Prayers for the New Building

By Rob Smith

There have been many things to pray for since we decided to build onto our physical space: finances, the amount of rock we'll encounter, moving plans through the bureaucracy, finding a Construction Manager. Can we do these things in a way that brings glory and honor to God? As the building becomes more of a reality and I begin to think beyond the immediate needs, the prayers change. How can what we are doing, and how we do it, further the Kingdom of God and make us more effective at reaching beyond ourselves?

Ministering to Those Who Serve - The actual construction of the building will take place over a 12-month period, hopefully beginning in January/February 2006. During that year there will be hundreds of different individuals on site working on the project. I pray their time here may be life changing and that we would find a way to enter into their lives and share the love of Christ in tangible ways. I pray that we, as a congregation, might get a vision for offering opportunities to pray, Bible study, worship or serve a weekly meal. Might even the act of construction provide new ways of doing ministry?

Support for Existing and New Ministries - Our current facility is heavily used by a number of different groups and ministries. Sometimes the building enhances their ability to meet and minister; sometimes it becomes an obstacle to overcome. I never would have thought of the Loft as a place to host Alpha dinners, but it is a great use of the space. However, the distance between a sizable kitchen and the dinner being served has created its share of challenges. As we look to the new building and the possibility that, with enough funding, we can outfit a full-sized kitchen adjacent to a full-sized meeting space, we might make the Alpha team even more effective at creating a hospitable environment. I pray that our building will help all that use it to fulfill the mission they are called to achieve.

Visibility - As we interviewed Construction Managers, we frequently heard the phrase, "We never noticed that a church was here." I pray not only that we can raise the funds to build all of the building that would face York Road, but that we would use that opportunity to increase our visibility within the community. Rather than hidden behind stone walls, the glass front onto York Road would demonstrate an active and alive congregation. Certainly, people will come to know us as we do more within the community, but it will certainly help them to have a point of reference as to where we are located.

Creating Capacity - It is my prayer that we'll become more intentional about how we serve the needs of those who live around Central; that we would become more proactive in going out to the community, rather than expecting the community to come find us. It will only be natural for some of those folks to come and take part in the regular life of Central. There will be new demands for a variety of small groups, Sunday School classes, and worship space for the adults and their children. Today, finding space can be a frustrating experience, limiting our ability to creatively minister. I pray that as we build capacity here, we would fill it with creative and hospitable ways for people to deepen their relationship with God.

These are my prayers for the new building. What might God be putting on your heart?