Questions and Answer about PRUMC’s Capital Campaign

Why does our church home need updating now?

In 2015, we celebrated our 150th Anniversary of ministry and mission in the Pearl River community. We have been blessed to have a facility that allows us to reach so many both in our church fellowship and in our local community. Over the years there have been times when the members needed to address this facility to meet its changing needs. Our facility is currently at one of those points.

Our goal is to Renew the current structure of the sanctuary, Enhance our building through capital improvements to flooring and our walkways and make our facility Accessible to all, so that our Church Home might continue to be a beacon of God's love for future generations. Now it is our time to step forward and address the needs of our church home in order to ensure that PRUMC stands strong into its next 150 years as a vital testimony to the power and love of Christ.

What changes will be made in our building?

Our plan is to address two major issues around safety and accessibility of our facility:

First, the stability of the sanctuary must be addressed by reinforcing the structural supports. There is significant bowing of the walls in and around the choir loft. We need to address and correct this issue before it becomes an emergency situation. While these changes may not be that visible, they will ensure that our church will have a space to gather and worship safely for many years to come.

Second, our building is not accessible to all. For those in wheelchairs, with walkers or even strollers, it is a challenge to enter and access our facility. In order to address this challenge we will be providing an improved entrance area off the driveway. This will include a ramp, an enlarged welcome space and a unisex handicapped accessible restroom. The driveway will be widened to include several more handicapped parking spaces and new improved sidewalks will provide a safer entrance for all.

What will the project cost?

We are estimating that the total cost of this project will be close to $475,000. At this point, initial gifts have raised over $62,000. We have already spent over $19,000 on an engineering study and architectural plans.

What is our financial plan?

Our financial plan anticipates that we will be funded by proceeds of this capital campaign and a renovation loan. We will also pursue grants and other outside funding opportunities. We have currently raised over $62,000 towards the REACH campaign. The more successful our initial contributions are, the smaller the loan will need to be to complete the projects. The size of the loan will be finalized by the Finance Committee, and affirmed at a future Church Council meeting in the coming months, but is anticipated to be around $400,000. Once this is done, construction schedules will be coordinated and finalized and shared with the congregation and membership. Target date is to start after Easter Sunday 2017 and complete by Christmas that year.