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Our Challenges and Plans

Debt Reduction 


In August, 2024, CCOB’s facilities were in crisis. Our boilers were breaking, and our ceilings were leaking. We also heard a deep and abiding call to better serve our community and our planet. In response, the congregation approved the urgent replacement of two 80-year-old boilers, Paxton Hall's 23-year-old leaking roof, the Educational Wing's 60-year-old roof, and the future installation of a 22kWh solar array.

Construction Loan
$215,000 

September, 2024 - August 2026
$1,250 per month interest only payments

In August 2026 we must refinance to a 
$22,000* per year mortgage.


Our church currently has sufficient capital campaign account funds to pay the monthly interest payments through August 2026. However, we do not have funds to cover annual mortgage payments after that. 


The threat of a mortgage, if the loan is not paid off in total, looms large over the church's future operating and programming plans.

 

Our Plan

Our highest campaign priority is to 
retire our $215,000 debt by August 2026.

This will save CCOB $105,333*  
in interest paid over the life of the loan.



The new boilers are already providing energy savings and reliable cold-weather comfort. The roof replacements have eliminated leaks and structural risks to Paxton Hall and the education wing. Also, our plans to install the solar array will further reduce energy expenses and reflect our church’s commitment to being good environmental stewards.

By eliminating this debt, we will be better stewards of the gifts God has entrusted to us. We will be able to keep up with regular maintenance instead of letting problems build, and we’ll have funds to seize new programming and ministry opportunities when they arise.

*Approximate amount

 

Our Facility Challenges

 

BUILDING EXTERIOR & GROUNDS


The church building’s façade and outdoor areas are overdue for updates and maintenance if we wish to continue our church’s image and credibility as a caring and responsible faith community. When we surveyed the congregation earlier in the year, preserving the exterior “core” of our facility was among the highest-ranking priorities.

  • The church’s beautiful exterior stonework and mortar are cracked, eroding, dirty, and discolored. Also, its distinctive roofline and steeple trim and decorative elements are deteriorating and peeling. These need work to ensure the structure remains protected from the elements. 
  • Our 20-year-old parking lot and sidewalks have some areas beyond repair. They are not yet serious safety concerns but these unsightly areas do not give a positive first impression.
  • While our landscaping was beautifully designed to frame and complement our gorgeous building, it is labor-intensive to maintain. As a result it has overgrown beds, trees, shrubs, and groundcover areas.
  • Our exterior signage and campus directional and informational signs are old and weathered. They don't convey the impression to visitors of a well-maintained and up-to-date facility.


Sanctuary


Our sanctuary is the worship center of our church – the physical space where we come together as a faith community to celebrate who we are, whose we are, and who we are called to be. The beautiful space is the oldest part of our building. 


With that wonderful character and patina come the signs of age, use, and deterioration.

  • The speaker system is not ideal for the room's acoustics and our hearing impaired audio aids rarely function properly.
  • Several cracks in the plaster, in highly visible areas of the room, are visually distracting and could lead to more extensive problems.
  • The ceiling fans and lighting fixtures can only be reached by scaffolding, making them difficult and expensive to maintain. They all are very dirty and unsightly, and some have become unsalvageable. 
  • Our underpowered main projector means some images and video are nearly impossible to read during daytime services. 


Paxton Hall


Paxton Hall is the church's most used area and we prioritize letting all people use it – the congregation at large, the preschool, and community groups. With all this cherished use comes wear and tear. 

  • The person-lift (often referred to as the Paxton elevator) is old, noisy, and in a dark, uncomfortable space. CCOB’s commitment to include and welcome all is diminished by its poor condition. 
  • The ceiling shows water damage from since-repaired leaks, and the walls, flooring, tables, and chairs are worn from years of extensive use.
  • The kitchen’s limited functionality, aging appliances, and worn countertops with potentially dangerous sharp edges makes it difficult to efficiently serve our congregation's growing needs. 
  • We lack adequate storage so coat racks and corners in and around the hall have become messy and unkept catch-all storage. 


Pine Room


Our facilities struggle to meet the demands of our growing church, yet the Pine Room is critically underused.  Its dated aesthetic, functional limitations, and wear and tear hinder its full potential. 

  • The majority of the room is used for various group and ministry storage, and the original kitchen serves as the facility team’s workroom. 
  • The low ceiling, damaged tiles, and old fluorescent lighting make the space feel small, dreary, and uninviting. 
  • The old, worn furnishings contribute to the uninviting, cluttered feel. 
  • The room's dated and old wood paneling is a potential fire hazard. 


Common Areas

  • Entrances, doors, and hallways throughout the building are not ADA compliant, making access for mobility-challenged individuals difficult and unwelcoming.
  • Additionally, the keyed entry system is outdated, inconvenient, and unsafe.
  • Facility lighting and some electrical fixtures are varied, old, and not always energy efficient.
  • Our building's layout can be confusing for guests and visitors, yet our interior wayfinding signs are limited and not strategically placed.

 

Our Plans

 

This campaign’s goal is to address our current facility challenges in a comprehensive and prioritized manner, 
in accordance with the most pressing needs and available campaign funds. 



High Priority



Exterior Stonework Restoration: tuckpointing mortar joints, repairing damaged stone and brick sections, and cleaning and sealing the masonry. 

Exterior Woodwork Preservation: performing needed repairs, restoration, and replacements.  

Sanctuary Audio Improvement: upgrading or replacing the speaker system and installing a new hearing-impaired audio system. 

Sanctuary Wall Restoration: repairing any needed structural and water damage, fixing plaster cracks, and repainting walls.

Sanctuary Visual System Upgrade: installing a higher powered projector that accommodates all the sanctuary’s light conditions. 

Paxton Hall Person-Lift Fix: making a person-lift upgrade or replacement so everyone can participate in activities. 

Common Area Accessibility & Security Improvements: where possible, making doors ADA-compliant and improving security with a key card access system and remote door locking and audio-visual communication controls from the office to entries.

Common Area Lighting & Electrical Updates: converting lighting to LED and updating electrical fixtures and wiring where possible and needed.

 



Medium Priority



Parking Lot & Sidewalk Plan: developing plans to repair or replace parking lot and sidewalk damage over the next 5 years. 

Landscaping Plan: reducing non-native species, removing problematic trees and shrubs, and developing a comprehensive landscaping plan to save maintenance costs. 
 
Signage Improvements: developing and implementing comprehensive branding for exterior and interior signs to aid navigation.

Sanctuary Lighting: replacing the ceiling fans, cleaning the lights, installing LED lighting, and requesting bids for a ceiling fan and light lowering system to make maintenance easier, safer, and less expensive. 

Paxton Hall Preservation: preparing the hall for another 25–30 years of use by repairing and repainting water damaged ceilings and walls, and installing new, high-use flooring.

Paxton Hall Kitchen: improving functionality and capacity, upgrading appliances, and replace broken and dangerous countertops. 




Low Priority



Paxton Hall Storage Improvements: examining physical or procedural changes to improve storage, reduce clutter, and improve the hall's atmosphere.

Pine Room Renovation: updating the room with new wall panelling, paint, light fixtures, flooring, and furniture.



As a church, we prioritize letting all people use the Paxton Hall, and this access to the community is one of the more tangible ways our church lives its mission.