Building on Faith: Tell the Next Generations

Our master plan is to build approximately 50,000 square feet of ministry space when completed.  That’s twice the footprint of our current building.  Unless we are surprised by a sudden and very large donation, we can’t build it all at once.  Thus we are planning two phases.  Future school enrollment projections have continued to increase, even more rapidly than we anticipated, revealing a greater urgency for more classroom space. Therefore, we are planning to build the school first and the sanctuary in phase two. 

The new gym will be the only area with enough space for worship.  The new gym will be a more worshipful setting—both aesthetically and acoustically—than our current gym.  Design elements that will serve our worship needs will be included.  We plan to move our electric organ to an area of the gym, so that all of the instruments we’re used to will continue to be a part of worship.  We won’t be sitting in metal folding chairs.  Rather, we are planning on seating that is comfortable, portable, and will have long-time usage once our worship in the gym has finished.

With our conservative projections, it could be as long as ten years.  We hope to make that timeline shorter.  St. Matthew’s in Oconomowoc relocated their ministries recently.  They expected their 2nd phase sanctuary to come 10 years after their school.  They were blessed to shrink that timeline to 4 years.  We would love to do the same.

By the grace of God, we were blessed to officially break ground on May 17, 2026, and construction is now underway.  Construction is scheduled to be completed in a little less than a year, allowing us to move into our new building in the summer of 2027.

The commitments as of May 2026 total $1,440,486 or 96% of our $1.5M goal!  129 commitments have been made.  God be praised!  

Yes!  We invite the rest of our members to join with those who have already made commitments. Commitment cards and envelopes are located by the office window.  They can be put in the wooden box located there.   

After purchasing the property for $670,000 in summer of 2024, the land loan was completely paid off in early 2026. Another reason for thanksgiving!

Our current property is officially under contract to be sold as of spring of 2026, and the buyer is currently working to secure funding.  A bump clause was included in the current contract, should another interested party make an offer that we would want to consider.

One lender studied our finances, agreed with our projections, and offered us a loan up to $7 million. This is a large mortgage for our congregation, and it's appropriate to ask how will we manage it.  Among the many blessings we’ve enjoyed over recent years is significant offering increases and participation in the WPCP.  Combined, these financial blessings allow us to pursue our relocation decision faster than we otherwise could do.

Our leadership feels that we need to chart a balanced course—one that is bold, but not reckless, one that aggressively pursues the gospel ministry opportunities before us, while preparing ourselves for changing circumstances.  

With that understanding, below are the larger risks we perceive, followed by how we are buffering ourselves against those risks with conservatives projections.

RISKS:

• It could happen that we may need to exit the WPCP someday.  Replacing that revenue wouldn’t be impossible, but it would be challenging.
• The national economy could suddenly suffer.  
• The local economy could lose a major employer, causing members to move.  
• Redeemer could face staffing challenges that we’ve been insulated from in recent years.

BUFFERS:

• We’re modeling only modest increases in offerings year over year.  Offerings could increase much faster, just as they have recently for us, and as other churches experienced in the decade following large building projects (from financial data available at wels.net).  Such an increase would pay down the mortgage faster and thereby shorten the interval between the two phases.
• We haven’t planned for any future estate gifts.  Any gifts received would pay down the principal faster.
• We have not anticipated an increase in membership that would bring more blessings.
• We have not included any potential benefit from the Educational Choice for Children’s Act (ECCA).  Greater voucher income from private sources could be an additional blessing.
• Our leadership has chosen to chart a middle course, knowing that both positive and negative circumstances could await us.  Our financial model is neither “pie-in-the-sky”, nor “doom-and-gloom”.
• It is bold, knowing that Jesus calls for us to use his resources that we collectively manage for his Kingdom (Matthew 25:31-46).
• It is carefully detailed—trying to estimate every important detail for years ahead—obeying Jesus’ warning not to make plans that can’t be carried out (Luke 14:28-30).
• It has resurrection confidence, trusting God’s promise to bless our ministry in his Name (1 Corinthians 15:58).
• It has humble flexibility, knowing that God’s blessings can also come through trials (James 1:2-4).
• It is properly focused, seeking to serve Christ’s expanding Kingdom (Matthew 16:18), while entrusting the future of our congregation to his care (Matthew 6:33, Revelation 2-3).

Yes!  We’re already saving expenses with our architect Excel, through two members who work there who are donating their time on the project.  Similarly, our construction manager, Catalyst, is very open to our members volunteering in various parts of the projects, donating their time and labor, or bidding on the project.