The goal is NOT to help you design the building – that’s the architect’s job. Leave the design solutions to the design professionals. Your job is to know what you can afford to spend and how the congregation will use the building.

We recommend a PLANNING COMMITTEE and
task-oriented SUBCOMMITTEES.

Q. Why So Many Committees?
1. There is too much work for one committee. The use of SUBcommittees shares the workload and produces a better (more informed) product.
2. SUBcommittees involve more people in the planning and decision making process, thus building support for the project and the fund raising effort.
3. SUBcommittees are excellent leadership training grounds and therefore can increase the leadership circle of a congregation. One strategy for congregational growth is to provide more leadership opportunities

Committee Structure – Summary
(To learn more, order A Congregational Planning Process)

PLANNING COMMITTEE
To manage the process
To coordinate the SUBcommittees
To make decisions that minimize conflict
To determine readiness to make a decision

DATA SUBcommittee tasks
To gather data on worship and program usage
To gather demographic data on the congregation and ministry area

FINANCE SUBcommittee tasks
To determine what the congregation can afford to spend
To put together a financial package
To run a capital campaign (this may also be a separate SUBcommittee)

MINISTRY PROGRAM SUBcommittee tasks
To test parish mission assumptions
To conduct member interviews
To write the Ministry Program
To recommend an architect

SITE SUBcommittee tasks (If appropriate)
To evaluate and/or select a site.

Summary of the Steps
in the Process
(To learn more, order A Congregational Planning Process)

FIRST:
STEP 1. Getting Organized: Address the subject of authority; identify the committee structure and members; explain the decision making process; clarify expected behavioral norms; define the task, desired outcome, and timeline of each committee.
STEP 2. Finance Committee: Conduct a financial feasibility study to determine the financial resources of the congregation for a building project. This study identifies funds currently available for the project, funds that could be raised in a capital funds campaign, and long term debt options. This information does not require a decision to spend the full amount, it is presented to clarify what is possible to spend if so desired.

SECOND:
STEP 3. Educational Input: If the building project includes work on your liturgical, educational, or fellowship space, learn what options exist outside your current knowledge. Look beyond your own experience by researching the new trends in space use. (See ECBF resource The Church for Common Prayer).

THIRD:
STEP 4. Data Gathering: Get the facts about the congregation and about your ministry area (demographics) and forward the reports to the Ministry Program and Finance SUBcommittees. (See Percept, Inc.)
STEP 5. Ministry Program: Interview key representatives of the ministries and of the congregation; review your mission statement and draft a current definition of your ministry.

FOURTH:
STEP 6. Planning Committee: Integrate the reports of Ministry Program and Finance Subcommittees for evaluation and decision making. Report to the congregation. There may be several cycles between the SUBcommittees and the Planning Committee and between the Planning Committee and the congregation.

FINALLY:
STEP 7. Site Committee: Evaluate and/or select site.
STEP 8. Ministry Program Committee: Report is finalized.
STEP 9. Planning Committee: Interview and select architect.
STEP 10. Planning Committee: Evaluate preliminary designs in terms of NEED (Ministry Program SUBcommittee) and AFFORD (Finance SUBcommittee).
STEP 11. Finance Committee: Propose the financial package.
STEP 12. Planning Committee: Establish construction timeline.