THE VISION
Our Beginnings
Ten years ago, Access began with a team of about 40 people who shared a vision to reach out to others, especially to the Millennial generation and Generation X. From its earliest days meeting in a neighborhood clubhouse, much has changed, but God’s grace has been with us every step of the way! If you were to visit us on a Sunday these days, you’d quickly notice something: we are out of space! Our hallway is packed like sardines, the only empty seats in the worship space are the “coveted” front row, and our kids - like 60 of them - are overflowing out of their classrooms.
In 2016, as a response to this obvious need, we formed a building search team, but finding a new space proved to be very challenging. By December 31, we didn’t have any viable leads. Yet, God had been inviting us to pray and trust Him. We sensed His protection. He reminded us that He would provide. Then, in January, seemingly out of the blue, we came across a property that seemed to fit everything we were praying for, and more! The space, the location, the cost - all of it was an obvious answer to prayer. 1888 Stebbins will be Access’ future home.
Love Builds
Over these last 10 years, God has been deepening our roots and many in our community have experienced significant personal transformation. Our leadership has grown healthier and stronger, and our vision more clear. Now we share a collective sense that God is inviting us to enter a new season of growth and mission. Love Builds is our response. It is about making room for more people - from toddlers and teens to adults who increasingly represent the beautiful diversity of our city - to discover life with God. Our mission is still the same: to be a church that seeks to live life with God in soul, community, and mission. That’s our distinct calling that integrates deep personal transformation with life-giving community and courage to live on mission with God. But it’s time to share that calling with more people. We’ve outgrown our current space, and our church needs a new home!
Access at the Beginning ~10 Years ago
Access Today (Easter Sunday 2017)
These are some of the things we’re excited to see happen as a result of our new space:
- Love Builds Worshipers. Our new space more than doubles the amount of available seating in our worship gathering from 130 - 260+ people. The space builds upon the best of the ethos we’ve created at our current warehouse (emphasizing accessibility and a down-to-earth quality) but improves on its shortcomings. This space can help us reach people who might not normally attend a more traditional church.
- Love Builds Kids. Much thought has gone into creating a better space for our children and youth. We have been blessed with many kids, and more on are the way. They are God’s gift and they represent a major mission field. We are called to help the next generation discover life with God.
- Love Builds Disciples. Our new space gives us much more effective training spaces. We have some excellent discipleship resources which we’ll be able to offer through our learning labs, Faithwalking courses, and formation groups to a larger number of people in a more conducive learning environment.
- Love Builds Connection. People are longing for meaningful connection. The new building provides spaces for connection and small group life, including multiple common spaces, a coffee bar, and smaller meeting rooms.
OUR FUTURE HOME
progress photos and design drawings
We will update a blog with photos and design drawings as the buildout progresses. The latest photos and progress updates are listed below.
Description of space
- 1888 Stebbins Ste 200, Houston, TX 77043
- Located north of City Centre off of Beltway 8.
- 12,750 square feet.
- A warehouse space owned by an environmental engineering firm that occupies the adjacent unit. The space is empty, so with our design team, we’ve been able to customize this space for our needs.
Design features
- Worship space with seating for 260+ adults (double the current capacity)
- Great classroom space for our many children and youth.
- Many more communal spaces to gather and connect
- Bathrooms! More toilets!
- Backlot open for outdoor events
- Adjacent to a residential neighborhood and close to an elementary and middle school. Great opportunities to bless our neighbors.
- Situated right off two major freeways - 10 and beltway 8 - making it highly accessible
Specifics of how it will meet the needs and help us accomplish the vision
- The space is bigger to welcome more guests and new mission partners but not too big to feel like we’re lost in a crowd. It gives us the needed room for healthy growth while preserving a communal feel.
- Much thought has gone into creating a better space for our children and youth. We have been blessed with many kids, and more on are the way. They are God’s gift and they represent a major mission field. We are called to help the next generation discover life with God.
- More effective training spaces. We have some excellent discipleship resources which we’ll be able to offer through our learning labs, Faithwalking courses, and formation groups to a larger number of people in a more conducive learning environment.
- Spaces for connection and small group life, including multiple common spaces, a coffee bar, and smaller meeting rooms.
- We are moving from one warehouse to another. This builds upon the best of the ethos we’ve created at our current warehouse (emphasizing accessibility and a down-to-earth quality) but improves on its shortcomings. This space can help us reach people who might not normally attend a more traditional church.
Facts and Figures
- Seeking to fundraise - $550,000
- Monthly rent starts in month 5 of the lease at $.70/square foot. We negotiated free rent for the first four months.
- The lease term is 8.5 years with option to renew.
Budget
| BUDGETED EXPENSES | AMOUNT |
|---|---|
| Build out | 521,000 |
| Furniture and AV | 160,000 |
| Fees (Arch, Mech, Plumbing) | 20,000 |
| Contingency (10%) | 70,100 |
| Campaign Expenses (printing, media) | 1,000 |
| Moving Expenses | 4,000 |
| Firstfruits Offering (10% to Missions and Scholarships) | 49,910 |
| TOTAL EXPENSES | 826,010 |
| EXISTING FUNDS | AMOUNT |
|---|---|
| Landlord Building Allowance | (127,000) |
| Designated Building Fund | (150,000) |
| TOTAL FUNDRAISING GOAL | 549,010 |
GIVE
There’s a well-known story recorded in the Gospels. A poor widow gives two copper coins for her offering. It’s not much, but for this woman, it’s all she has. And Jesus commends her for it. That’s a picture of what we’re calling a “courageous contribution.” Zaccheus makes a courageous contribution when he gives half of his possessions away and promises to restore what he’s taken up to four times the amount. A courageous contribution is giving as an act of faith in response to God’s generosity. It’s about stepping out of one’s comfort zone and into greater love for God. That’s the invitation. For some a courageous contribution may look like giving a gift of $1,000 to this campaign. For others it will look like $100,000. No gift is too small, no gift is too large. We’re inviting you to join with the rest of the Access community in praying seriously about what a courageous contribution would look like for you. This is a significant moment for our church. We know this campaign will stretch us. We will need everyone’s participation. So let’s join together in faith and build something in sacrificial and courageous love.
Giving Levels
Love Builds Vision Gifts
$60,000 - $100,000+
$30,000 - $59,000
Love Builds Strategic Gifts
$15,000 - $29,900
$6,000 - $14,900
Love Builds Partner Gifts
$3,000 - $5,900
Less than $3,000
How to Give
- Pledge Form. Fill out the Pledge Form by Sunday, May 21. We need this to keep track of our progress towards the goal. All financial gifts should be given by September 1, 2017. Pledge and giving information will be kept confidential and known only by the Finance team, which handles all offering.
- Online Giving. .Give immediately via the online giving form (Be sure to change the designation from "General Fund" to "Love Builds Campaign - Building Fund"). We have other ways you can give but this is the most convenient. If you sign up for a giving account,you’ll be able to manage your giving, track your progress, and make any edits along the way.
- Giving Stocks. Stock donations can be a great way to give to the campaign. Donating stocks directly can result in a larger contribution and greater tax-savings to you. Learn more here. To donate stocks, email finance@accesslive.org and be sure to fill out the pledge form.
calendar of events
There are many activities happening around this campaign.
Each Sunday there’ll be a different prayer emphasis and message surrounding the vision and building. This is important time to rally together as a community. Please join us!
- Sun, 4/23: Love Builds 1: Origins, Kids/Youth Bake Sale
- Sun, 4/30: Love Builds 2: The Next Chapter, Capital Campaign Q&A, Visiting 1888 Stebbins
- Sat, 5/6: Visiting 1888 Stebbins (10:00 AM - 11:30 AM)
- Sun, 5/7: Love Builds 3: The Vision, Capital Campaign Q&A, Kids/Youth Fundraiser
- Sun, 5/14: Love Builds 4: Courageous Generosity
- Fri, 5/19: Worship & Prayer night
- Sun, 5/21: Love Builds 5: All In - Commitment Sunday
- Fri, 9/1: All financial gifts received.
frequently asked questions (FAQ) - updated 5/11/2017
Is this a lease or purchase?
We are leasing the property. We have signed an 8.5 year lease with a competitive lease rate.
Is there enough parking?
Our current parking arrangement gives us 110 spaces. These spaces are located in the front and back of our property, as well as in the lot of our future neighbor, KorMex. We have an agreement that allows us to use 30 of their spaces on Sunday.
Have we explored building our own space?
Yes, we have. But buying land and building something would be out of reach financially for us at this time. In the future, we will explore finding a more permanent space. Our hope is that we would continue to grow numerically and be able to pursue a more permanent home in the future.
How much does a typical church buildout cost?
The typical buildout can cost between $35/sq ft to $70/sq ft, not including furniture, fixtures, and equipment. Our buildout cost is budgeted at $45/sq ft. The design of the space has been maximized to meet our ministry needs and plans without being over-the-top or extravagant.
Can I give after the pledge date?
Yes, you can. The hope is to have people submit their pledges by May 21 and to have all financial gifts received by September 1, 2017. This will enable us to have the funds needed to pay the contractor and vendors. However, the building fund will remain active so that we can continue to receive gifts after that time.
What if I can’t give my financial gift by September 1?
Although the goal is to have all gifts in by September 1, you’ll still be able to give your financial gift after September 1.
Should I redirect some of my regular giving to the Love Builds Capital Campaign?
We are asking people to give gifts to the capital campaign that are in addition to their regular giving. We are truly appreciative for the generosity of our community. Our operating budget will also be increasing and we’ll need to increase the regular giving we receive.
Why not try to hold two services again?
At our size, we don’t have critical mass for two services. Two services requires a certain critical mass in order to sustain the volunteer needs and create enough momentum in each gathering. According to some church planters, the ideal number to launch a second service is when you’ve reached 250-300 people in attendance.
How can I be involved?
- Pray. We will have a significant prayer theme throughout the campaign. If this campaign is just about the money, that’s too small of a goal. We want this to be a unifying, spiritual journey for our church (John 17). Check out our Facebook page where we’ll be posting different prayer themes and activities. You can also sign up for Love Builds weekly prayer e-mails.
- Serve. Be a part of a new “Launch Team.” In the early days of Access, the first launch team had an ethos where everyone has a part to play. There was an incredibly high level of ownership. With this new space, we’re looking to recapture that ethos. There will be many opportunities to serve and be involved. We’ll need all hands on deck. Email serve@accesslive.org to find out where you can serve.
- Give. We are asking people to make “courageous contributions.” Not to give out of obligation or flippantly, but to seek God with the people close to you about what big faith and generosity would look like in your giving. Find out more.
What if we don't make our goal?
There are a few options. 1) Defer certain items. 2) Utilize a loan or line of credit. 3) Use reserve funds. Our course of action would be determined based on the degree of shortfall and discerning between essential expenses (e.g. drywall, plumbing) and non-essential expenses (e.g. a new coffee machine - although this might be essential to some). At a high level, we're committed to completing the build out. Certain furniture and AV purchases can wait depending on the amounts received.
Can people contribute to specific items that could be trackable on the website? Like Aqua or chairs or A/V?
Currently, no. Designating contributions towards specific items would create some challenging accounting processes, requiring us to set up separate restricted funds and limit the use of funds. Down the road, we can consider setting up a "registry" system for people to purchase specific items, but these would not be considered tax-deductible donations.
What is the anticipated move in date?
This is difficult to say with certainty at this point. Our hope is to move in sometime mid-to-late Fall. Our current lease ends in December, so we'll need to move out of our current space by then. The biggest unknown factor is how long the permitting process will take by the city. We’ll provide updates as we learn them.
Is Sept 1 a hard deadline for giving donations to the Love Builds campaign?
We do have a due date on our build out expenses and currently expect to complete payment to our General Contractor around Sept 1. So we really will need most if not all of the monies pledged to be given by then. With that said, we also know that some may want or need to give AFTER 9/1, so we will continue to receive donations to the Love Builds building fund.
What is our relationship with Vox, and how will they be using our new building?
Vox is our community partner. Access supports Vox financially with a donation each year. It has not been as closely associated with Access for the last few years. BUT, Ted's intention is to knit them back together. Operations - Ted and Viktor run most things. Board - includes Chris Sun and Linton Wong now. In terms of building, I think it will be helpful to have Vox use the space for a few events each year.
Are we looking at other options for fundraising?
Companies, gofundme, etc Our current focus is on fundraising through our community and friends of our community. If you know of anyone who would be open to receiving a Love Builds letter/brochure, let us know (staff@accesslive.org).
Why the contribution tiers?
The contribution tiers are meant to provide a helpful guide to people to consider the range of giving that we'll need to receive to reach our goal. Realistically, we'll need some very large gifts and a number of gifts that span the other levels. The tiers were formed in light of the overall goal and characteristics of our current giving base.
Do you plan to display how much has been pledged in relation to the goal of $550,000 so everyone will know what our progress is?
Yes, we will provide regular updates after 5/21. This will be important so that we can continue to receive pledges and donations until we reach our goal.
What is the profit margin on the Love Builds T-shirts? How much will actually go toward the campaign?
The profit margin is 50%. All profits go to Love Builds.
Feedback
Please leave a note of encouragement, a prayer, a question or comment. Do you know someone who would be interested in learning more about the campaign and possibly supporting? We want to hear from you!