Church Expansion

Why buildings are important (Dr. Bettridge)

April 18, 1999

Following the positive vote in the congressional meeting held on April 18, the session is working to further define the plans for expansion of our facilities. The studies are under the direction of the Joint Administration Committee.

Their next step is it to work with John Messina AIA to develop a request for proposal (RFP) to go to several architectural firms. They are to develop detail plans and estimates of the costs for the new building(s). They expect to have the RFP out in July and proposals in from the architectural firms by October.

July 15th, 1999

The expansion plans are moving forward. Because of some of the Pima County drainage changes we are having ELM look at the drainage on the Annex property. We will probably not get the RFP for the next phase started until early August. Stay tuned for a schedule.

August 22, 1999

The JAC is still considering options for the placement of the new sanctuary. They have requested 3 new options from the architect and are waiting for the response. The committee expects to review these at the next meeting on August 24th.

September 14, 1999

The congregational vote last April directed the Joint Administrative Committee to develop plans for a new sanctuary. At the time, the Joint Administrative Committee was considering a variety of options. Several options were based upon the acquisition of the residence located east of the church on Chapala Drive. Other options were based upon the construction of a new sanctuary in the main parking area to the north of the church on Paseo del Norte. We have been unable to obtain the necessary consent of our neighbors to develop these options adjacent to the current main campus. 

The remaining option is construction of the new sanctuary on the site where the annex is now located. These properties are zoned for church use only and neighbor consent is not required for construction at that location. In order to facilitate the development of a sanctuary on that site, the Joint Administrative Committee has investigated the possibility of acquiring adjacent land to the west of the annex on Chapala Drive which is now owned by Northwest Bible Church. If the Northwest Bible Church property can be acquired, the additional land will be available for parking. The modular buildings presently located on the Northwest Bible Church property will be removed. The existing building will be converted to uses consistent with the planned construction of a new sanctuary. 

The discussions with Northwest Bible Church are very preliminary. A final decision to purchase agreement will be presented to the congregation of St. Andrew’s.

December 20, 1999

The Joint Administrative Committee has concentrated its efforts on developing adequate plans for the implementation of a new Sanctuary for St. Andrew’s.

The existing Sanctuary is beautiful; it has served our church well for almost forty years; it has been expanded twice. It does not have an adequate seating capacity for our growing congregation (approximately 3% per year). It can’t be expanded again because of the proximity of other buildings. In addition to a limiting seating capacity (we have grown to a point where we are losing potential members) it has poor acoustics and visibility obstructions.

We selected the architectural firm of Erickson, Leader, & Martinez (ELM) to determine the feasibility of adding a sanctuary with a seating capacity of 1,000 on the existing properties. The results of this study were reviewed with the congregation at a series of meetings in March and April. After these informational meetings the Session called a congregation meeting to discuss our work and to determine if we should continue to develop plans for a facility expansion. The congregation overwhelmingly (93% in favor) authorized us to continue.

Based on data from the Long Range Planning Committee, discussions with working groups within the church and the results of the ELM feasibility study we have moved forward to locate the site for a new sanctuary. Existing building codes, covenants, and space limitations preclude building a structure of any substantial size on the main campus. Pima County zoning, parking and hydrology regulations have frustrated our efforts to locate a sanctuary on the Annex property to the point that we have met with county officials to understand their position.

We have had and continue to have discussions with the Northwest Bible Church, located directly to the West of the Annex on Chapala Drive. We believe that it is possible to build a sanctuary on our existing property but that our continued growth will require future expansion and it will be in our best interests, if possible, to acquire the Northwest Bible Church property on Chapala, adjacent to our annex.

Our efforts will continue in the year 2000 as we acquire the services of an architectural firm to develop a formal design specification and detailed cost estimate of a new facility located just to the west of the existing Annex. The results of this activity will be brought to the congregation in another series of informational meetings, followed by a congregational meeting to determine which path we are to follow.

We have been led by the Lord in every step of our work. We have seen Him close some doors and open others. We will continue to pray for guidance and discernment in our efforts. We have been fortunate to have the assistance of talented members of our congregation who have given unselfishly of both their time and talents.

January 30th, 2000

Congregation Asked to Vote on Plan for Construction of New Church Facilities

Last spring the congregation directed the Joint Administrative Committee (JAC) and the Session to develop a plan for new church facilities, including a new sanctuary. Since then, the JAC has worked very hard to examine all possibilities. The JAC has now recommended to the Session that new facilities be constructed west of the Annex building on the property presently owned by St. Andrew’s and the property presently owned by the Northwest Bible Church if it becomes available. The Northwest Bible Church property is approximately three acres and includes a new building and two modulars. The proposal before the congregation is to authorize a total debt limit of $2.2 million.

The Session has called a Special Congregational Meeting for Sunday, March 26 at 5p.m. for the purpose of acting on this recommendation. The Session has directed the JAC to conduct special informational meetings and prepare detailed, written materials for the congregation to study regarding all aspects of the proposal. The information meetings will take place after all four services February 27 and March 5.

March 2000 Newsletter

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March 26th, 2000

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April 23, 2000

The following members have been selected to Building Committee

There will be many opportunities for congregational input during this process of designing our new church facilities. The committee will consult with all our various ministry groups. However, the Building Committee would like to receive any initial ideas and suggestions which you might have regarding the design of the new Sanctuary. Suggestions may be left in the Building Committee’s mailbox in the church office or may be sent by e-mail to standrew@azstarnet.com.

May 6, 2000
On Sunday, April 30, the Board of Elders of the Northwest Bible Church concluded that their congregation does not support the sale of their property to St. Andrew’s. The leadership of the NWBC had recommended the sale to the congregation and had presented substantial information regarding the advantages of the proposed sale. However, a large number of their members are not persuaded that relocating is the right thing for their church. Accordingly, the Board of Elders canceled the congregational vote that was to have taken place May 7.

The motion approved by the congregation of St. Andrew’s to proceed with building expansion anticipated this possibility. The Building Committee will now develop concepts for construction of a new sanctuary next to the Annex. It is our expectation that all of the current space needs can be met.

June 5, 2000
N.W.B.C. Decides No Sale!On Sunday, April 30, 2000, the Board of Elders of the Northwest Bible Church met to discuss the proposed sale of their property to St. Andrew’s. The pastor and church officers had strongly recommended the purchase to their congregation for several months. The pastor advocated the purchase. An entire Sunday was devoted to setting forth the advantages of the sale during which a multi-media presentation was made outlining the advantages of going through with the proposal. The purpose of the Elders’ meeting was to evaluate the level of support for the proposed sale prior to a scheduled congregational vote on Sunday, May 7, 2000. The Elders of Northwest Bible Church concluded that their congregation was sharply divided on the question of whether to sell their property to St. Andrew’s and relocate elsewhere. The Elders became concerned about the divisiveness that the vote on the relocation would create within their congregation. At the end of their discussion, the Elders concluded that the Northwest Bible Church did not want to subject their congregation to the division that a vote might produce.

Obviously, this came as a great surprise to the St. Andrew’s Building Committee. Our church officers had put great effort and time into negotiating this purchase. Fortunately, a great deal of thought had also been given to this possibility and the alternatives that would be available should Northwest Bible Church decline to sell. Although it was not our first choice, the decision had already been made by the Joint Administrative Committee, the Session and the congregation that St. Andrew’s should proceed with new construction even if the Northwest Bible Church property could not be acquired.

As a practical matter the construction process will probably be simpler. There is still enough space for a new, attractive, and comfortable sanctuary. Furthermore, construction of the new sanctuary will relieve the overcrowding conditions in the classrooms and offices. Of course, we will also be relieved of the financial burden of acquiring the Northwest Bible Church property.

The right course of action is not always obvious to us, and sometimes we feel great disappointments over developments that we later discover were actually great blessings. The Building Committee will continue to proceed on this project with faith and confidence that we have a wonderful opportunity before us to build a beautiful sanctuary and provide sufficient classrooms and office space at St. Andrew’s so that we may achieve our mission statement: To Know God and Make God Known, Through Lives Transformed by Christ.

August 14, 2000
Seven site options have been presented. The site that has been selected is the south east corner of the property. This provides a clearly defined entrance patio to the southwest campus. Sanctuary seating was calculated as just over 900. Gospel Hall will be retained. This option provides a good connection with the main campus, a sizable patio for fellowship before and after worship service and the ability to expand in the future. The parking discussion indicates that there are options to pursue that might gain enough parking space to allow the construction of a new sanctuary with a seating capacity of 1000.

November 2000
Last month, Session appointed to the Capital Fund Committee the following people: Jack Comp, Bill Ricker, and Rick Rollman (President, Board of Trustees). Dr. Joe Bettridge and Karen Woodard (Business Administrator) actively participate as ex-officio members. The task of the Committee is to raise funds for our new facilities. Our Capital Fund Campaign is scheduled for January - March 2001. It will be the biggest financial challenge undertaken in the history of St. Andrew’s. It is a challenge which our church family will meet as we are led by the Lord. The Committee recognizes the importance of supporting Stewardship 2001, now in progress under the direction of Elder Mike Lange, in fulfilling annual budget requirements.

The upcoming Capital Fund Campaign is a time when members and friends of St. Andrew’s make a "forever" impact in transforming lives for Christ. We pray that the planned facilities, the final major physical expansion possible for our church, are tools through which future generations come to Christ, worship, disciple, study the Bible, and support mission and ministry. We will finance the building projects in a prudent manner, incurring debt only as allowed by the congregation at last year’s vote.

A successful Capital Fund Campaign will depend upon one-time up-front special gifts and three-year building fund pledges. In addition a promissory note program is planned. Over the years, our congregation has provided overwhelming support for the note programs in which members loan money to the church at a fair rate of interest. However one-time, up-front special gifts and three-year pledges are crucial to financing the new construction and renovation projects.

A dozen small-group meetings concerning the Capital Fund Campaign will occur between January 22 and March 11. All members will be invited to attend one of these meetings. We will know our exact financial capability by late March at the conclusion of the small-group meetings, and plans for groundbreaking will proceed.

Session, St. ABC, and the Capital Fund Committee will continue to keep the congregation advised. God be with us all!

December 2000
In January we will begin a series of small group meetings intended to prepare you to participate in the funding of our new sanctuary and educational facilities. The capital will be raised by three primary methods: 1. Upfront cash; 2. Three-year pledges; and 3. Promissory notes.

Some of the upfront cash will probably consist of the transfer of appreciated securities. Many St. Andrew’s members are fortunate to own securities that have appreciably gained in value over the years. For some of us, selling these shares can be difficult, given the capital gain and attendant tax burden. However, these stocks make ideal instruments for church and charitable giving. We want to encourage those of you in this situation to consider a substantial gift to St. Andrew’s for our new building.

Many of you in the aforementioned group may prefer to spread your gift into more than one tax year. If so, you only have a few weeks to act. This is not intended to add pressure to our request for your gift, but to alert you to an important tax savings opportunity. For more information, consult your tax advisor, or call me, Jack Comp at 825-2754, or Karen Woodard at 297-7201. You can be sure that your conversation will be kept in the strictest confidence.

Peggy and I have been involved with several Presbyterian churches over the years, and earlier generations had always provided the facilities that we enjoyed. Now, it is our turn to pass a blessing on to those who will come after us. We believe that the intended facility expansion for St. Andrew’s is absolutely necessary for our future mission. We are satisfied that the architectural plans now in development will be beautiful and functionally sound. The opportunity to participate in funding this expansion comes at a time in our life when we have the resources to do something significant. Many in our congregation may be similarly blessed and we invite you to join us. Why wait until your death to leave your legacy? You can do it now while you can enjoy it, and tangibly demonstrate how much you care for this marvelous church of ours.

December 2000
Building Because We Care. After the New Year, members and friends of St. Andrew’s will receive personal invitations to attend a small group meeting to learn about the plans for our new facilities. Architectural drawings and pictures of our new sanctuary and Christian education facilities will be displayed and the financial plans for construction will be explained. Meetings will be presented by Jack Comp, Bill Ricker, and Rick Rollman. The meetings are currently scheduled to take place beginning in February. Further information will follow in January.

January 14, 2001

Preliminary Building Design Completed:

The St. Andrew’s Building Committee recently approved a design for the new sanctuary and educational facilities. On the basis of this approval, the architect will complete renderings and design perspectives. On February 19, the Capital Fund Committee will begin conducting meetings to provide all members and friends of St. Andrew’s with information regarding the need for new construction, the design features, the cost and the plan for financing. Please plan to attend one of these meetings so that your decision about your level of commitment will be based on an understanding of the need, the proposal, and the cost. This project can proceed only with the generous financial commitment of everyone.

January 28, 2001

Financial Commitment Sought For New Building

The St. Andrew’s Building Committee (St. ABC) has been working long hours to bring into reality our dream of new church facilities. St. ABC recently approved the schematic design for the construction of a new sanctuary and educational facility. The proposed building has been designed to make the most efficient use of the land available, in order to leave as much land for parking as possible. The new sanctuary will seat 940 people on a main floor and in a balcony. In addition, classrooms for young children will be provided in a lower level. A courtyard has been designed to enhance the corner of Chapala and Paseo del Norte, which will provide a connection to the existing campus, and a large open area for fellowship.

St. ABC must now determine whether there is sufficient financial support for this project. The Session has authority to borrow up to 2.2 million dollars toward the cost of the new construction, so the balance must be found in accumulated reserves and gifts designated for this purpose. Every member and friend of St. Andrew’s will be asked to make a financial commitment to this project. In order to provide the information needed to make this commitment, everyone will be invited to attend an informational meeting conducted by the Capital Fund Committee. We will conduct ten separate meetings beginning February 19. Everyone will be invited to attend a particular meeting. If you are not able to attend the meeting to which you are invited, please RSVP requesting a more convenient date.

March 2001

The Capital Fund Committee began holding small group informational meetings on February 19 which will continue until March 15. The meetings begin with a brief review of the current facilities and the options that have been considered by Long Range Planning Committee, Joint Administrative Committee, and the Session to relieve the overcrowding. The major portion of the meeting is devoted to a discussion of the proposed new sanctuary and education building design and financing of that project. During the meeting, the committee presents architectural drawings and renderings of the new building, floor plans, a brochure, and a fact sheet.

The meetings also provide an opportunity for members and friends of St. Andrew’s to make financial commitments to the project. The anticipated cost of the new building is approximately 4.5 million dollars, although the actual cost will not be known until the contract is awarded. The Session has been authorized by a congregational vote to borrow up to 2.2 million dollars in the form of promissory notes and/or a mortgage. The balance of the needed funds must be found in special gifts and accumulated reserves on hand.

Jack Comp, a member of the capital committee, has expressed confidence that the members and friends of St. Andrew’s have the resources to support the proposed construction and will agree to do so once they under-stand the needs, the proposal, and the cost.

The Capital Committee will report the total financial commitment received to the Session at a special meeting in early April. Based upon that report, the Session will decide whether or not to proceed with the construction.

March 18, 2001

Informational Meetings Completed: The St. Andrew’s Capital Committee has completed twelve informational meetings on the new facilities. Attendance has been beyond expectations. If you were not able to attend a meeting, or you have questions regarding the design or financing of the new facility, the Capital Committee will be available to meet with you after each worship service next Sunday, March 25, in Friendship Hall.

April 2001

The informational meetings concerning our Building Because We Care campaign have now been concluded. The St. Andrew’s Capital Committee will report to the Session early this month on the campaign’s results. If you have not already submitted your commitment letter for this project, please do so as soon as possible so that your information can be included in the totals. If you were not able to attend an informational meeting and would like to receive a brochure and/or a commitment letter, please call the church office at 297-7201. We will mail you the brochure, which describes the proposed new building with drawings and floor plan.

On Thursday, April 5, the Capital Fund Committee will report to the Session on the results of the Capital Campaign. Session will then evaluate the dollar amounts committed to construction of the new sanctuary and educational facility. Please return your commitment letter now! Significant aspects of construction are affected by the level of financial support received. If all commitment letters are received before Thursday evening, prospects of meeting our target dates and construction schedules are improved.

April 5, 2001

Building Because We Care: The St. Andrew’s Session voted on April 5 to proceed with the construction of our new facilities. The St. Andrew’s Building Committee (St. ABC) will continue to consult with various ministries and our architects to fine-tune the design. Thank you to all the members who have generously supported the Capital Campaign. For those who have not yet submitted a financial commitment letter or wish to review the brochures, they are available in the church office.

April 22, 2001

Building Because We Care: The construction of our new facilities has been approved by Session. The St. Andrew’s Building Committee (St. ABC) will continue to consult with various ministries and our architects to finalize the design. Thank you to all who have generously supported the Capital Campaign. For those who have not yet submitted a financial commitment letter or wish to review the brochures, they are available in the church office.

May 12, 2001

Building Because We Care: The St. Andrew’s Building Committee (St. ABC) continues to consult with various ministries and our architects to finalize the design of our new sanctuary and educational facilities. Thank you to all who have generously supported the Capital Campaign. If you have not yet made a financial commitment, or wish to review the brochure, please visit the church office.

June 9, 2001

July 13, 2001

We have signed a contract with Gresham & Beach for the completion of the architectural work on the new facility upgrade. With this contract they will take the completed Schematic Design and develop a Detail Design and Construction Documents suitable for a General Contractor to use both for generating a bid for the work and for the actual construction. In addition, the architects will assist us in the bid and general contractor selection process and will work with us during the actual construction phase. We are hopeful that the Ground Breaking will take place in the early months of  2002 and that the new facilities will be ready for use in the very late part of 2002 or the early months of 2003.

The renovation of Gospel Hall and its conversion to a Fellowship Hall which will both support and complement the Worship and Children's Christian Education ministries on the Southwest Campus has been and continues to be the main focus of the St.ABC. The space is limited, just 6,300 sq.ft., and the possible uses are many. Your prayers are needed to help us discern how to best use this space.

The Organ Decision
The Session has authorized the Board of Trustees to enter into a contract for removing, rebuilding, and expanding our current pipe organ for inclusion into the new  sanctuary. Our pipe organ will be an excellent and much improved and enlarged instrument at the end of this process. This will provide our new sanctuary with the classic qualities of a historic pipe organ
that will be an integral part of worship. The work is to be accomplished in two phases; the first funded by monies already on hand in St. Andrew’s organ fund; the second to be financed by a special donor. Should this contract and
donor agreement not be completed by July 18, the Session will move to enter
into a contract for a digital organ.

The Worship & Music Committee, St. ABC, and others, conducted an in-depth study into the merits of both pipe organs and high quality digital organs. This is a very complicated and technical issue. At a special Session meeting on May 31 the Elders considered all sides of this issue. They looked at both pros and cons, and made a final decision considering the merits of
each case. Paramount in their decision was the mission statement of St. Andrew’s to see lives transformed by Christ as well as the application of sound Christian Stewardship.

Decisions such as this provide ample evidence of the wisdom of our Presbyterian heritage and practice. We seek the truth through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We believe that God is in the midst of our Session’s deliberations as we seek to make wise decisions that honor Jesus Christ and promote His Kingdom.

July 27, 2001

A digital organ in the new sanctuary

After several months of study, the Worship and Music Committee in May proposed that the session contract for a rebuilt pipe organ in the new sanctuary. The session concurred and requested Trustees to contract with a local builder to remove the current organ, rebuild it, and expand it to 53 ranks. The proposal made to us by the organ builder included his commitment to secure a donation from an anonymous donor. By Session motion, the builder had until July 18 to sign a contract and show evidence of the funding by the anonymous donor. If the conditions of this proposal could not be met, the Session in its exercise of sound stewardship, instructed the Building Committee to proceed with the installation of a new custom digital organ. The cost of the digital instrument lies within our ability to pay.

Members of the building committee worked extremely hard in June and early July to reach an agreement with the organ builder and the proposed donor. Ultimately it became clear that no such agreement could be reached. Therefore, we will have a modern, new and custom digital organ to provide music to support choir and congregational singing in the new sanctuary. The digital instrument will perform to our combined satisfaction and at a cost we can afford. Digital organ design and manufacture have progressed immensely in the past decade. They are able to produce nearly identical sounds to that of the pipe organ. They are much less expensive to maintain and occupy considerably less space than the pipe organ. Even though the pipe organ has hundreds of years of history in providing quality sound, the digital is not far behind. Save for those with strong emotional and experiential attachment to the pipe, the vast majority of St. Andrew's worshippers will find the digital organ satisfying and beautifully pleasing.

Signing a Contract 

St. Andrew's has signed a contract with Gresham & Beach for the completion of the architectural work on the new facility upgrade. With this contract they will take the completed schematic design and develop detail design and construction documents suitable for a general contractor to use both for generating a bid for the work and for the actual construction. In addition, the architects will assist us in the bid and general contractor selection process and will work with us during the actual construction phase. We are hopeful that ground breaking will take place in the early months of 2002 and that the new facilities will be ready for use later that same year or by early 2003.

Meanwhile the renovation of Gospel Hall and its conversion to a Fellowship Hall to support and compliment the Worship and Children's Christian Education ministries on the Southwest Campus has been and continues to be the main focus of the St. ABC. Space is limited, Just 6300 square feet and the possible uses are many. Your prayers are needed to help discern how to best use this space.

August 4, 2001

Final Phase of Fundraising for New Sanctuary and Education Building

We are now beginning the final phase of fundraising for the new sanctuary and education building. We have $1,600,000 on hand to apply to the construction cost. In addition, we have received pledges of $647,974 to be received during the next two years. We must now determine whether we can raise the final $2,200,000 through the Promissory Note Program, or if we must borrow from an outside lender. If we borrow that amount from a commercial lender, we estimate it will cost the church approximately $60,000 more per year in interest than if we raise the funds through the Promissory Note Program.

The church has used the Promissory Note Program to raise funds on two separate occasions in the past. The first time it was used was in 1990-1991 to pay off the remaining debt resulting from the construction of Westminster Hall and the Sanctuary transepts. All of the notes were paid within five years. It was again used in 1996 in order to pay for the acquisition of the Annex. Those promissory notes were paid off in 1999.

This time, we will offer promissory notes in three different maturities, each bearing a different interest rate:

Quarterly interest will be paid to the holders of all of the notes. The principal will be paid to the holder on or before maturity. All of the notes may be redeemed by the church at any time. The Budget Committee has agreed to allocate at least $240,000 for the payment of interest and to redeem some of the notes every year. This amount will be sufficient to permit all of the promissory notes to be redeemed on or before the maturity date. The Session may, if there are sufficient funds available, allocate more than $240,000 per year for the purpose of redeeming the notes. In that event, the notes will be paid off early, as happened with the last two note programs.

We need to estimate now whether we will be able to sell all of these promissory notes within the church. In order to do that, we need your help in responding to a questionnaire that will be sent to each of you. Please fill out the questionnaire and return it to us as soon as possible, but not later than August 22, 2001. On the basis of the response to the questionnaire, we will determine whether we must now begin to make arrangements with an outside lender, or if we will successfully obtain the necessary funds through the Promissory Note Program.

Please understand that the questionnaire we send to you is not an offer to sell promissory notes, or a solicitation of a commitment from you. Your response is an expression of interest only and does not commit you to purchase any promissory notes in the future. The officers of the church are not qualified to provide investment advice to you and, accordingly, have been asked not to do so. If you feel you need investment advice regarding the decision to purchase promissory notes, please consult with your own investment advisors.

August 23, 2001

Promissory Note Program Planned

At a congregational meeting on March 26, 2000, the congregation authorized the church to borrow up to $2,200,000.00 as part of the total $4,500,000.00 cost of construction for a new sanctuary and remodeling of Gospel Hall. Although the church has utilized a Promissory Note Program on two prior occasions, once in 1990 to refinance the cost of Westminister Hall, and again in 1996 to finance the acquisition of the Annex – new regulatory requirements have now been imposed on churches. The new requirements have been imposed as a result of the Arizona Baptist Foundation scandal.

The church has retained a security lawyer who is not associated with the church to prepare the necessary documents to comply with these new state requirements. In the meantime, the Building Committee is trying to determine the level of interest in a Promissory Note Program, and whether there will be a need to seek a loan from a commercial bank. In order to avoid a high interest rate a bank will charge, it is hoped the Promissory Note Program will provide all needed funds. A questionnaire has recently been sent to determine the level of interest in the Promissory Note Program. If you received the questionnaire, please return it promptly. If you did not receive a questionnaire, but you have an interest in the Promissory Note Program, please contact the church office and request to have information sent to you.

October 9, 2001

ORGAN UPDATE
by Chuck Wachsman & Marshall Sanders

Several weeks ago we completed an extensive search for the best digital organ for our new sanctuary. After looking at several options, and visiting many churches, we recommended to Session that St. Andrew’s purchase a four-manual Allen Renaissance, Model 460. This recommendation was confirmed by Session and a contract was let, securing our price and manufacturing schedule. Since that time, the Allen Organ representatives have met with our technical staff, and with our architects to assure that the installation will be of utmost quality and that the needs of the church’s diversified music program will be met.

The digital organ produces sound in a way that quite effectively replicates the sound of real pipes. It projects digital reproductions of actual pipes into the sanctuary through a wide array of carefully placed speaker cabinets. Using the latest technology of digital recording, these sounds are scattered throughout these banks of speakers in a similar fashion to pipes being spread across a range of several feet. The sounds will blend together in an organ chamber (an acoustically designed room above the choir loft) and project into the sanctuary, allowing the room’s superb acoustics to then embellish the sound further, providing both inspiring and meditative environments. All the speakers (most in the front, and some in the rear) will be carefully integrated into the building’s design, completely hidden from view.

Over the years, Allen has been recognized as a leader in designing digital organs that are both musically satisfying and cost effective. Our particular instrument will have a huge diversity of sound colors, allowing for virtually any type of literature to be played, equivalent to well over 100 ranks of pipes. The console itself will be a beautiful addition to our new worship landscape, as the workmanship is all done at the Allen factory by gifted wood-workers. It will be finished to match the other interior woods of the chancel area.

STATUS OF FINANCING
As the beginning of construction approaches, plans for completing the financing are being finalized.  As in the past, the Promissory Note Program will be the principal means of raising funds to complete construction.  But it is anticipated that the church will not be able to raise the full $2.2 million needed through promissory notes issued by St. Andrew's.  Fortunately, however, St. Andrew's has learned of a new organization created by the Presbyterian Church to assist in the construction of churches throughout the country.  This organization, known as the Presbyterian Church Investment and Loan Program, Inc., is interested in lending to St. Andrew's the amount needed to complete construction which cannot be raised through a local promissory note program.  A condition, however, of a loan from this organization is that St. Andrew's and its members provide investment support to it.  This is a mutually beneficial arrangement.  Interest is paid according to a published schedule on investments made by St. Andrew's and its members.  These investments permit the organization to make loans for construction of churches.  The interest rate that will be charged to St. Andrew's will depend on the amount St. Andrew's and its members invest.  The CEO of this organization will be at St. Andrew's on Sunday, January 20, 2002 to explain the program and answer questions you may have.

The opportunity to obtain a loan from the Investment and Loan Program gives St. Andrew's welcomed assurance that all necessary funds needed to complete construction of the sanctuary will be available.

November 8, 2001

As you might expect the Chancel area is the most complicated part of the Sanctuary because it is the focus of the Worship Service and has to support both Contemporary and Traditional. The St.ABC is working with the Gresham & Beach Architects, their consultants and engineers and the Audio/Visual Subcommittee of the St.ABC to insure that we have adequately planned the intricate details, both for the present and future uses of the Sanctuary, in the areas of Audio, Chancel and Sanctuary Lighting, and Video Projection. Additionally we have been working with Allen Organ to integrate the new
digital organ into the existing design.

We have been working with Pima County, through Gresham & Beach, to have a strip of the Chapala Drive Right-Of-Way abandoned by the county so that we might purchase it for additional parking. This effort has progressed well and should be approved by the Pima County Board of Supervisors this month. The strip of Right-Of-Way is 20 feet by 450 feet and equates to 31 parking spaces.

The Development Plan, which is equivalent to a our building permit, was submitted to Pima County in early October. The County is finishing its first review this month. There will be several reviews before the plan is finally approved. Early feedback from the architects indicate that there are no 'show stoppers' in the review process.

December 15, 2001

On December 4th the County Board of Supervisors approved St. Andrew's request to purchase a 20 x 450 foot section of the Chapala Drive Right-of-Way which we will use for additional parking (31 spaces) for the Facility Upgrade.

The Development Plan, our equivalent of a Building Permit, has completed the first round of reviews by the Pima County Departments. To date the only significant correction has been the addition of an Archeological Survey of the property.

The St.ABC is working with its Audio/Visual Subcommittee, chaired by Jack Comp, to finish the design of the Sanctuary and Chancel lighting, the projection system for the Contemporary Worship Service, the Audio System and the integration of the Allen Digital Organ into the Chancel design. This work is about complete and the Gresham & Beach architects will incorporate these items into the Construction Documents which will be used for the Bidding Process.

We expect to have the Construction Documents completed and ready for the Bidding Process by early June. The Bidding Process will take several months. We should be in a position to make an award to a General Contractor in early September 2002. We will have to demonstrate that we have all of the project funding at this time. Construction should be completed in 12 months with our use of the new facilities in September of 2003.

January 20, 2002

BUILDING PROGRESS. . . SLOW & STEADY
Progress on the design of the new building continues at a slow but steady pace. The actual design work has slowed during the last few months while the committee evaluated advice received from various consultants regarding acoustical features of the new sanctuary. The committee learned that some design features will enhance and enrich the presentation of traditional music, while other design features can improve the clarity of the spoken word.  At the same time, some design features used to clarify the spoken word detract from the quality of music, and vice versa. It is, therefore, necessary to select design features with great care.

The Building Committee found the task to be far more difficult than anyone expected.  In order to reach appropriate decisions, the committee relied upon advice from a nationally recognized acoustical engineer in Los Angeles, as well as a nationally recognized audio engineer. After conclusions were reached and design criteria were selected, the committee then solicited a second opinion from a nationally recognized acoustical engineer in Denver to verify that wise decisions had been made.

The committee has now completed most of the work that it must do on design criteria for the sanctuary, and the architects have resumed preparation of construction drawings. Additional work still must be done by the committee on interior finishes and furnishings, as well as exterior features.

The architects now expect to complete construction drawings by late spring. At that time, contractors will be invited to bid on construction. It is possible the construction will commence in September and be completed in time for Christmas 2003.

The Building Committee has received several estimates on the expected cost of the new building. The most recently obtained estimates have hinted that the ultimate cost may exceed the anticipated budget of $4.5 million. The actual cost will not be known until a construction contract is signed. However, the committee will consider design alternatives and phasing of construction in order to stay within the budget of $4.5 million.

Financial support for the new building remains very strong. As a result of very generous contributions already received, the church has now accumulated $1.9 million to be applied towards construction costs. In addition, pledges have been made to give another $600,000 within the next two years. The balance of the financing to complete construction is expected to be received from the Promissory Note Program, which will commence next fall when the funds are needed, and from a loan to be obtained from the Presbyterian Loan and Investment Corporation.

April 21, 2002

The St. ABC interviewed six local contractors who have expressed an interest in and are capable of building our new sanctuary. We are now in the process of talking with their references and evaluating their past work and current financial condition. The six companies are: Chestnut, Diversified, Division II, Lang Wyatt, Lloyd, and Sundt. All six believe that we will be able to use Gospel Hall for the major part of the construction period. All six have worked with our architect, Gresham & Beach. We expect to have the selected construction company in place soon. The contractor will work with our architects during the completion of the construction documents to maximize cost savings. We are still planning on breaking ground in September 2002.

May 16, 2002

Arizona Daily Star Article On Our Building's Architect

May 20, 2002

The St. ABC has interviewed six local contractors who have expressed an interest in and are capable of building our new Sanctuary and Children’s Sunday School facility. The six companies are: Chestnut, Diversified, Division II, Lang Wyatt, Lloyd, and Sundt. We have reviewed their financials and talked with their references. All six have worked with our architect, Gresham & Beach. ( Click here for information on Gresham & Beach ) All six believe that we will be able to use Gospel Hall for the major part of the construction period.

We have begun negotiations with Sundt to become our Construction Manager/General Contractor. ( Click here to view the Sundt webpage ) An important reason for choosing Sundt is because they took the time to visit our site and made a presentation that showed an interest in and an understanding of our construction plans as evidenced by their proposal to enclose the site by building the planned wall first rather than the usual construction fence. This will contain the construction process; shield the mess and the sound from the neighborhood. Further, they plan on an informational and safety presentation to the two nearby schools. They have an excellent reputation, excellent financials, and excellent references.

Sundt will work with our architect during the completion of the Construction Documents to maximize cost savings. We are still planning on breaking ground in September 2002.

FINANCING

The original financing plans for the new construction anticipated that St. Andrew’s would sell 5-year promissory notes to the congregation. This method of financing, relying entirely on our own membership, has successfully been used in the past and has allowed the church to avoid the much higher expense of bank financing. Unfortunately, the amount to be borrowed for this project cannot be repaid in just 5 years without curtailing existing ministries. In order to keep the annual repayment expense within our budget, we will need as long as 20 years to fully repay the mortgage debt. We have located a source of financing from the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program that is much less expensive than bank financing and will provide favorable terms with 20 years to fully repay the debt. We hope, and based upon past experience we expect, that the mortgage will be repaid much sooner than that. But that will depend on an increase in future contributions.

Further discounts on the cost of financing may be available with your help. The Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program ( Click here for more information on the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program )  is in business for the sole purpose of helping local congregations construct new church buildings. This depends, in part, upon the purchase of investment notes by Presbyterians across the country in order to finance its activities. It rewards churches whose members are particularly supportive of it by reducing the financing cost of construction loans to those churches. If a significant number of members of St. Andrew’s purchase investment notes from the Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program, the interest rate charged to St. Andrew’s may be reduced by up to 1%.

The President of Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program will make a presentation at St. Andrew’s on September 15, 2002, to provide further information about this program.

June 30, 2002

Greg Jester & Tom Cochran of the StABC building committee are working with Gresham & Beach and the Sundt Corp. to refine the cost estimate of the Facility Upgrade. We are planning on negotiating a Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) contract with Sundt, which is the very best type of contract for St. Andrew’s. If we negotiate a GMP contract for a specific amount, say $4.2M, and the actual cost is $4.0M we and Sundt will split the difference. If, on the other hand, the actual cost is $4.4M the difference is a cost to Sundt. It is therefore, in the best interest of all parties to understand the cost of each of the different parts of the new facility. This requires many cost estimates. As we obtain these cost estimates G&B is continuing their work to incorporate the detail design into the Construction Documents. 

The more detail, the better the understanding of the design and the better the cost estimates. For example, one cost estimate for the sanctuary ceiling was over $400K. Further investigation showed that the estimator had considered the entire ceiling to be vaulted at a cost of $35/sq.ft, when the architect and the acoustic engineer had specified that only the portion of the ceiling over the congregation seating area was to be vaulted. Similar costing estimates are being investigated in the areas of; the types and cost of glass, use of HVAC, interior and exterior finishes, site work and electrical work. 

The 85% Construction Document Review is scheduled for July 25th, we feel that after this review we will have a much accurate total cost estimate and the areas bearing detailed scrutiny will be at a minimum.

August 14, 2002

Greg Jester & Tom Cochran continued working with Sundt and G&B to reduce costs while G&B continued working on the Construction Documents. An example; Pima County requires a builder to have landscaping on their property. There must be a wall at the back side of this landscaping and the height of the wall is determined by the depth of the landscaping. In our case this resulted in a requirement for a 6 foot high wall on the South and West property lines, a 5 foot wall on the East side and a 2 foot wall on the North side. The wall was specified as 8x8x16 block, stuccoed and painted on both sides. The estimated cost was $260,000. Sundt found a wall system that was 4x8x16 with several colors to choose from at a cost of $80,000. There are other similar stories about our efforts to reduce the cost while maintaining the facility that we have been describing in our meetings with the Session and the Congregation. 

G&B have completed the 85% Construction Documents and these have been given to Sundt to develop a cost estimate with their potential subcontractors. We expect Sundt to have a preliminary Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) by early September. We plan to present a draft contract to Session in late September. With Session approval to proceed we could have a Ground Breaking around September 23rd, thus keeping to our original schedule.

January 8, 2004

After many long years of prayer, planning, and perseverance, the groundbreaking for our new sanctuary and educational facilities will take place on Saturday, January 31, at 2p.m. We will begin with a time of worship in our existing main Sanctuary and proceed to the construction site.

The completed plans were submitted by our architects to Pima County for permits on December 19. The contract terms with Sundt Construction, Inc. were approved by Session on December 16

Actual construction cannot begin until the building permit is issued by Pima County. In the meantime, site preparation work will begin in February by St. Andrew’s volunteers with the demolition of the two modular units and the removal of several palm trees. Contemporary Worship will continue to meet in Gospel Hall until the permits are approved by Pima County, tentatively between mid-February and mid-March. During construction,
Contemporary Worship and The Worship Thing will meet in the Sanctuary

2004 will be an exciting year for St. Andrew’s, but it will also be a year full of challenges, parking issues, space concerns, and construction turmoil. Praise God for this year of wonderful growth in Christ! This is a great opportunity for all of us to exercise the grace of Christ to one another.

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