From our earliest days in the Summer of 2016, our desire has been to establish a church that would be a Gospel light to its community and a welcoming home to believers. That desire has taken us on a journey: from Pioneer Training at West Park to church services at Farragut Middle to our current location at Hardin Valley Academy. Now that journey has led us to Valley Vista and to our first building campaign!
Backstory
On March 28, 2021, the church voted to purchase the property on Valley Vista Road. By God’s grace and your generosity, we were able to purchase the property with cash on April 30, 2021.
We continue to be excited and grateful for this property. It provides us a helpful and highly visible location in the community where we are already serving. It has space to meet our current needs and room to grow. This property is also conveniently located to our current congregation and to the many communities that surround this area. We believe this property will be a great resource for more ministry.
Now we are eager to take the next step at Valley Vista!
Phase One Development Plans
In late Summer of 2021, the Elders and Land Team had presented an initial site plan that included two buildings:
- All-in-One Worship Center: Worship Center/Gymnasium, Children’s Ministry wing, Adult and Student wing, Ministry Offices, Welcome Area, Kitchen, and Storage areas. (~ 23,000 sq. ft.)
- Future Building: Projected to be a Community Center-type facility with additional education space. Exact details were to be determined. (~ 15,000 sq. ft.)
In the Spring of 2022, the Elders and Land Team recommended that, rather than try to build the all-in-one Worship Center immediately, Immanuel pursue a phased approach. Phase 1 would include part of the parking lot and construction of the Community Center first, and Phase 2 would include the completion of the parking lot and construction of the Worship Center (with additional education space included).
At a more reasonable cost, this phased approach would allow us to take advantage of the Valley Vista property more quickly (perhaps moving in as early as by December 2023).
Phase 1 would meet our current ministry needs. It would let us consolidate current property leases (Ministry Center, HVA, storage units, and Community Center at Dogwood Rd), while at the same time creating some new ministry opportunities. This first phase would also include an expansion option while still allowing the option of constructing Phase 2 someday, if the Lord wills.
A church is more than a building, but we believe, done in the right spirit, this project can foster our church life and its ministry. It can help show the community that we are here for the long haul and serious about investing in their lives and in this area. A permanent facility can also act as a foundation for future generations of Immanuel Church and their future ministries. It can even help us eliminate present rental expenses.
In June 2022, the church voted overwhelmingly in general affirmation of this phased approach.
Moving Forward with Phase One (VV1)
In October 2022, the details of phase one were presented, and Immanuel Church officially voted to move forward with the Valley Vista Phase One Project (or VV1). This initial project includes the site preparation and construction of a multipurpose building and parking lot. This building will allow us to move out of all our current rental spaces and move all current ministries to the Valley Vista location.
VV1 Giving Campaign
The estimated cost of this phase is $4,250,000. As we shared at the October Family Meeting, our ultimate desire is to complete this project without incurring any debt. And we believe that this is possible through the work of the Lord and the generosity of his people.
As of November 2022, the Valley Vista Campaign has begun and will run through the completion of the Valley Vista Phase 1 Project (VV1). With approximately $698,000 already saved for this project, our first and immediate goal is to raise an additional $552,000. This amount would close the gap between cash on hand and the financing amount available. We would like to raise this amount by May 2023.
How to Partner
Pray
Toward this goal, we invite everyone at Immanuel to consider giving to this project. Would you prayerfully consider what you might give in wisdom, in faith, and in joy?
- In wisdom. As you prayerfully consider this request, ask the Lord for wisdom. Ask him to show you what you should give. He promises he will give you wisdom if you ask (James 1:5).
- In faith. As you prayerfully consider this request, consider what you could give in faith. Everything we do should proceed from faith (Romans 14:23), and we should act according to our faith (Romans 12:3), whether that is great or small.
- In joy. As you prayerfully consider this request, consider what you could give with joy. Paul writes, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7).
May the Lord faithfully lead you in this prayerful consideration!
Give
There are two ways you may give.
- Recurring Gift. With the construction spanning at least a year, we invite everyone to consider setting up an ongoing gift to span this project. This can be done in Realm.
- One–Time Gift. You may also consider giving a one-time gift during our special giving Sunday, November 27th.
Brothers and sisters, since our beginnings in 2016, the Lord has displayed his grace and power to us time and time again. We are truly excited to witness what He will do in and through Immanuel Church as we trust and follow him on this journey.