“Reflecting the hope of Christ so others can do the same”
This is our mission statement at Via Church, and the inspiration behind our generosity effort: Project Hope. The updates to our facilities are not focused on the color of the carpet and having beautiful spaces for us to sit back and enjoy. The updates always have the end goal in mind- to be a place of hospitality for those searching for the answer to life’s questions. The need is to renovate our auditorium, nurseries, children and youth spaces in order to better serve and welcome those who are in desperate need of the hope of Jesus Christ.
Renovations: Phase Two
We are entering a season of sacrificial giving in order to renovate our Auditorium building and the Kids and Café building. Security, clarity, and modernization are driving our design for the renovation. When a visiting family comes through the front doors of the auditorium, we want to quickly clarify for them where they need to go to securely check in their kids in order to attend a worship service. This setting needs to be conducive to them hearing the good news of Jesus. Not only do our nurseries need more security, they need higher visibility in order to provide an appropriate welcome to guests. Design, layout, and architecture are unspoken elements of hospitality. Are we communicating a warm reception to outsiders? Are we thinking about their experience or only our own? Renovations will be guided by the desire to better serve the stranger whether they be young or old, but always with the calling to pass on faith to the next generation.
Our original concept drawings for Hope Initiative are still relevant, showing what we desire to accomplish:
A lobby that gives quick clarity in design for people to navigate to the nursery, auditorium and restrooms
Secure and welcoming nurseries and space for families and nursing mothers
An updated auditorium and restrooms
Better security for registering kids in the basement
We will also be repurposing existing spaces to accommodate the ministries that have moved because of the removal of our older buildings. This will include a redesign for better mixed use of the kids stage, some updates to the cafe, and better usability for other ministries in the basement.
The need is an additional $800,000 in order to ready the two remaining buildings to serve this mission.
Period of commitment - from May 2019 through March 2020.
My Project Hope Commitment
Concept Drawings
Demolition: Phase 1
We recognize that taking buildings away is not typical for a renovation project unless they are being replaced by new facilities. But after months of in-depth investigation, it became clear that our four oldest buildings were going to cost an excessive amount of money simply to maintain and bring them up to handicap accessibility. In the end, these two financial factors, as well as the recognition that we can be more energy efficient and creatively use our two newer buildings to do all of our current ministry, has lead us to this place. We will remove the Community Room, Chapel, Classroom and Youth buildings and replace them with parking. This portion of the project, Phase 1, is fully funded through recent refinancing. We are called to be stewards of what God has entrusted to us and this phase helps us be more effective with our finances. We also feel a spiritual shift is upon us in maximizing our values of being Sent and our heart of Compassion. We recognize that opening up our campus visually to Power road is a representation of our heart as a church to the people and communities around us. We are being prepared to enter a new season of receiving our neighbors.
Click this link for the full story of how we got here!