August 2026 Update

Church Family,

My apologies for the delay in giving everyone an update on the church building. As the temperatures heated up, it seemed like everything slowed down for a while—and then suddenly, things began moving very quickly again.

A lot has happened.

The outdated and fire-prone electrical panels have now been completely replaced with new panels. Spray foam insulation is being installed, and you would not believe how much quieter the building already feels. The framing needed to repair the termite and mold damage has been completed, along with dozens of other smaller projects that may not be exciting to talk about but are absolutely necessary. If everything stays on schedule, we are hoping to begin putting sheetrock back on the walls within the next week or so.

Every week, the building is looking a little less like a construction site and a little more like a church home.

This week, we were also presented with an incredible opportunity through an old friend of HFF. He is currently redeveloping an old church building into lofts and has offered to sell us the commercial playground equipment from the property for more than 70% less than what we have been able to find anywhere else. Comparable equipment would cost approximately $30,000 new, and this would give us the opportunity to create an amazing playground for our children at a fraction of that cost.

However, we need to raise the $3,500 for the playground by next week in order to secure it. This was not an expense we had originally planned for right now, but opportunities like this do not come along very often.

We have also experienced some financial setbacks because of the construction delays. We had hoped to execute a lease agreement with another church that would begin using part of our facility, but because the renovations were not far enough along, we were unable to begin that agreement in August or September. That means we have missed two months of anticipated rental income.

Our hope is that before October 1, we will know with certainty that we can move into the portion of the building we are currently renovating. If that happens, the other church could potentially move into their space on November 1, providing an additional stream of income for the church.

Our original building fund goal was $200,000, and we have now reached approximately 81% of that goal. That is incredible, but giving has understandably slowed over the summer, and we still have approximately $29,000 remaining to reach our original goal.

We know inflation and rising costs have made this past year difficult for many families. We never want anyone to feel pressured or guilty about giving. At the same time, every gift truly matters. $25 matters. $50 matters. $100 matters. Sharing the building fund with a friend or family member matters. Connecting us with a business that may want to help matters.

Please continue sharing the building project with friends, family members, businesses, and through your social media platforms. There are people who may never attend HFF who would still love to help build something that will serve families and children for years to come.

As we head toward the Fall Feasts, the next 45 days are going to be crucial. We need to continue making progress on construction while also increasing the building fund enough to keep pace with the work that needs to be completed.

And in the middle of talking about everything that still needs to happen, I don't want us to miss everything that has already happened.

Less than a year ago, having our own facility was still basically a dream.

Now we are approaching the completion of renovations on two different portions of a facility, preparing spaces for children's ministry, creating a youth area, installing a commercial playground, replacing major electrical systems, repairing years of damage, and preparing a permanent home for this church family.

That is remarkable.

I know the last six months have not always been easy. We have gone without our normal table fellowship. Our children's classes have been disrupted. Our meeting space has not looked or felt the way any of us would prefer. There have been inconveniences, delays, dust, uncertainty, and moments where progress seemed painfully slow.

But we are working as hard as we possibly can to get this facility ready so those things can return.

And when I look at what God has done in less than a year, I am overwhelmed.

God has moved literal mountains for this congregation. He has sustained us. He has provided people, resources, finances, equipment, opportunities, and relationships at exactly the right moments. There are pieces of this story that simply do not make logical sense apart from the provision of God.

So while we continue talking about what we still need, let's never become so focused on the remaining mountain that we forget how many mountains God has already moved.

Thank you to everyone who has swung a hammer, pulled cable, cleaned a room, written a check, shared a post, prayed over the building, encouraged someone, or simply remained faithful through an unusual season.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you for your prayers.

Thank you for your generosity.

And thank you for believing in what God is building here.

I am genuinely overwhelmed with gratitude for what the Lord has already done, and I cannot wait to see what this church family looks like on the other side of these next few months.

We are getting close.

Pastor Chris