Memo to Congregation, Edgewood Baptist Church

From Randy McCormack

24 March 2009

Subject: Recap of Annual Meeting information

This will serve to summarize where we are on fundraising for the debt retirement and sanctuary update.

1. •Effective immediately we are slowing, not stopping this project. Special meetings planned for the spring of 2009 will be rescheduled when we are ready to move ahead at a brisker pace. What this means is that we are stretching-out the 2 year fundraising. For now, that looks like an additional year. If we sense that more time is needed we will reassess and schedule it at that point.  We are in a preparation phase that we will remain in until the time is right to move ahead as a Body of Believers.
   

2. •This stretch-out is in response to the unprecedented change impacting economies worldwide. We want to determine the impact on our membership before we commit to a schedule with more concrete dates. A number of you have expressed concerns about making a commitment when times are so uncertain. We heard that concern. This is a time for our membership to be praying for God’s direction for our leaders, at all levels, for wisdom in dealing with this crisis. God willing, by the fall of 2009 we will see a clear path forward and concrete dates with which to work.
   

3. •In the meantime, money given to the Building Fund will continue to be applied to the outstanding long term debt unless directed otherwise by the giver. Any money given that is designated for the sanctuary update will be held in a separate line item in savings. As always, we will honor your restrictions on giving to this project if you so state them with the gift.
   

4. •We remain committed to a plan that will total $975,000 of which $450,000 is to retire the outstanding long-term debt and $525,000 is to do updates in our sanctuary. As of this month the long-term debt has been reduced to $404,350. Praise God!
   

5. •In the past year we have spent $12,500 with the Goehner Group for services related to the survey we did in the spring. We then signed a separate contract for services related to fundraising. Expenditures for that have totaled $16,660.
   

6. ๏As noted above, we completed a survey in the spring that took the pulse of our congregation and helped us define our way forward.
   

7. ๏With the Goehner Group's counsel, we down-scoped the initial phase of our strategic plan to the two items we are working on (long term debt and sanctuary update). This was the result of your input through the interviews and written surveys.
   

8. ๏The 30% who responded to the survey did influence where this is going. By the way, this 30% is a normal response level. I do not know why others did not complete and mail their surveys. In order to remain anonymous we did not track who responded, just the total responses compared to the number of surveys sent out.
   

The Strategic Planning Group and your Board of Elders remain open to God’s leading in this project in all details. As I have said before, I want to move only as fast as God wills. This is a troubled time in our nation. The uncertainty in the economy has people looking for answers on how it will work out. Again, if we count on the devices of this world and not on God and his provision we can be shaken.

I call on each of you to pray for our national and local leaders in the decisions they must make. In addition, I ask you to pray for me and the Strategic Planning Group that we would know God’s will. I value your prayers above all else.

Respectfully,

Randy McCormack

Church Chairman and Chairman Strategic Planning Group