September 2026 Building Campaign Update: Laying Foundations, Prudent Stewardship, and Visible Signs of Progress
Dear Christ Church Family,
As the late-summer rhythm transitions into fall, we are continually filled with gratitude for the dedication, prayers, and generosity of our church family. God is faithfully guiding our steps as we steward the vision He has entrusted to us.
Our Building Committee gathered on Tuesday, September 8, to take several significant, tangible steps forward. From discussing our civil engineering partnerships and preparing our municipal rezoning paperwork to designing our builder selection process, exciting groundwork is being laid behind the scenes. We want to keep you fully informed and walk alongside you every step of the journey.
Don’t Have Time to Read the Whole Email? … A Quick Summary
Faithful Generosity & Stewardship: To date, we have received $259,813.21 in building gifts, earned $5,884.67 in interest.
Rezoning Underway (And a Friendly Heads-Up!): Our property rezoning application is targeted for submission on October 8 for the November 5 Planning & Zoning docket. You will soon see a public rezoning sign on our church lawn—rest assured, we are not selling; this is a required, exciting sign of forward progress!
Contractor-Led Design-Build RFP: We are moving directly toward issuing a tailored Request for Proposals (RFP) to proven local commercial contractors who will partner with dedicated architectural teams and help us develop a campus master plan.
Celebrating Your Generosity / Financial Update
Scripture reminds us that "unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain" (Psalm 127:1). Your sacrificial giving and faithfulness continue to affirm God’s hand in this project.
Here is our financial snapshot as of August 31 / September 8, 2026:
| Category | Amount | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Donations Received to Date | $259,813.21 | Reflects your ongoing, faithful campaign contributions. | |
| Cumulative Interest Earned | $5,884.67 | Earned through high-yield interest accounts. | |
| Total Pledged Amount | $2,041,556 | n* |
Important Stewardship Note:
Protecting Every Dollar: Because our cash balance has surpassed the single-institution federal deposit threshold, our church Lead Team has instituted an automated bank sweep program. This mechanism distributes our deposits across a network of partner institutions so that 100% of your contributions remain fully FDIC-insured while still yielding strong interest returns.
Progress & Key Updates
1. Property Surveying
City-County Planning Commission requires a plat prepared by a licensed surveyor for the zone map amendment application. The licensed surveyor that surveyed the church property in 2013 is no longer with a surveying firm. Therefore, the building team has to hire an active license surveyor to survey the church property to comply with the requirement.
After evaluating competitive local proposals the committee unanimously selected Van Meter & Slavey. Van Meter & Slavey brings deep familiarity with Bowling Green municipal requirements, exceptional responsiveness, and substantial cost savings without compromising on quality.
2. Rezoning Application & "The Yard Sign"
Our goal is to formally submit our zone map amendment on October 8, 2026, placing our property on the Warren County Planning & Zoning public docket for November 5, 2026.
A Quick Heads-Up for October:
Per city zoning ordinances, a bright public zoning notification sign must be posted near our property road frontage roughly two weeks prior to the public hearing. When you pull into the church parking lot and see that sign, do not worry—we are not selling any church property! It is simply the county’s official notification of our expansion plans. We celebrate it as a milestone of visible progress.
3. Moving Directly to a Contractor-Led Design-Build RFP
Rather than spending months on a preliminary multi-stage vetting process, our committee voted to proceed directly with an intentional Request for Proposals (RFP) to a curated list of reputable, established commercial general contractors in our region.
The Team Approach: Each builder will submit a proposal alongside their preferred architectural design partner. Because the bulk of our project timeline and budget will be spent alongside our general contractor, ensuring strong builder-architect synergy and project alignment from day one is critical.
Objective Evaluation: We will evaluate all technical submissions, experience, and team chemistry before reviewing competitive fee structures in separate sealed submittals.
Campus Master Planning: As part of this RFP, we are asking submitting teams to deliver not just drawings for an initial expansion, but a comprehensive campus master plan that ensures today's construction anticipates our church's ministry needs 10, 20, and 30 years into the future.
Ministry Sub-Teams: We will also begin pulling together ministry-specific advisory groups (including our worship, technology, sound, and facility teams) to ensure the spaces we build are acoustically sound, functional, and tailored for heartfelt worship.
Next Steps & Roadmap
Late September / Early October 2026: Committee issues preliminary letters of interest and finalized RFP packets to selected regional contractors.
October 8, 2026: Target submission date for our formal Planning & Zoning application.
Late October 2026: Public zoning notification signage posted on church grounds.
November 5, 2026: Projected Planning & Zoning Commission public hearing.
Call to Prayer: How You Can Partner
As we advance through these administrative and legal milestones, we ask that you continually uphold this work in your daily prayers:
Wisdom & Discernment for Contractor Teams: Pray for clarity as we finalize the RFP document and reach out to builders. Pray that God connects us with the right design-build team whose values, craftsmanship, and vision align with the mission of Christ Church.
Favor in the Rezoning Process: Pray for a smooth, favor-filled pre-application and public review with the Warren County Planning & Zoning Commission on November 5, and for good relationships with our neighboring community.
Unity & Spiritual Renewal: Pray that throughout the logistical steps of building, our eyes remain fixed on Jesus. May this physical building always be seen as a tool to welcome the lost, disciple believers, and serve Bowling Green for generations to come.
Staying Connected
Next Committee Meeting: The Building Committee will hold its next monthly working session on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, at 5:30 PM.
Building Project Hub: You can view previous updates, architectural timeline notes, and campaign information anytime at www.christchurchbg.org by clicking "Building Project Hub" at the top of any page.
Questions or Ideas? We welcome your thoughts and questions. Feel free to connect directly with our building team chair, Preston Withers, project co-chairs, Betsy Kullman and Mike Gardner, or call the church office at (270) 842-4343.
With grateful hearts,
The Building Committee Team
Christ Church of Bowling Green