In the early 1970s, a group of our church’s leaders realized that the church, then downtown at 310 West Pearl Street for almost 60 years, was becoming overcrowded with no room to expand, and Granbury’s rapid growth was expected to continue. They made the bold decision to purchase a lot at the west end of town and construct the building we worship in now.
Now, almost 50 years later, our church is in need of major repairs and updates. Renovate is our vision for the future of the Granbury Church of Christ.
The Need
The Building
The Granbury Church of Christ moved into current building at 1905 W Pearl Street on June 17, 1973. The elders of that day had the foresight to buy several acres, which was more than sufficient for the new building. It has provided the opportunity to expand the original building three additional times. In 1973, the new building consisted of an auditorium large enough to accommodate 750 attendees, classrooms, offices and restrooms. Additional space was added in 1978, 1986, and 2002.
The north side of the building is now showing its age. The roof is leaking and the air conditioner units are old and unreliable. The 750-seat auditorium is often full. The restrooms are too small for current needs and are not ADA- compliant.
Our Needs and Wants
It is the desire of the Elders and the congregation to have a welcoming facility for both members and guests to gather in fellowship and learn about the Lord – a true community place where people want to be – that is also cost- effective to maintain.
We want a building with a modern appearance, with a larger auditorium, more adult classroom space, larger reception areas, and adequate restroom facilities.
The Plan v2.0
The Plan v2.0
The Beginnings
The original plans for Renovate ’23 (“Version 1.0”) were to demolish and rebuild everything north of the Teen Center, except for the Auditorium itself. The existing front foyer, hallways, and classrooms would be removed from around the Auditorium, and new lobbies, classrooms, and restrooms would be built.
However, bids were coming in at some $4 million over the original estimates. The costs of materials, such as steel and sheetrock, had risen, but it was also determined that the decision to keep the 1973 auditorium contributed heavily to the costs. It necessitated large hallways and open foyers to allow foot traffic between the Welcome Center, in the center of the church, and the Auditorium’s main entrances were at the opposite side of the building. Many workarounds were required to accommodate the extreme angles of the Auditorium within the footprint of the new building.
Another Door Opens
Many times when God says, “No,” we think He hasn’t answered us. However, we know that God gives clear answers to prayer. We could not move forward with the original vision.
We asked the architect to help us take a fresh look at the design to determine if there were other options that would meet the church’s needs while still being financially manageable. We believe that God opened another door for the Renovate project.
Renovate Version 2.0
The architect was able to modify standardized plans used in another church construction for GCOC’s needs. These plans eliminate the various workarounds found in Version 1.0 by completely demolishing the original building north of the current Teen Center. This is expected to simplify demolition and construction, thereby reducing costs.
As with the original plans, the main entrances to the church will be relocated from the front to the east and west sides of the building. These entrances will lead into a large gathering place and coffee center for fellowship before service.
To simplify movement between the Welcome Center and the Auditorium, the Auditorium will be reoriented, with the pulpit at the north end of the building. The new Auditorium will have seating for 900, which is 150 more than we have currently. Behind the pulpit area is the baptistry, which will be located at the base of the church’s new steeple.
The new plans contain less square footage than Version 1.0. But due to the better use of space, Renovate v2.0 will have 11 classrooms instead of the 8 from the original plans. The current Teen Center, just south of the Auditorium, will become a multi-purpose chapel for small weddings, funerals, and special events. A new Teen Center will be built on the west side of the building.
The exterior design plans for the building are very much the same. Our goal is to have a new, modern look that appeals to the community.
We thank the Lord for our building – it has served it’s purpose to the glory of God for nearly half a century. With the Lord’s blessing, we will continue to plan for the next 50 years of the Granbury Church of Christ.
How to Help
We Need You
There will be many people involved in bringing this dream to reality. All of us are needed.
We’re excited to renovate our church for future generations of followers of Christ! Please pray with us for this project and for the Lord’s will to be done for our church!
Ready to make a commitment?
Complete the Renovate Online Pledge Form
GCOC members with an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) who are age 70 1/2 to 72 are required to take a Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) each year. The RMD is income and is taxed at federal income tax rates.
A helpful alternative is a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) from the IRA. The QCD counts toward satisfying the RMD, but is NOT included as income, thus lowering federal income taxes.
A QCD gift to Renovate can be made by your IRA custodian directly to GCOC. Be sure to include your name and Renovate ’23 in the description. QCD gifts of up to $100,000 can be made each year.
If you have questions, feel free to contact a member of the Renovate financial advisory committee: David Wims – chairman, Eric Blevins, James Brown, Clayton Bryant, Menielle Donahoo, and Michelle Northcutt.
FAQs
Q: Why are we renovating the church building?
A: Our 50-year old building has served it’s purpose to the glory of God, but physically, it is wearing out. Renovate allows us to:
o Update the building to modern standards for access, emergency exits, and ADA-compliant restrooms
o Grow the church by providing more auditorium seating and adult classroom space
o Create a welcoming place for visitors
o Provide a new look that appeals to the community
Q: What happens if we do nothing? Can we wait to do Renovate?
A: Maintenance costs will only continue to rise due to the age and condition of the building. For instance, we have experienced a high number of air conditioning units fail over the last couple of years. These units are old, some nearly 50 years old, and parts can’t be found to repair them. One recent summer, parts had to be custom made to avoid replacing a $25,000 unit for the auditorium. Renovate provides an opportunity to lower the long-term maintenance costs and to upgrade the building as well. While the Renovate project could wait, we anticipate the cost of the repairs on the current building to become cost prohibitive.
Q: How much new seating will there be in the auditorium?
A: The new auditorium will have seating for 900, which is 150 more than the current auditorium.
Q: How much new classroom space will there be?
A: We are increasing the adult classroom space by approximately 40%.
Q: Are we building new restrooms?
A: The renovation will have large, new men’s and women’s restrooms off of the East and West Lobbies, respectively. In addition, a family restroom will be on the east side of the Auditorium.
Q: How will we pay for the renovation?
A: We hope members will pledge to cover the full cost of the renovation over a three-year pledge period. Bank loans may be used to fund the actual construction since it should be finished in one year, like an interim loan to build a house. We may also offer members an opportunity to loan the church money at a modest interest rate.
Q: Is it important for me to make a pledge? How do I make a pledge?
A: Yes! It is very important that you pledge so the elders can make informed decisions about the scope of the project. Even if your pledge is small, your pledge shows your support and commitment to this work. To make a pledge, sign into REALM and make or change your commitment, fill out a Pledge Form available at most doors or call Kathy Smithson.
Q: Can members offer comments on the renovation?
A: Yes, please do! You may contact any one of the following:
o Elders – elders@granburycoc.net
o Building Advisory Committee – John Webb, Chair
o Financial Advisory Committee – David Wims, Chair
o Mark Hackney, Renovate Project Manager
Q: How long will construction take?
A: About one year, starting in mid-2022.
Q: How will we hold services during construction?
A: All classes and worship services will have to be held in classes around the gym or in the gym itself. The teens and children will combine into fewer classrooms to make room for adult classes.
Q: Is my pledge confidential?
A. Yes. Unless you tell someone, only the Bookkeeper, Administrative Minister and one Elder have access to the details of your pledge. The elders are provided summary information such as numbers of pledges, average pledge or other analytical information such as the average age of those pledging.
Additional questions? Send an email to the elders at elders@granburycoc.net.