Hello once again from the Faith Community Church Ministry Center.  It is amazing how quickly one can fill up 7,000 square feet.  The picture in the upper left corner is taken from the main entrance doorway looking toward the sanctuary/stage.  To the right of this picture will be the coffee area and to the left will be the office/kitchen.

The left center picture is also taken from the main entrance and is looking to the left as you enter.  It shows the main wall framing that separates the sanctuary from the classrooms.  The framing is just about complete.  As you can see, the space is gobbled up pretty quick.

The right center picture shows an installed electrical outlet.  “Why is that important?” you ask.  Great question!  It means that the electrical work has begun, which is another milestone in the process.

The picture in the right corner shows the formation of “Lake Faith Community” wrapping around the building.  For the last week they have been averaging a truck load of sand leaving every 15 minutes.  “Where is that sand going?” you ask.  Another great question!  The next time you are driving by the Publix shopping center on CR 210, you will notice a “Bank of America” sign on the lot in front of The Loop restaurant.  You will also notice a bunch of white sand on that lot.  If you are saying to yourself right now “AHA”, then you must be pretty smart.  For those of you who are thinking “HUH?”, well…   Until next week.  PW :))

This has been another busy week at the buidling site.  They are doing a lot of work on infrastructure this week.  The water supply line for the fire sprinkler system was completed and passed inspection by the Fire Marshall. The electricians have set the power pole which brings power to the property and are laying the underground lines that will carry power from the pole over to the building.

The Ministry Center is progressing daily.  The fire sprinkler system is just about finished and half of the roof is done. They started framing this week and have the outer wall framed as well as the nursery.  In fact, yesterday they completed the ceiling of the nursery which will eventually be home to the HVAC units.  They will sit directly above the nursery. Well, that’s all for now.  I’ll keep you posted.  PW

Can you believe it? The builders have been busy this week and much has changed since our last update. (If you double click the pictures they will enlarge to ”full-screen” and you will be able to see more detail.) 

Starting at the far left, this picture was taken from the stage area looking out toward the back of the building.  Note the black pipes hanging down from the roof.  This is the sprinkler system that is a part of the fire protection system.

The picture immediately to the right shows 3 1/2 sides completed.  They should have all of the sides sheeted by the end of the week.

The picture to the right of center is taken from the outside and shows the entry way framing complete.

The picture all the way to the right is taken from the inside looking out of the main entrance. 

As you can see it is really beginning to take shape.  I believe the roof will start to go on next week and soon we will have a building with an “intact” exterior.  Say tuned for more updates.  By the way, check out my blog entitled “In My Minds Eye”.  Peace, PW

The steel erectors have been busy.  The picture on the far left shows the forms for the concrete columns that are located at the main entrance to the building. The center picture taken from the lake side of the building shows the north wall partially sheeted.  The picture on the right is taken from the parking lot side and shows the north wall completely sheeted and insulated.  The erectors have stopped sheeting for the moment while the work out a problem with the insulation manufacturer.  They continue to work in other areas of the building. 

The site contractors finished laying the domestic sewer lines Wednesday and installed manholes on Thursday.  They will begin work on the storm sewer lines this coming Monday.   Stay tuned for more updates.  PW

Much has happened over the past week.  The “Ministry Center” is beginning to take shape.  The steel arrived at 7:00am Tuesday, right on schedule.  It is amazing to me that a 7,000 square foot building can fit on two flat-bed semi trailers.

As soon as the steel was unloaded they began erecting it and by Wednesday evening both sides, one end and three of the roof trusses were securely in place.  The steel should be completely erected by the end of today and I expect the roof and walls to follow shortly.  I’ll keep you updated. PW

Last Sunday several people went out to the property after church to view the progress on the Ministry Center and to write scriptures on the foundation.  It was beautiful to see young kids, teens and adults writing scripture verses on the foundation.

We also annointed the entrance and prayed that God would help all who enter to find hope, healing and compassion and all who leave to do so in peace.

Not much is happening on the buidling.  At the moment we are waiting for the steel to arrive.  It is supposed arrive at 7:00am on Aprll 15.  When it arrives they will immediately begin erecting it and should have the building up and enclosed within 3 weeks. YES!!!  That’s it for now. PW

One day a friend and I were “studying” when the basketball game (that we were  studying) was interrupted by a commercial.  The commercial was advertising pearl necklaces for “only $19.95″ plus shipping and handling.  These were not your everyday pearls, they were “GEN-U-INE simulated” pearls.  The voice-over was so enthusiastic that it made you want to “order right now” before they ran out of their “limited supply”.  The over-emphasized word “GENUINE” followed immediately by the under-emphasized word “simulated” was designed to trick you into buying something that you thought was real but was only a cheap immitation.

This morning as I was meditating on Christ’s encounter with Satan in the desert, I was reminded once again that Satan has nothing of value to offer us.  The very best that he can offer us is a “genuine SIMULATED” immitation of the real thing.

As you make your way through this week LISTEN to the “fine print” and don’t waste your time or money on cheap immitations.  Let this be a reminder that God has the “REAL DEAL’ in store for you and I. Peace, PW

We have much to pass on this week regarding the “Ministry Center”.  Last week we saw further development of Lake Faith Community :)). The site contractors finished digging and shaping the west end of the lake and the walking track.  It is so exciting to see a dream and a drawing become a reality.  As I stated in the last update, the plumbers and electricians moved in last week and began to work their magic.  They “stubbed out” (construction talk which means they put the piping and conduit in the ground and sticking up out of the ground so the concrete can be poured around them) the plumbing and the electrical at the building pad. This puts the pad one step closer to getting the cement floor poured.  The next step will involve putting the rebar in place which is the last step before pouring the floor.  Isn’t that exciting?

Another exciting and very visible development this week involves the sidewalk which extends from the parking area to CR210 and across the front of the property.   I received an email from someone in Cimarrone who noticed the construction and is interested in getting involved.  How EXCITING!!! (If you double click on the pictures they will enlarge)

We will be meeting on the property this Friday (Good Friday) for communion (6:30pm-7:00pm).  If you show up at 6:15 we will be giving a tour before the service starts. 

I received a schedule from the builder today and he indicates in it that they should finish around the latter part of October or the first of November.  We will be in our new space for Christmas!!!!! That’s it for now. PW

Welcome, to DiMare Construction who arrived on the construction site Tuesday, March 4.  The first order of business…getting the “porta pot” set up.  That’s it, right next to the building pad is a beautiful aqua colored porta pot ready for business. 

After taking care of the ”porta pot”, attention turned to the job at hand, building a ministry center.  Before they started putting concrete forms in place they needed to make sure the grade of the pad was right…oops…4″ to low on the north west corner.  More dirt was brought in and the pad was brought up to grade.  The masons (not the ones from the Davinci Code) then moved in and began building the forms so the foundation can be poured.  Plummers and electricians move in next week to put in place all of the stuff that is going to go under the floor slab.  Once they are done, the concrete for the floor can be poured.  The site contractors continue to work on the lake which is really beginning to take shape in the northwest corner.  That’s it for now. Peace, PW

I have often heard the adage “If you ask the wrong question, you will get the wrong answer.”  I am reminded of some significant questions in scripture like this one from a Jewish Pharisee “How can a man be born again when he is old?”, the right words but the wrong question.  How about this question asked by the disciples “Who (of us) is the greatest?” or “But where in this remote place can anyone get enough bread to feed them?”.  Perhaps good questions but the wrong questions for the situation at hand.

I was reading an article about a church a little younger than FCC and a question in the article provoked me.  The pastor said, instead of asking “what’s the vision for our church?’ we asked the question “How could a community of people help actualize the Kingdom of God in (their town)?”.

We at FCC have wrestled with and avoided gimmicks and programs to “build/grow” the church.  We have done so, not because we don’t want the church to grow, but because the growth we seek is not programmed or gimmicky.  It is our desire for the church to grow naturally out of the spirit lead witness and power that God has uniquely made available to  His people (the Church).  This manifests itself in loving, caring seriving relationships with others.  Jesus told his disciples that their love for one another would be the evidence to others that Christ and His message were real.   

Their subsequent question is equally as provoking “What would Church look like if, instead of meeting needs with programs, we sought to meet needs primarily through relationships?”.

How would you answer those questions?  Let me know by clicking on “comments” below.  Peace, PW