July 9, 2008 by Andy Lunt.

I am grateful for the honor and blessing of sharing with so many last Sunday our last full worship services at our current site on Glen Mar Road. We had the opportunity to remember with joy and thanksgiving the many saints of Glen Mar whose faith and commitment have meant so much. And we were able to reflect on the way God, the Prodigal Sower, has sown seeds that have produced fruit that resulted in nearly 5,000 members, 1,500 baptisms and 500 weddings at Glen Mar over the last 54 years.

Now, I’m grateful for the honor and blessing of sharing with you our move to the new site on New Cut Road this Sunday, July 13. While I regret that some will be, unavoidably out of town and unable to participate, I’m looking forward to joining with many in this historic occasion.

Remember, we will gather for a single brief service of leave-taking at our current site beginning at 9:15 am. Following conclusion of the service, all who want to walk to the new site will assemble on the upper parking lot in preparation for the walk.

At exactly 10:00 am, the walk will begin. Our plan is to be led by the cross, carried by 8 persons at a time, with individuals stepping in to relieve others along the way so everyone who wants to will have a chance to carry the cross. We will also be carrying hymnals, paraments, candles, and other elements that we use for worship. Our procession will be led by a bagpiper. After all walkers and drivers have arrived at the New Cut Road site, we will have a service of celebration in the Spirit Center. This service will begin at 11:00 am. Refreshments will be available prior to the service time. Because of the central role youth play in the Glen Mar congregation, and because ministries with youth and children have been such a high priority in our decision to relocate, I have asked a team of individuals representing our youth ministry to deliver the first sermon in the Spirit Center.

There are several options for parking. You may want to drop other family members off at the Glen Mar Road site, then drive to New Cut and park, taking the shuttle back for the 9:15 Service of Leave Taking. Or, you can leave your car at Glen Mar Road and take the shuttle back there following conclusion of the 11:00 service.

Please be aware that–as exciting as it will be to worship in the Spirit Center for the first time–the building is not yet fully ready. Over the coming weeks the work of finishing and furnishing will continue as we prepare for our grand opening on Sunday, September 7. It will be a bit like the first night in a new house with just a mattress and card table, while still waiting for the rest of the furniture to arrive, curtains to be hung and pictures put on the wall. Nevertheless, it will be a great joy, after all the years of praying and preparing to be able to worship in the Spirit Center.

I know you will want to be part of this day of celebration. So that you will have all the details regarding timing and logistics of the walk-especially information about parking and transportation-today I mailed a first-class letter with this same information and I’ve enclosed with the letter a detailed description of logistics for Sunday prepared by members of our Transition Team. Please call the church office or email me with any questions.

See you in church!

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June 21, 2008 by Andy Lunt.

It has become clear this week that we will not be able to have occupancy of our new facility in time to allow for the last services here on June 29 and first services there on July 6.

I have delayed sending out this week’s Pastor’s Ponderings hoping to have more definite information to share. That has not happened, however.

So, rather than risk announcing new dates that may have to be changed once again, we will wait for more definite information before announcing a new schedule. Once that information is available, we will announce a new schedule on the Glen Mar web site, in a special Pastor’s Ponderings email, with a first-class mailing to every home, and-of course-in worship.

It is our hope that a schedule can be announced this next week.

For now, we do know the following:

a. Worship services will continue to be held at the current site and current times through at least July 6.

b. The previously announced new worship times will take effect after the move to the new site.

c. The July 4 Church Picnic will be held as planned at the new site. This event is open to all, church members and community.

d. Because of the uncertainty, we have decided to hold Vacation Bible School and the first three weeks of Summer Camps at the current Glen Mar Road site.

At this point, the most important thing any of us can be doing is praying. I encourage you to pray for timely completion of the final construction details, and successful inspections that will enable us to have occupancy of the new building. Equally importantly, though, I hope you will continue to pray for the ministries our new facility will support and–especially–the many people who will come to know God’s love through Jesus as we grow in our ability to be part of God’s mission in the world.

On another–though related–issue, it appears that my beard is not in jeopardy at this point. Currently, pledges to the Capital Campaign stand at somewhere between $2.0 and $2.1 million…which is a long way from $3 million. Nearly 100 families have still not made commitments, however, so we expect this amount to grow. If you are among those who haven’t yet sent in your commitment, I hope you’ll make it a priority this week.

See you in church!

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June 11, 2008 by Andy Lunt.

It really is happening! I suspect some may have trouble believing it,but we really are going to be moving to a new campus. In just a little over two weeks, on Sunday, June 29, we will have our last worship services at our current site. The following Sunday, July 6, we will gather for worship for the first time in The Spirit Center on New Cut Road.

So much has happened since many of you joined in the celebration brunch and tours at the new building and wondered aloud if it could really be ready in time. This week the last of the floor surfaces are being installed–including the floor in The Spirit Center that must “cure” for 10 days. By next week, the only things left to do will be carpeting the upper narthex (The Gathering Place), finishing up odds and ends and cleaning up. We anticipate having occupancy of the building the week of June 23.

This will give us only about 10 days to move in before the first worship services on July 6, so some things might not be fully in place. We are convinced, however, that we can be sufficiently ready for worship and have decided to move ahead with the previously announced schedule. This also means that Vacation Bible School will be held at the new site, beginning on July 7.

So, buckle your seat belts and prepare for takeoff! We really are going to move. This weekend, if you’re in worship, you’ll receive more detailed information about the plans for June 29 when we’ll participate in a ritual of leave-taking at each service. Following conclusion of the 10:55 service, those who wish can walk–led by the cross–to our new site. Once there, we will have a brief order consecrating the cross in its new location. You’ll be receiving details about shuttle transportation between the two sites and other aspects of the walk.

This Sunday in worship, I’ll be preaching on “Just Doing Our Job,” reflecting on Jesus’ instructions to those who follow him and seeking to help keep our attention focused on the main thing in the midst of all the excitement and stress surrounding our move.

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February 28, 2008 by Andy Lunt.

While still disappointed with the delay in getting into our new facility, I’m increasingly recognizing the ways God is continuing to provide for our transition. Over and over again, God is providing the right people in the right places at just the right time.

I ask you to join me in the 100 days of prayer, using each day’s prayer as a means of helping us discern how God is leading us to use these days before our move to prepare ourselves and our church for the great mission God has in store for us in this community.

And, while we’re experiencing a slight delay in completing the Phase 1 construction, we are beginning to see signs that we may be able to move much more quickly to construct the Phase 2 education building than we had previously thought.

While Phase 1 itself will offer us 20% more space than we currently enjoy in all three buildings combined, there are some limitations. Though we’ll be able to seat nearly twice as many folks for worship each Sunday in the large multi-purpose room and use that same space for a variety of activities throughout the week, classes for children and youth will have to be held in rooms that are designed primarily for youth activities. In addition, the music ministry will have to share space in one of the large community rooms, rather than have their own designated space.

Completing the Phase 2 education building will enable children’s classes to meet in rooms designed specifically for their age level, will provide a larger child-care suite designed especially for the needs of infants and toddlers, and provide dedicated space for Glen Mar’s extensive music ministry. In addition, the building will include offices for all staff, as well as for volunteers.

And, best of all, the completion of Phase 2 will enable us to move totally to a single campus, end our lease for which we currently pay $20,000 per month for the Glen Mar Road buildings, and save the costs of paying for utilities and custodial care at that location.

Clearly, being able to move fully to our new site is a great win-win situation for everyone. Over the next few weeks and months we’ll learn more; but it is safe to say that our ability to be on one site depends on a successful stewardship campaign this spring. Already we are taking early steps to assure such a success.

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February 20, 2008 by Andy Lunt.

We learned just this afternoon from our contractor that they will not be able to complete our new building in time to allow us to hold our first worship services there on May 11 as planned.  This information is so important, I wanted to share it with you as soon and as directly as possible.  Basically, a number of factors (including weather) have prevented the contractor from closing in the building and making it weather-tight.  That, in turn, will make it impossible to complete the required interior work necessary to assure occupancy by May 1.  At this point it is not possible to know a firm date for completion, but we should be able to share that information within the next two or three weeks.

For now, though, our previously announced timetable will have to be postponed at least several weeks.  Prior to communicating that schedule, we thought we had allowed sufficient time for inevitable delays.  Our judgment, however, turns out to have been incorrect.  I take full responsibility for having communicated a schedule that is no longer accurate.  And, I want to assure you we will not announce a new schedule until we are certain of the dates when occupancy of the new building will be available.

There are really several ways to receive this latest news.  Naturally, I’m disappointed to have to put on hold (once again) the growing excitement I am feeling about our move.  At the same time, having a few extra weeks to get ready can only help us to do a better job when we ultimately do make the move.  After seven years of waiting, another few weeks shouldn’t make that much difference.

If I’ve learned anything during those seven years, it’s that we are not in control of this project.  I’ve learned to trust that everything related to the new building happens in accord with God’s timing rather than ours.   This latest news doesn’t change that conviction in the least.  What it does is to encourage me to pray more fervently and seek to discern how God is calling us to use the additional weeks before our move in ways that best reflect God’s plan for us and for the new facility.

Speaking of prayer, it looks like the 100 Days of Prayer will need to be extended.  Nothing bad about that, though, and I hope you will join me in continuing to pray every day for Glen Mar, for the people who are working to complete our new building, and for the people you will invite to join you in using the building to advance God’s mission in Howard County.

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