Allegan County News - Allegan, Michigan. . . November 9, 2006 Page A10
Standing in front of the progress thermometer are church members (from left) Dick Forsman, Jim Green, Dolores Pulver, Tonda Forsman, Joyce Strand and Kathy Green. (Photo by Nu Yang)
Allegan Church of God seeks renovation funds
By Nu Yang
Staff Writer
Staff Writer
Allegan's First Church of God doesn't usually ask for help; they're ususally the ones doing the helping, but now they are reaching out to the community to ask for support.
The church, at 1313 Marshall St. (M-89), is working on a building campaign to renovate their current facility that has not had any major construction done to it since it was erected in 1972.
The first phase will double the size of their building from 3,400 square feet to 7,400 square feet and add a new front entrance, an elevator, an expanded lobby, new restrooms and a new kitchen and dining area. The cost of the project is about $500,000.
In 2005, church members pledged to raise $193,000 over the course of three years, but they want to move that date forward in time. The church hopes to achieve that through fundraising and campaigning to raise the down payment of $125,000 by July 7, 2007 in order to break ground.
Pastor Don Hendrick and his congregation have several ideas on how they can raise money for that down payment, which is why they're reaching out to the community to help them make their goal.
Just in time for the holiday shopping season, the church is selling gift cards and gift certificates from over 50 retailers. Gift cards in various amounts from $5 to $100 can be purchased for gas from Speedway to Marathon, restaurants like Red Lobster and Pizza Hut and retail stores like Kohl's and Payless Shoes. Over $500 has been raised for the building program through the gift card campaign.
With each gift card that is purchased in November, the buyer's name will be put into a drawing to win $250 in gift cards. The drawing will be in December.
The church plans on selling 20,000 gift cards. Both the community and church members have taken advantage of the opportunity.
Church member Joyce Strand said the gift cards were convenient. For example, her daughter didn't have to drive to Kalamazoo to purchase gift cards found at a shopping mall; she could buy them here.
Gift cards are available at the church. Hendrick also encourages people to visit the church's website at www.pathtohim.org to see a complete list of retailers and their conditions.
Another successful fundraiser was a tee shirt sale project that raised $1,000. The project was orchestrated by Strand with the help of Worship Pastor Dick Forsman, who donated the 100 Tee shirts that sold for $10 each.
The turquoise tee shirts included the logo "In Faith We Build" and 50 members wore them to a camp this summer. It was a way for people to learn about the building project, but also for the church members to identify themselves with the church. Strand said another tee shirt project could be in the works.
A program called "Talents" has generated $2,000. Last year, members of the congregation were given envelopes filled with $5 each. They had to invest that money into something they could use their abilities or talents for and all proceeds went to the building fund. Strand used her money to make angel pins. She sold them for $3 each and made $300. Another member sold drawings she created while yet another sold flip-flops she designed.
Otsego resident and member Dolores Pulver managed to get 25,000 Mega Bloks donated to the church in order to create a visual model of the new and improved building. Each block represents one cubic foot of the building walls and is being sold for $15. With 8,000 blocks required to complete the model, the church will reach its goal of $125,000. Hendrick estimated the church needed to sell at least 1,000 blocks to people outside the church by next summer.
The community has already extended their services to the church. The progress thermometer on the font lawn has posts that were donated by H&K Construction of Allegan after church member Jim Green met with the contractor to discuss the creation of a new church parking lot. "It's local people helping local people", Hendrick said.
Hendrick calls his church a "mission church" and "a church that helps people." When he lists the services the church provides, a growing soup kitchen, a youth ministry and a food pantry) - he hopes the community realizes the building project is meant to benefit not only church members, but also the people they serve.
For more information on the Allegan First Church of God's building fund and its campaign, call the church office at (269) 673-4302.
The church, at 1313 Marshall St. (M-89), is working on a building campaign to renovate their current facility that has not had any major construction done to it since it was erected in 1972.
The first phase will double the size of their building from 3,400 square feet to 7,400 square feet and add a new front entrance, an elevator, an expanded lobby, new restrooms and a new kitchen and dining area. The cost of the project is about $500,000.
In 2005, church members pledged to raise $193,000 over the course of three years, but they want to move that date forward in time. The church hopes to achieve that through fundraising and campaigning to raise the down payment of $125,000 by July 7, 2007 in order to break ground.
Pastor Don Hendrick and his congregation have several ideas on how they can raise money for that down payment, which is why they're reaching out to the community to help them make their goal.
Just in time for the holiday shopping season, the church is selling gift cards and gift certificates from over 50 retailers. Gift cards in various amounts from $5 to $100 can be purchased for gas from Speedway to Marathon, restaurants like Red Lobster and Pizza Hut and retail stores like Kohl's and Payless Shoes. Over $500 has been raised for the building program through the gift card campaign.
With each gift card that is purchased in November, the buyer's name will be put into a drawing to win $250 in gift cards. The drawing will be in December.
The church plans on selling 20,000 gift cards. Both the community and church members have taken advantage of the opportunity.
Church member Joyce Strand said the gift cards were convenient. For example, her daughter didn't have to drive to Kalamazoo to purchase gift cards found at a shopping mall; she could buy them here.
Gift cards are available at the church. Hendrick also encourages people to visit the church's website at www.pathtohim.org to see a complete list of retailers and their conditions.
Another successful fundraiser was a tee shirt sale project that raised $1,000. The project was orchestrated by Strand with the help of Worship Pastor Dick Forsman, who donated the 100 Tee shirts that sold for $10 each.
The turquoise tee shirts included the logo "In Faith We Build" and 50 members wore them to a camp this summer. It was a way for people to learn about the building project, but also for the church members to identify themselves with the church. Strand said another tee shirt project could be in the works.
A program called "Talents" has generated $2,000. Last year, members of the congregation were given envelopes filled with $5 each. They had to invest that money into something they could use their abilities or talents for and all proceeds went to the building fund. Strand used her money to make angel pins. She sold them for $3 each and made $300. Another member sold drawings she created while yet another sold flip-flops she designed.
Otsego resident and member Dolores Pulver managed to get 25,000 Mega Bloks donated to the church in order to create a visual model of the new and improved building. Each block represents one cubic foot of the building walls and is being sold for $15. With 8,000 blocks required to complete the model, the church will reach its goal of $125,000. Hendrick estimated the church needed to sell at least 1,000 blocks to people outside the church by next summer.
The community has already extended their services to the church. The progress thermometer on the font lawn has posts that were donated by H&K Construction of Allegan after church member Jim Green met with the contractor to discuss the creation of a new church parking lot. "It's local people helping local people", Hendrick said.
Hendrick calls his church a "mission church" and "a church that helps people." When he lists the services the church provides, a growing soup kitchen, a youth ministry and a food pantry) - he hopes the community realizes the building project is meant to benefit not only church members, but also the people they serve.
For more information on the Allegan First Church of God's building fund and its campaign, call the church office at (269) 673-4302.
Nu Yang can be reached at nuyang@allegnanews.com or at (269) 673-5534.
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