New Bathrooms: From the vantage point of the guest, Mission’s restrooms have always been hard to find. Study after study that tracks churches and their ability to retain first time guests lists bathrooms as one of the key factors in guests having a positive first experience and considering a return visit to a church.

Traffic flow to children’s building: The biggest cause of poor traffic flow between the sanctuary and the children’s building is a narrow hallway created by a mechanical closet housing the sanctuary HVAC system. This project would allow us to relocate that HVAC to the new build, widening the hallway and enabling two-way traffic flow between the spaces.

Gathering/Connecting Space: Our current coffee bar and lobby are too small to adequately serve first-time guests, provide church and event information, or offer space for people to gather—especially on rainy, cold, or hot Sundays. Clear, welcoming areas for information, connection, and questions are essential for helping guests feel at home and become long-term, committed members.

New Kitchen: Like other spaces at Mission, the current fellowship hall is undersized for our church. While the kitchen functions well, it lacks key commercial features needed to serve larger groups. Adding a kitchen to the new build will provide adequate space for food prep, cooking, and serving, while the new lobby will offer a more suitable fellowship area beyond Sunday mornings for gathering and sharing meals together.

Centralized Worship Entry: Currently, there are two main entrances to Mission’s sanctuary. One allows people to enter directly from the parking lot, bypassing the coffee bar and guest information area. While greeters are present, there is limited space to provide adequate guest information. Meanwhile, the coffee bar and lobby become crowded before services as families access the children’s building and others move to and from small groups, making the guest information table difficult to find and access—especially for first-time guests.

• We have “kicked the can” down the road on this project more than one time over the last few years.

• We have reached a point that even with the potential cost, we cannot continue to put off providing adequate space to receive guests and help attenders connect and take next steps.

• Mission’s internal spaces were built for a different era, while today’s ministry requires more open environments. If we delay this initiative, we risk losing valuable time in preparing to welcome families as thousands of new homes are completed nearby. Our current spaces already present challenges, and addressing them now will better position us to receive, connect with, and engage guests. In many cases, we have one meaningful opportunity when guests first arrive—and making the most of that moment depends on this initiative.

Based on current market conditions for commercial construction per square foot, plus a total resurfacing of the front parking lot and surfacing the back parking lot, the total cost will be approximately $2 million dollars.

We need approximately 25% of the total project cost, which is about $500,000, to get the building started.

Without moving forward with this initiative, logistical challenges will continue to hinder our ability to help people Become Believers, Grow as Followers, and Rise as Leaders. Ongoing traffic flow issues to the children’s building will frustrate families, and the lack of a centralized entry point will cause first-time guests to be missed. We are nearing a plateau in what we can effectively handle on a Sunday, and our ability to connect with people and share the Gospel will remain limited if these challenges are not addressed.