Special Church Conference – Nov. 8, 2009

 

What: Special Church Conference to Vote on Moving Forward with Phase 1 of the Master Plan Review Committee’s Recommendations

When: November 8, 2009, at 11:45 a.m.

Where: Main Sanctuary

Who: All members and friends of Oakdale Emory United Methodist Church are requested to attend and participate in the discussion. Per the UMC Book of Discipline, only members may cast a vote, and they must be present at the meeting.

 

Please join District Superintendent Vivian McCarthy, along with the OEUMC Church Council, to discuss and vote on a decision to move forward with implementing Phase 1 of the Oakdale Emory Master Plan Review Committee’s recommendations.

 

There are two separate motions to be considered at this Special Church Conference. The vote will be recorded by written ballot.

 

Motion 1:

The OEUMC membership votes to convene a Building Committee and begin a Capital Campaign for the purpose of implementing Phase 1 of the Master Plan Review Committee’s recommendations.

 

  • A vote “YES” means that you agree to support this motion both prayerfully and financially.
  • A vote “NO” means that you will not support Oakdale moving forward in building Phase 1.

 

Discussion:

Also known as the “Campus Improvement Plan,” Phase 1 of the Master Plan Review Committee’s recommendations can be distilled into two primary focus areas: 1) helping visitors and members find their way in and around Oakdale Emory, and 2) creating suitable meeting and office space to reduce overcrowding.

 

As with some of the previous building proposals, this plan provides a new “front door” along the Georgia Avenue side of our building. The plan also greatly improves the flow of people between Emory Hall, the Sanctuary, and Brigham Hall (which has become even more congested since the start of the coffeehouse worship service), and provides additional fellowship space and more intimate gathering areas for use throughout the week. The plan proposes to remove and expand the area of the existing pastoral offices (between the Sanctuary and Brigham Hall) to create a new two-story addition. The first floor of the expansion would contain additional restrooms, meeting rooms that can be easily reconfigured into various sizes, a nursery, and spaces that would be available for emerging needs. Staff offices, which are currently spread around our campus, will be centrally located on the second floor of the expansion. Stairs and elevator access will be provided to the upper floor.

 

Motion 2:

Financial reserves currently held in both the Education Expansion Fund and the Sanctuary Expansion Fund may be transferred to the General Building Fund.

 

  • A vote “YES” means that you agree that financial reserves held in both the Education Expansion Fund and the Sanctuary Expansion Fund may be reallocated to the General Building Fund.
  • A vote “NO” means that financial reserves held in either the Education Expansion Fund or the Sanctuary Expansion Fund may not be transferred to the General Building Fund.

 

Discussion:

Following the unsuccessful Sanctuary Expansion of 2000, contributors were given the option to have their contributions returned or reappropriated into one of several reserve funds.  These choices included the General Building Fund, a Sanctuary Expansion Fund, and an Education Expansion Fund. The current balances of these funds are as follows:

 

General Building Fund: $202,740.53

Sanctuary Expansion Fund: $60,640

Educational Expansion Fund: $103,044

 

Additional information can be found on our Web site www.oeumc.org. Questions may be submitted in advance via the Web site, e-mailed to masterplan@oeumc.org or written on an index card and placed in the box at the back of the Sanctuary.