Dear BCC Members,

We have a Congregational Meeting scheduled for Sunday, October 16th, 6:00pm in the gym. All members (and new members being approved) are encouraged to attend.

Here is a quick update of some of the key items which we will be asking you to vote on at this meeting:

1.  New Members

Based on last Spring's class in which 10 have applied for membership, plus from this Fall class in which at least 10 more are applying, we should have over 20 new members to receive as a part of our church family at this meeting. The Congregation will be asked to approve their membership.

2.  Pastor Doug Whittlef, Care Pastor

Pastor Carl has served long and well, and is looking forward to retirement, and has been patiently waiting for us to give him that opportunity! 

We are grateful that God has blessed us with a wonderful addition to our church staff in Pastor Doug Whittlef, and his wife, Sher. He has been our answer to prayers, and those of you who have already met him have found him to be a wonderfully gracious man who is eager to serve the Lord with us here at BCC. The Congregation will be asked to approve the decision of the Elders to extend a call to Pastor Doug Whittlef as our new Care Pastor.

3. The $75,000 Question

The Operation Fishnet remodel and fund-raising have been coming along well. But unfortunately, as usual with construction projects like this, there have been some extra costs in some areas of the remodel project. Although I am not a construction guy, I will try to summarize to the best of my ability what I understand about this. The remodel project has come in a bit higher than anticipated for two reasons. The first being that bids came in higher than anticipated. The second reason is that there were some infrastructure needs which needed to be addressed now, while the building was torn apart, which otherwise would never get done. Some of these being things like running extra conduit for present and future sound/tech needs; running wiring for a 'dimmer pack'; also the need to take care of our beautiful ceiling by staining and sealing it now while all the pews and chairs are out, since it hasn't been done in 40 years. I think I have most of this right, but you can check with some of the guys on the remodel project team if you would like more clarity.

Anyway, the result is that the costs were high enough that there are about 7 items, totaling close to $75,000, which we were hoping to address, but which could not be fit into the original $603,000 project costs. So that means that some of the items which had been planned to be included in the project, might not make it until later. The Remodel Team asked the Elders if they should be included in the project or not. The Elders decided that they should 'not' be included in the project, for now; that we would like to stay at our promised budget of $603,000. But they also decided to put it to a vote of the Congregation. If the Congregation decides that yes, we want to get the whole project done now ("put a bow on it") then we would go ahead an do it. But if the Congregation decides, no, we want to stay within budget, then we will not do it now. 

So the 7 items which could not be fit into our $603,000 budget are the following:

1. The acoustical panels & new cross

(We would keep the old cross, and have no panels.)

2. The new choir chairs

(We will continue to use the old ones.)

3. The 'every other' chair back book holders for the hymnals 

(The chair back book holders for the Bibles ARE already included, so this would be for the other half of the chairs.)

4. The Welcome Center desk/counter unit for guests

5. The light poles in the parking lot

(wires and infrastructure has been put in place; but the light poles would be extra)

6. The dimmer pack (whatever that is...)

7. Sod for outside

So, the Congregation will be asked if they would like to spend the approximately $75,000 now to get the job done, or if they would like to save these items for later. Here is how it will work. The Congregation will be asked to vote on all 7 of these as a single vote - the $75,000 (approximately) question. If they say "Yes", then the next $75,000 which we raise via the Operation Fishnet Fund Raising, will go to pay for those items, instead of paying down the $200,000 loan, which would start right after. OR, we will just take approximately $50,000 from our Contingency Fund and give ourselves a self-loan.  This would allow more more rapid payoff of the loan. 

On the other hand, if the Congregation votes 'no' and says that we want to stay within the original budget, then we would continue to pay down the loan as planned. The additional items would have to be accomplished sometime throughout the next year of 2012, if the budget permits.  

So please pray for wisdom on this for us as the Congregation. These sort of things happen with construction projects. I certainly hope, as well, that you will continue to be incredibly grateful to the Remodel Team for all of their hard work throughout this year. It is no easy task to do what they have been doing. They have been trying to accommodate many needs and desires within a limited budget, and it has been quite challenging for them. 

So, these are the three decisions for which we need a congregational decision. We believe that Jesus is the Lord and the head of the Church. Our role as the Congregation is to pray and seek His wisdom and will for His Church. Then we will prayerfully and lovingly gather together to render those decisions.

See you at the meeting!

In Christ,

Pastor Bill