New Life Community Church's Growing in Faith Blog

meet with our lender

2009-04-19T22:20:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday we meet with our lender. Not much specific came out of the meeting. But they did reaffirm that they want to help us keep the property. Unfortunately their level help may not match our ability to pray. Keep paying

99 Red Balloons Video From Sunday

2009-04-06T13:47:00.000-07:00

English version of 99 Luftballons by the German Band Nena - 1984

To here the message from Sunday check out our online message vault

March Giving Update

2009-03-31T13:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who is supporting Growing in Faith. We actually exceeded our Growing in Faith commitments for the month of March. Members committed $6893 a month, but $7408 came in. It’s good news, and came at the right time. Regular giving for the month of March was weak, and the Growing in Faith helped close the gap.

Thanks!

2009-03-26T10:43:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who is giving to Growing in Faith. As you know, right now it’s taking both our regular giving and GIF giving to keep our church going.

We know that both the church and it’s members are facing financial challenges that most of us have not seen in our lifetimes. But with your help we’re keeping the church afloat and focused on our mission of making disciples.

Some good news - As part of this new round of Growing in Faith, members committed to give $6893 a month. In March, we’ve already received $6300 and we still have a week to go. So thanks to everyone who is giving, each week your generosity is making a difference.

2 Weeks Thanks

2009-02-22T18:35:00.001-08:00

We are now two weeks into our new Growing in Faith Commitment. This is to say "thanks".

Results from our Growing in Faith Commitment

2009-02-15T18:32:00.001-08:00

Here are the results from our Growing in Faith commitment

To find out how much we raised, go here and watch an 8 minute video presentation

Commitment Sunday

2009-02-06T11:16:00.001-08:00

On Sunday we're inviting members to make a financial commitment to our church. We're calling this project Growing in Faith. If you're planning to participate in this Sunday's offering, here are a couple things to know.

1) Please use a Growing in Faith Envelope - Use a Growing in Faith envelope for your one time gift and your commitment card. This will ensure that all giving is correctly recorded.

2) Growing in Faith envelopes and commitment cards are available in the lobby. If you need a card, you can grab one before the service in the lobby.

3) Write "I understand" on the commitment card -At last Sunday's service, we laid out a new priority for how Growing in Faith giving will be used. The giving will go first for our church's needs here and now, and second for moving ahead with our future church home. Let us know that you understand these priorities by writing "I understand" on your commitment card or check. If you already sealed the envelope, write “I understand” on the outside of the envelope.

4) We'll be having one offering at the end of the service - You can place both your Growing in Faith gift and your regular giving in the offering bags when they are passed at the end of the service.

5) There are several ways to help.

- Make a one time gift this Sunday.

- Make a commitment to increase your regular giving - you can indicate this on the back of the commitment card

- Make a commitment to give over and above your regular for a set period of time. You can indicate that length of time on the commitment card. The card is set up for a three year commitment, but you can cross out three years and write in a time period that works for you.

5) Fill out your commitment card online - if you won't be on Sunday, make your commitment online here.

6) Make your gift online - We have an online giving option - for more information check out here.

Attend a Meeting

2009-01-13T15:18:00.001-08:00

2009 GIF Information Dates

2008-12-23T15:16:00.000-08:00

Over 100 people have attended an Information Meeting to find out what’s next now that our 3 years campaign is almost over. Are you one of them?

If not, there’s still time. Even if you feel you can’t make a financial commitment, we still want everyone to come and at least hear what we’re trying to do.

We have scheduled a few meetings in January.

Sunday, Jan. 11th @ 12:30pm

Thursday, Jan. 15th @ 7:00pm

Sunday, Jan. 18th @ 12:30pm

Come 15 minutes early for pizza. Sign up at the Info Table. Childcare provided.

Growing in Faith Meetings

2008-12-18T09:39:00.000-08:00

Hey New Lifer's

Over 55 families attended our Growing in Faith Meetings.
Thanks to everyone who took time to come and hear about our church's
plan for a future home. After the Holiday's we'll hold a few more
meetings before February 8th.

Come to a Meeting!

2008-12-18T09:37:00.000-08:00

Stop by the Information Table to sign up to attend a meeting.

Come to a Growing in Faith Meeting

2008-11-18T14:49:00.000-08:00

Three years ago, our church came together and bought a piece of property. We called this project “Growing in Faith”. As a result of this step of faith, a sign that reads “Future Home of New Life” stands on our land. Now it’s time to time to take the next step forward.

Growing in Faith is an all church project, and we want each member to understand what’s next. For this reason we’ve set up a series of informational meetings between now and the end of the year. We’re asking each member to make the time to attend one of these meetings.

At this meeting, you’ll find out

- Why we’re working toward a church home of our own
- Where we are in the process of moving forward
- A preview of what the building will look like
- What we need to do take the next step
- Ways members can play a part

Pick a Meeting Time that’s Best for You:

- Wednesday, November 19th at 7:00pm
- Tuesday, November 25th at 7:00pm
- Monday, December 1st at 7:00pm
- Wednesday, December 3rd at 7:00pm
- Tuesday, December 9th at 7:00pm
- Thursday, December 11th at 7:00pm

Childcare is Available: Childcare is available upon request. Just shoot us an email, or give us a call and we’ll set up a childcare provider.

Sign up Now: You can email us with the date you’ll attend at growinginfaith@newlifecommunitychurch.net. You can also give us a call, or sign up on Sunday morning at the Information Table.

What's Next!

2008-10-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

What's Next? Good question!

That's why we've scheduled a handful of meetings to share the plan for moving forward with Growing In Faith and get your input.
Soon you will receive an invitation card that looks like this one with the dates and times for these important meetings. We’re asking each member to make the time to attend one of these meetings.

At this meeting, you’ll find out:

Why we’re working toward a church home of our own
Where we are in the process of moving forward
A preview of what the building will look like
What we need to do to take the next step
Ways members can play a part

So, keep checking your mailbox and we'll see you at the meetings!

September 2008 Financial Report

2008-10-15T10:21:00.001-07:00

Each month, as the Growing In Faith giving comes in, an amount is set aside for the monthly mortgage payment, cumulative taxes, project management, association dues, insurance, etc. This amount is approximately $12,000.00. The total September GIF giving was $6,389.00 That means we were short by about $5,600.00.

Even though the financial situation isn't looking so great, we think there is still a way to move forward with God's help! Over the next couple of months we’re setting up a handful of information meetings to share the proposed plan, answer questions and get your feedback. If you are a member of our church, you will soon receive a letter with dates and times for these meetings. Please make it a priority to attend.

Right now, we have a piece of property with the sign “Future Home of New Life” on it, and we want to keep it that way. Pray with us that God will open up the way for us to continue forward with Growing in Faith.

September GIF giving $6,389.00
Minimum to “pay bills” $12,000.00
Shortage ($5,611.00)

August 2008 Financial Update

2008-09-02T14:36:00.000-07:00

Each month, as the Growing In Faith giving comes in, an amount is set aside for the monthly mortgage payment, cumulative taxes, project management, association dues, insurance, etc. This amount is approximately $12,000.00. The total August GIF giving was $7,887.00 That means we were short by about $4,100.00.

In 2006, the average monthly giving was $16,621.00. In 2007, the average dropped to $11,734.00 and in 2008, the current monthly average is below 8700.00.

The only reason we have been able to make the monthly payments is because the property value went up and the equity that was set aside for development has been used to subsidize the monthly shortage. However, at this rate, this development “nest egg” is just a few months from being gone altogether.

Please join us in praying for God's blessing and provision for this project and that the name of Jesus will be lifted up because of it.

August GIF giving $7,887.00
Minimum to “pay bills” $12,000.00
Shortage ($4,113.00)

Summer Slump

2008-08-27T13:54:00.000-07:00

The combination of the slumping economy along with slow summer months seem to have delivered a "one, two" punch to our growing in Faith giving! We know that many members are feeling the financial pinch, and also that over the summer, many people are gone on the weekends.

Pray that as we enter the Fall, we'll catch up and stay strong with our commitments.

Also, thanks to all of you who faithfully give each month!

Plot Plan Update

2008-08-27T08:09:00.001-07:00

Our Plot Plan is still working it’s way through the county. We’re experiencing positive responses, it just takes awhile. Please pray for God's hand of blessing on our project.

July 2008 Financial Update

2008-07-30T12:30:00.000-07:00

Over the last 7 months, we have experienced shortfalls in the monthly Growing In Faith giving. To make up for these shortfalls, we have been using money that has been set aside for property development. However, little by little this development “nest egg” has been depleted.
Because we don’t want to lose the property, we will continue moving development money toward making the monthly payments if the giving continues to fall short. But, this is going to mean a significant slow-down (maybe even a complete stop) to the county approval process.
The good news is that we have made good progress so far. The not-so-good news is that the development money being used to subsidize the monthly payment wont last much longer at the rate it is being used up.

There are two ways you can help:

1. Pray. Ask God for His strength to keep us strong in our commitments and for His abundance to provide more than we could ask for or imagine.
2. Give. If you are not giving toward Growing In Faith, pray about becoming a partner in this project.

The total July GIF giving was $6,062.00. That means we were short by about $6,000.00.

July GIF giving $6,062.00
Minimum to “pay bills” $12,000.00
Difference ($5,938.00)

June 2008 Financial Update

2008-07-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

As you know, each month, as the Growing In Faith giving comes in, an amount is set aside for the monthly mortgage payment, cumulative taxes, project management, association dues, insurance, etc. This amount is approximately $12000.00. The total June GIF giving was $9,877.07. That means we were short by about $2,100.00.

Even though June marks our sixth consecutive month with a deficit, we have been able to move forward in spite of this continuing shortage. This is because of the equity that has built up in our property. However, our development "nest egg" is being slowly used up to cover the monthly shortfall.

June GIF giving $9,877.00
Minimum to “pay bills” $12,000.00
Difference ($2,123.00)

Please pray for God's blessing as we continue to move forward.

Steady Progress

2008-07-07T14:30:00.001-07:00

Here is the latest update on the plot plan status. As we have been responding to some earlier denials, you will notice that some of them have turned into approvals!
Click the image for a larger view.
Please don't forget to keep the Growing Faith Project in your prayers!

Indiana Jones and the Plot Plan Approval

2008-06-20T13:06:00.001-07:00

What does Indiana Jones and our plot plan approval have in common? Archaelogy. Believe it or not, one of the dozen county departments that sign off on our plot plan is Archaeology. Maybe it's to make sure there isn't buried treasure, or dinosaurs camped out on our land. Anyway...we got approval from the Archaeologist! That makes two approvals down, about ten to go.

Keep praying as our plot plan goes through the county.

Plot Plan Approval Update

2008-06-19T07:48:00.001-07:00

Our Plot Plan is currently in the approval process with the county. Getting the plot plan approved is what gives us official permission to build our proposed church on the property.

As you can see from the screenshot above (if you have really good eyes), it will be reviewed by about a dozen different departments. Good news, we're already approved by the Fire Department!

Once each department has signed off, it will go to a Planning Director's meeting for formal approval. Please pray with us for the speedy approval of our plot plan.

P.S. If you want to stay up to date on the details of our approval status, you can go to this website at the planning department and enter our plot plan number - "pp23454". It will pull up the screen you see at the top of the page with an up to the minute update.

P.S.S. Thank to everyone who is giving to Growing in Faith!

May Financial Update

2008-06-10T16:40:00.000-07:00

As you know, each month, as the Growing In Faith giving comes in, an amount is set aside for the monthly mortgage payment, cumulative taxes, project management, association dues, insurance, etc. This amount is approximately $12000.00. The total May GIF giving was $9,786.00. That means we were short by about $2,200.00.

Even though May marks our fifth consecutive month with a deficit, we have been able to move forward in spite of this continuing shortage. This is because of the equity that has built up in our property. However, our development "nest egg" is being slowly used up to cover the monthly shortfall.

May GIF giving $9,786.00
Minimum to “pay bills” $12,000.00
Difference ($2,214.00)

Please pray that God will give us the ability to remain strong in our commitments and that He will bless the finances of our members and our church.

GIF Video from Sunday

2008-05-21T14:58:00.001-07:00

Here is the video we showed on Sunday Documenting our Plot Plan Submittal to the County.

April Financial Update

2008-05-19T14:59:00.000-07:00

As you know, each month, as the Growing In Faith giving comes in, an amount is set aside for the monthly mortgage payment, cumulative taxes, project management, association dues, insurance, etc. This amount is approximately $12000.00. The total April GIF giving was $9,606. That means we were short by about $2,394.
Let’s pray that God will give us the ability to remain strong in our commitments and that He will bless the finances of our church.

April GIF giving $9,606
Minimum to “pay bills” $12,000.00
Difference ($2,394)

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21

GIF Update

2008-05-14T14:27:00.000-07:00

Good News! We Just submitted the plot plan for our new building. Once approved by the county, we will have initial permission to move forward in building a church home of our own.

Please pray for a quick approval with the county and stop by the lobby to see the color drawings for our building.

Thanks to everyone who is supporting Growing in Faith. If you are new to church and would like to play a part in Growing in Faith, pick up an Information packet at the Growing in Faith Table in the lobby.

Landscape Plan

2008-05-08T20:42:00.000-07:00

The landscape architect just finished our conceptual landscaping plan. This is a required document that will be submitted to the county as we seek to get approval for a building on our property. To find out about getting involved check out the Growing in Faith section of our website.

Aerial photo of building position

2008-05-02T11:30:00.001-07:00

A requirement of our plot plan submittal process is submitting an aerial photo showing the position of our building on our lot. The photo above shows the position of the building and the parking area. Keep praying as we assemble the pieces of required by the county to get approval for our building!

Rough Draft of Building Exterior

2008-05-02T00:41:00.000-07:00

The architect is making progress on the building. Here is a rough draft of the building exterior. The shape of the building may change during the submittal process to the county. Also - the colors are not final, just thrown into add a little depth to the drawing.

Conceptual Grading Plan

2008-05-01T00:23:00.000-07:00

A technical (but important) part of our developing our site is the creation of the conceptual grading plan. This will be submitted as part of our plot plan package. Thanks to everyone who is supporting Growing in Faith. Each month your giving helps us make progress toward a building of our own.

Building Sketch

2008-04-24T13:48:00.000-07:00

This is a quick sketch drawn by our architect of what the front of our building will look like. We are only weeks away from having a complete plot plan ready for submittal to the county!
Please pray with us that there will be no delays or unexpected hurdles to get over!

March Financial Report

2008-04-24T13:40:00.001-07:00

As you know, each month, as the Growing In Faith giving comes in, an amount is set aside for the monthly mortgage payment, cumulative taxes, project management, association dues, insurance, etc. This amount is approximately $12000.00. The total March GIF giving was 11,507.00. That means we were only short by about $500.00.
March marks our third consecutive month with a deficit. The good news is that the giving has been improving each month!
Let’s pray that God will give us the ability to remain strong in our commitments and that He will bless the finances of our church.

March GIF giving $11,507.00
Minimum to “pay bills” $12,000.00
Difference ($493.00)

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
Ephesians 3:20-21

GIF - God@Work Story

2008-04-18T00:54:00.000-07:00

Today (Thursday) One of our members shared an encouraging story that we wanted to pass along to you. This member has been giving to Growing in Faith. But recently made a commitment to increase their giving for the last twelve months of our three year project. After making the commitment, they received a review at work, and as a result they were given a monthly raise that matches the increase in their Growing in Faith giving. They mentioned that this was more than a coincidence!

It’s encouraging to hear real life stories of God at work in the life of our members!

If you have a story to share, let us know at info@newlifecommunitychurch.net

Property Activity

2008-04-03T17:56:00.001-07:00

I took this picture yesterday. It seems like just about any time you go to the property you can catch some level of activity going on. Most of this activity is associated with the adjoining properties, however, there is a large amount of work that is being prepped and planned that is shared with us (such as roads, driveways, pedestrian walkways, etc.)

Milestone Praise Report!

2008-03-25T16:13:00.001-07:00

One of the milestones we’ve been praying about has to do with a traffic study and installation of a traffic signal. We finally received word from the county that, at least for now, we are not going to be asked to do it!
This is really great for us since it represents a significant additional cost.
Let’s take the time to thank God for this development!

Did you miss the Growing in Faith Anniversary Dinner?

2008-03-04T17:01:00.001-08:00

Did you miss the Growing in Faith Anniversary Dinner?

We had a great turnout, and a time of food, fun and fellowship! Mike Hannah gave an update of where we are at and what’s next for Growing in Faith. Below is an edited version of the presentation (about 15 minutes long).

If you would like to hear the presentation, you can listen online, or click on the link below to download the MP3 file.

MP3 File

Prayer Request!

2008-03-04T15:29:00.000-08:00

You probably know that churches are exempt from property taxes. But that is only true when the land is actually used for church purposes. Specifically, that means when a building is constructed.
But there is a provision in the law that allows exemptions to be granted once a building is “under construction”.

With the recent progress on our property, we believe that we may qualify as being “under construction” and as such, we’ve applied for the exemption.

Currently, our church pays $16,000 a year in property taxes. If this exemption is granted, it represents a significant savings! Please pray that the exemption will be granted.

February Financial Update

2008-03-03T14:51:00.001-08:00

After a record-setting January shortage, February showed good improvement! As you know, every month, as the Growing In Faith giving comes in, an amount is set aside for the monthly mortgage payment, cumulative taxes, project management, association dues, insurance, etc. This amount is approximately $12000.00. The total February GIF giving was 8292.00. That means we were short by over $3700.00.
February marks our second consecutive month with a deficit. The good news is that there is a separate amount of money set aside for moving forward with development. The bad news is that we will need to pull from that money to cover the shortage.
Let’s pray that God will give us the ability to remain strong in our commitments and that He will bless the finances of our church.

February GIF giving $8,292.00
Minimum to “pay bills” $12,000.00
Difference ($3,708.00)

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.
Romans 5:3

Property Prayer

2008-02-28T16:25:00.001-08:00

We have rescheduled our Property Prayer Event for March 9th. Stop by the Information Table to pick up a map to the property.

Prayer at the Property

2008-02-27T11:53:00.001-08:00

Our prayer at the property was postponed last week due to rain.

Our new date is Sunday, March 9th.
Join us from 12:45 to 1:00pm at our property for a special prayer gathering. We want to take a moment to thank God for how far He's brought us and to ask for God's hand of blessing as we move forward.

Take the 15 fwy south, exit on Weirick, turn left and go under the freeway, turn right on Temescal and go about a mile to the Wildrose business park. Turn left on Pulsar and find parking at the end of the cul-de-sac. You'll see the "Future Home of New Life" sign.

See you then!

Anniversary Banquet

2008-02-26T14:32:00.000-08:00

Has it been 2 years already?

You're invited to our Growing In Faith Second Anniversary Banquet!
It will be a great time of fellowship, games and food. We will also be sharing some very important GIF information.
The banquet will be in our Corona Hills location on Sunday, March 2nd at 5:00pm. This event is for our entire church family!
To RSVP, send an email to growinginfaith@newlifecommunitychurch.net
See You There!!

Get Involved

2008-02-25T12:41:00.001-08:00

Here is the video we showed during our Sunday Service inviting people to get involved in our Growing in Faith campaign.

Little Known Property Fact

2008-02-15T19:07:00.000-08:00

Did you know that the grapefruit trees on the other side of our fence are actually on church property? Here is a shot of the trees from Leroy Road (the road that runs parallel to the fence on the north side of the property). Our property extends right up to Leroy Road.

February Milestone Report

2008-02-13T10:37:00.001-08:00

On the last post, I talked about some of the milestones we need to pass on the way to submitting our plot plan to the county. Here is the latest update regarding those milestones:

Milestone number 1 was to meet with the senior planner. We learned enough from our case planner to make this meeting unnecessary.

The number 4 milestone is the topographical survey. This work has been completed and the architect is now working with the information to dial in the building design and overall site plan.

The geotech survey is a larger and more complex study. This job has been put out to bid and a few companies are currently doing a preliminary study to determine the scope and cost. This is milestone number 5.

The biological report is finished. YAAYY!! We can mark number 8 off the list.

Thanks to God and to you, our faithful Growing In Faith supporters, we are moving forward full steam ahead. Please keep this process in your prayers.

(For a list of milestones, scroll down to the previous post)

Milestone Report

2008-01-29T16:27:00.000-08:00

Last week we met with the county to discuss our building project. Overall, the meeting went well and we were introduced to the case-planner that will be handling our plot plan approval process. He was very helpful to us in identifying important milestones (next steps) in the process. Here are the milestones (at least, the ones I know about) that we will have to pass on our way to plot plan submittal and approval:

1. Meeting with Senior Planner
2. Project Kickoff Meeting with architect
3. Reconfiguration of Building Design
4. Topographical Property Site Survey
5. Geotechnical Engineering Study
6. Acquire Precise Grading Plans from adjoining property owners
7. Traffic Study
8. Biology Report
9. Acoustical Study
10. Final Plot Plan Document Set Created
11. Final Plot Plan Submittal To County

While all of the milestones are important, we would like you to specifically pray about number 7. This milestone, if it is required of us, will mean a substantial extra cost. Right now it’s possible that we may be allowed to bypass this milestone, but we will need God’s help and your prayers.

January Financial Update

2008-01-29T15:21:00.001-08:00

December was a great month for the Growing In Faith giving but in January, there was a significant decrease. As you know, every month, as the Growing In Faith giving comes in, an amount is set aside for the monthly mortgage payment, cumulative taxes, project management, association dues, insurance, etc. This amount is approximately $12000.00. The total January GIF giving was 5581.00. That means we were short by over $6000.00.

January GIF giving $5,581.00
Minimum to “pay bills” $12,000.00
Difference ($6,419.00)

Pray for meeting with the county

2008-01-24T17:04:00.001-08:00

This coming Monday we’re meeting downtown with the Riverside planning department regarding the proposed plot plan for our property. Please pray for God to open the way for us to build quickly and with no unnecessary hindrances. Specifically pray that we won’t be required to do a traffic study.

Meeting with the County

2008-01-21T19:26:00.001-08:00

As you may know, we are hoping to move forward as quickly as we can in constructing a building on our property. Our next step is to have our plot plan approved by the County of Riverside. Last week we meet with the Riverside County Planning department.

At this meeting we were introduced to the person who will be our case planner and showed them our proposed site plan. The meeting went very well. Our civil engineer got the answers he needs to move ahead with the conceptual site plan.

In a couple weeks we will meet with a senior planner who is in charge of entitlement. Entitlement is the process of having our plot plan approved. To learn more about entitlement, check out this post.

Water line is brought to our property

2008-01-16T00:05:00.000-08:00

The water line to our property was laid. We have a 12" line. (Which apparently is a good size, at least that's what they tell us). Both the sewer and the water line have now been brought to our site. These are important steps that help us as we look forward to getting a building.

Financial Report

2008-01-09T10:54:00.001-08:00

Every month, as the Growing In Faith giving comes in, an amount is set aside for the monthly mortgage payment, cumulative taxes, project management, association dues, insurance, etc. This amount is approximately $12000.00. The total December GIF giving was 19049.00! That means we had a little over $7000.00 to put toward the entitlement process. (Scroll down to find out more about the entitlement process)

December GIF giving: $19,049.00
Minimum to “pay bills”: $12,000.00
Difference: $7,049.00

Entitlement Process?

2008-01-09T10:49:00.000-08:00

The word, “entitlement” means having a right to something. It’s a lot like permission. For us to move forward with constructing a building on our property, we need permission from the County of Riverside.

It’s this permission, or entitlement, that we are currently working on. To proceed, our first step is to have a free, informal meeting with the county planning department.

At this meeting, we will be able to share the specifics about what we are planning to do with our property and learn from the planning department about any issues, concerns, requirements, etc, that we should be attentive to in the overall design. The more we can learn during this meeting, the better prepared we will be to turn in plans that will have smooth sailing through the county process. This means less expense for us, and a shorter time period to get final approval.

We have already requested this meeting and expect to have it within the next few weeks.
Please pray that God will grant us favor with the county officials and that this meeting will be helpful in moving us forward!

Growing in Faith Update Video

2008-01-08T13:41:00.000-08:00

This is our Growing in Faith update video we showed during Sunday's service.

Praise Report - Growing in Faith Giving for the Month December

2008-01-05T19:19:00.000-08:00

We have a praise report! Giving toward Growing in Faith for the month of the December was $19,000. This is more than the average ($12,000 a month). This extra large amount helps make up for the previous two months in which the Growing in Faith giving was below the needed amount (only $7500). So all in all, we ended the year where we needed to be! Thanks to all who are giving to Growing in Faith.

Growing in Faith Update

2008-01-02T10:21:00.000-08:00

We want to let you know that we are taking a fresh look at the possibility of constructing a building on our property. Here’s why:

Because of the increased value of our property, and the possibility that we could construct a smaller, starter building, we believe it may be possible to build on our property sooner than we imagined. We are busy working with the county to get more details.

We’re still gathering information, but we want to let you know so you can be praying with us.
We also want to give you a big thanks for supporting Growing in Faith. It’s your monthly Growing in Faith giving that has brought us to this point and it’s your giving that will help us move forward.

Latest Update

2007-10-22T15:47:00.000-07:00

In the world of Growing In Faith it can seem like feast or famine.
Sometimes there is so much going on and so much to do that I can’t begin to keep up with it all. Other times there is absolutely nothing going on!

Well, guess what?
We seem to be in an in-between stage.

The company that is purchasing the parcel behind ours is preparing their building plans to submit to the county. What this means for our church is that I will be working closely with them to help insure a mutually beneficial “edge condition” (our properties share a common edge). This means that we will be attempting to make sure neither site plan poses an imposition or difficulty for the adjoining property owner.

In addition to this, our church has been contacted by the owner of the property at the other end of ours regarding the building he is preparing to construct. He is still interested in leasing to us and said that he hoped to have some solid costs worked out within a couple of weeks. He wants to meet at that time and discuss a potential lease in detail.

As Growing In Faith activity ramps up, we really need your faithful prayer support. Please keep this process in your prayers.
Thanks to God and your faithfulness for making this project possible!

Building Update

2007-08-28T09:21:00.000-07:00

Today (Tuesday) we received an email from the owner of the building. He just received the final conditions from the county on his construction project and hopes to get to us soon on the proposed cost for space we want to lease. We’ll keep you updated as information comes in. Thanks to everyone who is praying.
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Property Update

2007-08-14T09:34:00.001-07:00

As you’re reading this, the water district is laying sewer lines through our property. While not “spiritual sounding” this is important when it comes to building a facility! This is just one more step forward on the property. If you swing by the property, make sure you don’t fall in, the trench is about 10 feet deep.

Property Update

2007-08-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

The July 2nd hearing (It got moved to July 16th) for the property owner next to us went well. He has received almost all of the approvals he needs to begin construction. While waiting for a few final approvals he will be grading the site and preparing the elevations.
This is important news for us because he has asked us to consider renting space from him.
We met with him and sketched out some design ideas that would make his space usable for us. He liked the design (so did his architect) and he is currently in the process of getting bids so he can get back to us with cost estimates.
As we continue to explore opportunities for better meeting spaces, please pray with us that God would provide all we need and more, according to His great power!
“Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more that all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
--Ephesians 3:20-21

Important County Hearing

2007-06-27T12:32:00.001-07:00

July 2nd is an important county hearing concerning the building being constructed next to our property. Based on the outcome of this meeting, construction will immediately begin and the completion date is estimated to be 7-9 months out.

This is of interest to us for two reasons…

1) The owner has approached us about renting space in this new building as a meeting place for our church. This will give us a 24/7 building to use until we save the money to build on our own property.

2) Whether or not we rent space, this new project is immediately adjacent to our property, and as part of the development a shared driveway will be constructed that will give us access to our land. So it moves our property one step closer toward an eventual building.

Building Update

2007-06-12T10:13:00.001-07:00

What’s New on the Building? We are still moving forward on a new building; But it may look different than what we first imagined! The owner of the building we looked at has asked us to consider a different building, one that’s even closer to the property.

A little background: The owner has been trying to construct a building on the lot immediately adjacent to the south side of our property. In fact, we talked to him about this project a year ago, but it was stuck in the county. Well, it’s not longer stuck. While we’ve been praying about his existing building, suddenly this other project came to life, and he’s hoping to start construction in 5 weeks.

In the meantime – In the meantime the owner has had another development. He has received an offer on the building we held our service in. It came from a large company that wants to take the offices and all the warehouse space. (including the portion we want). It’s pretty much an offer the owner can’t refuse, so he is planning to move forward with them on the “APC” building. He is offering us first chance at this new building.

Keep Praying - We are still working hard to get more information, and we’ll update you as information becomes available. The most important activity now is prayer. We need God to go before us and guide us to the place that’s right for us.

On Hold

2007-05-15T16:12:00.000-07:00

The owner of the building we have been looking at contacted us, and wants to discuss some new developments, including an opportunity that may be better for the church. He asked for ten days to pull together some information to share with us.
Since we want our information meetings to reflect the most accurate and up to date information possible, we will be rescheduling our next meetings, for after we meet with him. Please keep praying for the exciting opportunities in front of our church.

Did you see the plot plan at our Growing in Faith Event? If not, check it out.

2007-04-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

At our Growing in Faith anniversary event people enjoyed looking at the rough draft of the plot plan. Once on the property members were impressed with the size of the building and many were surprised to learn that the building will be two stories!

In case you missed the event, below is a copy of a possible design for the first floor of our potential building. If you have any questions email us at growinginfaith@newlifecommunitychurch.net

Photos from our Anniversary Event

2007-03-24T18:59:00.000-07:00

Want to see pictures from our Growing in Faith event? You can see them at www.newlifecommunitychurchblog.blogspot.com. To go there click here

What's the Scoop on the Dirt?

2007-03-24T18:52:00.000-07:00

2007-03-19T16:03:00.000-07:00

As we continue to move forward toward the development of our property, we remain on the lookout for possible interim meeting places. In fact, over the last few weeks we have been talking to the owner of a building about the possibility of leasing it. There is still much to find out about this opportunity, however, it would give us the space to consolidate our entire church into one meeting place. In other words, if we leased this building we would have our Sunday morning services, midweek uses, and offices all on one site. Please pray with us and ask God to direct our steps as we consider this option.

Growing In Faith One Year Anniversary

2007-02-15T12:27:00.000-08:00

Can you believe a whole year has gone by since God led us to a piece of property we could call our own? We want to commemorate that occasion by having a celebration at the property site on March 18th 2007 and we would like our entire church family to be there. Whether you’re new to our church and have no idea what Growing In Faith is, or have been a long-time member supporting the project, we want to get together with you on the site of our future church home. Click the image above to learn more about the event and what you can be doing between now and then!

News Update

2007-01-22T15:43:00.000-08:00

Here is the latest news from Riverside County regarding landscaping and submitting a plot plan. Riverside county adopted a plan that requires complete landscaping plans to be submitted as a part of the plot plan. This is a new requirement for the approval of plot plans before construction permits can be pulled.
What this means for us is that a new component will be added to our process for development. A landscape architect will have to work in conjunction with our plan design team to create the landscaping plan before we can go to the county.
Please pray that we find a quality landscaping architect and that the cost will be reasonable.

2006-12-14T15:27:00.000-08:00

2006-11-28T17:56:00.000-08:00

2006-10-13T13:39:00.000-07:00

2006-09-14T14:06:00.000-07:00

Possible Building Design

2006-08-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

This is one of the initial design concepts that our architect has generated. At this stage it is no where near completion, but is simply a computer generated model that roughly suits our programming needs.
The next step will be to pull in ministry leaders to get their ideas and suggestions. By the time that is done, the design might be totally different! Please keep the building design team and the whole Growing In Faith project in your prayers.

2006-08-07T13:56:00.000-07:00

2006-07-24T16:06:00.000-07:00

2006-07-12T17:38:00.000-07:00

Financial Update

2006-07-06T17:20:00.000-07:00

As part of Growing in Faith, most of our members made a commitment to give over and above their "regular" giving for the next three years. These three-year commitments are the “bread and butter” of paying for the property and moving ahead with development. Here is a snapshot of what the first three months have looked like. Praise God for what He has done!

The Speed Of Progress

2006-06-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

It seems that we are exceeding the speed limit on the highway of progress. In fact, we are moving forward so fast that we are actually asking our building design team to slow down. Here’s why:
The architect has been able to move so quickly, we’re actually moving faster than the money is coming in.
The Growing In Faith commitments come in at about $13,000.00 per month. Of that amount, about $9,150.00 goes toward property payments, taxes, etc. The amount that’s left is being used to move the process forward.
At this time the remaining cost to develop a plot plan for county submittal is $40,000.00. As soon as this money comes in, we will be moving full steam ahead.

Thanks to our members we have been able to make progress faster than we ever thought we could! As a result of your continued giving we will be able to continue to move forward.

Details, Details

2006-06-01T14:47:00.000-07:00

Each week we get a little closer to an overall design. Our architect says that by early July we should have a plan to submit to the county for approval!
We’ve had some great building design ideas come in from our members.

Here are just a few:

Pews
A baptismal with a fountain
Fun stuff painted on the walls
Let the youth group paint their own space
A hardwood floor for dancing and basketball
A room for games such as ping pong, darts, billiards etc.

2006-05-23T10:37:00.000-07:00

As you can see we are hard at work putting our thoughts on paper for the building design. Pictured are: Mike Wagner (He's the good looking one), Gary Laughlin (Our civil engineer), and Tracey Powel (Architectural designer).
Keep your comments regarding the building coming! We would like as much input from our members as possible as we move through this process!

2006-05-08T15:20:00.000-07:00

This is an initial drawing of a building that would fit on our site. It represents a first stab at what could work on the site and may or may not be the final shape and size. That being said, here are some details about what you are looking at:

Total square footage (first floor) = 26,000
Approximate total square footage (first and second floors) = 42,000
Total parking spaces = 186
Approximate width = 112 feet
Approximate length = 226 feet
Scale is 1”= 60’

Keeping Up With Progress

2006-04-29T11:04:00.000-07:00

Our architectural team is working hard on the overall layout and footprint of our new church home. In fact, we will be receiving an initial topographical drawing in the next couple of days. You will be able to see it right here on the blog.

stay tuned!!

Future Home!

2006-04-22T18:04:00.000-07:00

Here is a picture of our Sunday afternoon ceremony where we unveiled the "Future Home" sign on our property

Give Us Your Input!

2006-04-18T16:12:00.000-07:00

We are meeting with our architect every week and we would love to have input from our members.
What would you like to see in a new church building?
A coffee shop?
A book store?
A large kitchen?
No suggestion is a bad suggestion. To weigh in on the process, simply send an email or post a comment right here on the blog.

Go Ahead! Give It A Try!

A Dream Come True!

2006-04-10T13:20:00.000-07:00

We did something on Sunday that we have been dreaming about for years. We placed a “Future Home of New Life Community Church” sign on the property for all to see! Approximately 60-70 people came to the property to watch the unveiling of the sign and pose for a group photo.
I wonder what we will think of that picture when we look at it ten years from now.

Sign Raising Ceremony

2006-04-02T15:45:00.000-07:00

Everyone is invited to a special sign raising ceremony. Be there as we set up our “Future Home of New Life” sign on the property.

Join us on Sunday afternoon as we pause to celebrate what God has done.

The all-family event will be from 1:00 -1:15 on Sunday afternoon, April 9th.

For directions to the site, see below

Moving Forward

2006-03-28T11:45:00.000-08:00

Our architect is ready to get started!
The name of the firm is Kroh Architects. If you are interested in seeing their work, there are a few places you can check out.

The new coffee shop at Harvest Christian Fellowship

The Infinity dealer showroom in the Riverside Auto Center

Cal Baptist University Yeager Center

The BMW dealer showroom in the Riverside Auto Center

The new Malcolm Smith Motorcycles building in progress right now off of the 91 fwy. and Madison

Share your story!

2006-03-24T22:52:00.000-08:00

We are now a couple weeks past Celebration Sunday. Many of our members took steps of faith to give their gifts. We are looking forward to hearing stories of how God come through for you! Take time to honor God by sharing what He has done for you. Email us your stories at growinginfaith@newlifecommunitychurch.

Meeting a fellow believer

2006-03-24T22:31:00.000-08:00

It's fun to see the connections God brings. While on the property the foreman overseeing the grading came up and said, "you must be from the church!" He is active in his local church and was happy to know a group of fellow believers would be moving onto the site he was working on. Here is a picture of Mike Hannah and him on the property.

Grading has begun!

2006-03-24T14:34:00.000-08:00

Grading is going gangbusters at the property. Truckloads of dirt have been brought onto the lot and then spread out with earthmoving equipment. The goal is to raise entire site to a certian level needed for property drainage.

Looking Back at Celebration Sunday

2006-03-23T16:33:00.000-08:00

One of the members sent us a picture they took with their camera phone of our big day! Remember the excitment when the total was announced!

It Finally Happened!

2006-03-20T16:01:00.000-08:00

For the first time ever, New Life Community Church is the proud owner of a piece of property in the South Corona area. As a result of the heartfelt commitments, the faith, the prayers and the support of our church members, God has blessed us with a piece of property where we can build a permanent church home. The property is 2.86 acres and is undergoing the grading process right now. If you would like to see it for yourself, take the 15 fwy. to Weirick Rd. Turn east to Temescal Canyon Rd. then go south. Turn left on Pulsar Ct. in the Wildrose Business Park, drive to the end of the street, look left and there it is! It’s beautiful, isn’t it?

Getting Closer

2006-03-15T10:11:00.000-08:00

What a crazy week! We continue to put all of the puzzle pieces together as we anxiously approach the escrow closing date. The bank is putting loan documents together, the escrow company is putting title/deed documents together, and the seller is continuing the grading process at the property site.
Please pray with us that the next few days go smoothly and are marked by God’s presence and provision.

Next Step

2006-03-13T10:54:00.000-08:00

Here is where we are at with the property:
We have raised enough money to purchase 2.86 acres of the 5 acres that we originally hoped to purchase.
We are planning on closing escrow on that portion on March 16th.
Let us thank God for continuing to open doors for us!!

Thank God!

2006-03-08T01:00:00.000-08:00

Did you hear the news? Our church family gave an amazing amount of money! Together we committed to give $1,287,367 over the next three years. This total amount breaks down as follows.

One time gifts (already given) : $549,306
“Other Gift” committed: $91,060
Amount committed over the three years : $647,350

Total Amount Committed: $1,287,367

God has done a great thing for our church, let’s take time to praise Him!

Commitment Sunday

2006-02-28T16:34:00.000-08:00

On February 26th our church made a faith-stretching, sacrificial financial commitment to buying a property where we can build a church home of our own.
Next Sunday is Celebration Sunday. We will be bringing our entire church family together for ONE service at 10:30am at the Santiago location. After the service there will be a baptism, Subway sandwiches, popcorn, cotton candy, and lots of games for the kids to play. We look forward to seeing you there!

Commitment Sunday is only 4 days away!

2006-02-22T11:57:00.000-08:00

Behind the scenes, we are scheduling meetings with our civil engineer, architect, and pastoral advisory team to ensure the escrow process closes smoothly and we can move forward as quickly as possible.

If you've been to the site lately, you would have noticed that it looks a little different. This is because the grading process is continuing and the elevations are being changed to promote water drainage.

This is an exciting time for our church! The Growing In Faith project is already a huge success and the fact that our members have had it in their hearts to attempt something so huge for God leaves no other conclusion.

As we move forward with this project, we already know that the victory will not be the result of anything we could have done on our own. God gets all the glory for the victory that He provides!!

1 Corinthians 15:57,58
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

GREAT NEWS!

2006-02-13T10:52:00.000-08:00

We've added one last Vision Casting meeting! It's not too late to get the details about what we're trying to do as a church. This last meeting is February 19 at 3:00pm in Corona Hills. All are welcome and childcare will be provided. Call the church office to sign up. 951-736-5433
Or shoot me an email growinginfaith@newlifecommunitychurch.net

Vision Casting Meetings

2006-02-13T10:46:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, we had our final, regularly scheduled, Vision Casting meeting. There was great energy in the room and a lot of great ideas were shared. It's great to share the information about the property and receive so mucn positive feedback!

Evening Service Vision Casting Meeting

2006-02-01T16:42:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday night (last night) we had a vision casting meeting for members of our night service. What a great group of people! It was a chance to connect and talk about how our upcoming step of faith will affect our evening service. People came with great questions, great comment and great attitudes!

Meeting with Architect

2006-01-31T14:33:00.000-08:00

Today we met with the architect we selected and had a great meeting. He visited the site and will come back later in the week with recommendations. We'll keep you posted.