God uses ordinary people like you and me to touch people with the gospel.

We could never do any of it without you!

Grateful,

Britt