In The Works #3

“Without a vision the people perish...”
(Proverbs 29:18, KJV)

Twice this year already (in February and June) I’ve shared articles about some of the ministry and facility-related initiatives that are currently “in the works” and in various stages of development at East Cobb UMC. Today I again want to share a brief update about just a few of these that may be of interest to you:

● We hope you’ve been enjoying the new weekly e-newsletter. Although we’re still printing and mailing paper copies to any who request them (as well as all our homebound members), the online version is enabling more people to have access to the events and activities of our church in a more timely manner. If you have suggestions or ideas for its improvement, please email nancy@eastcobbumc.org.

● Hopefully you’ve been noticing our new church logo appearing on a variety of communication materials. While we’ve shared a “soft” rollout of the new logo so far, in January we’ll have a more aggressive campaign to officially acquaint our entire congregation with it, and to help you see how it can be used as a great evangelism tool for us as God’s church.

● Now that the new logo has been adopted, work will begin early next year (2011) on a comprehensive redesign of our church website.

● The week of November 29-December 3, the new doors for our Education and Activities buildings (11 doors total) will be installed. This work is just one part of our long-range facility development plan.

● Although the temporary outdoor signage for our church keeps getting torn down by the constant DOT roadwork, our sign sub-committee is continuing to work on temporary solutions to clearly identify our church from Roswell Rd.

● In the meantime, work continues as we prepare both plans and permits for a new permanent outdoor monument sign. The rezoning of our facility that we’ll need for our new sign is currently on the docket to come before the Cobb County Zoning Commission later this month. After that, we’ll better know the kind of sign we’ll be able to build. The new sign is also part of our long-range facility development plan.

● You’ll notice that the DOT has already poured the curbs for the new deceleration lane and top commercial entrance to our upper parking lot. We are thankful to Steve Ragsdale, Steve Hughes, and Stan Lassiter for their work through our attorney on behalf of our church to acquire these additional accommodations from the DOT for their road expansion. The DOT will soon also begin work on a commercial lower entrance, as well.

● Our Strategic Planning Team continues its work on a 5-year Strategic Plan for our entire church. We have now acquired the expertise of an architect to help us phase our long-range facility development and expansion, and in early 2011 we’ll be sharing the initial thoughts about this phasing with the entire congregation for input, suggestion and comment. The two pieces of this plan that are already in progress are the new doors and our eventual new outdoor/monument sign.

As I’ve said before, all of these are in various stages of development, and some will require approval from various levels of our church’s leadership along the way. To find out more detail about any of these initiatives (or if you have input, ideas, or expertise that you’re willing to share to help accomplish them), please email or call the church office (770-971-3643 or office@eastcobbumc.org), and we’ll have someone from the appropriate group respond to your specific question(s).

In the meantime, continue to pray for your church leaders as they seek God’s will and wisdom for all of us, and remember that God’s mission for us of being “A Mosaic of God’s Family: Gathering, Growing, and Going” is one that will require all of us to do our part in order for it to be accomplished. Remember that God loves you and I do, too!