Master Planning Update June 2023
The Facilities Master Planning Management Team and our consultants have been hard at work as we begin to finalize the Concept and Master Planning and Financial Analysis, and Cost Estimation phases of Redeemer’s Master Plan. Collaborating with Council, the Master Planning Advisory Committee and our Congregation, we have incorporated invaluable input into a plan for Redeemer’s future. Our goal has always been to be consistent with the Mission and Vision of Redeemer while focusing on Goal 5 of the Strategic Plan.
Goal 5 of the Strategic Plan states that we will ensure the sustainability and long-term vitality of Redeemer’s witness and mission. Specifically, the Facilities Master Planning Committee is working on long-term action #2: Develop our properties to support our mission.
The Facilities Planning effort of the last two years began with a church-wide effort to identify the hopes and dreams of the Congregation. Using Subject Area Groups, we explored our current programming, aspirational programming, and the limitations that our current facilities place on our ability to expand and grow our congregation and pursue Redeemer’s Mission and Vision. Additionally, we formed an Advisory Committee composed of Redeemer members, each of whom has a long history of leadership at Redeemer. Their leadership roles have put them in nearly every corner of our mission and vision over many years. All carry a deep love for our church and the congregation and have a deep faith in our ability to create a future that grows our congregation and meets our mission.
Creating a vibrant and growing church community is an integral part of our Strategic Plan. Our ability to meet future needs will depend on how we leverage our resources to pursue love of God, love of neighbor and love of each other. Those values were discussed in this project and documented as the congregation participated in the planning. These values have served as benchmarks to evaluate the many options that have been revealed and will continue to guide us as we go through this process.
Our commitment is to be sensitive to our community, both members and those whose homes and workplaces are our neighbors and partners. Together we are creating a vibrant and growing center in Midtown.
Master Planning Development Drivers for External Partners and Stakeholders:
- Bring worship, music, and service to Peachtree Street.
- Place vital and dynamic programming on Peachtree Street, so our community and service are visible to our neighbors.
- Honor the Sanctuary front door.
- Facilitate the flow among worship, service, and other program spaces for all, inclusive of those with accessibility needs.
- Create green space on Peachtree Street and both sides of 4th
- Work with the City of Atlanta to claim 4th Street for outdoor community events.
- Create a hierarchy of outdoor spaces that offer public and private activity spaces, merge indoor and outdoor spaces and surround the church in green.
- Capture natural light in all areas.
- Breaking bread together binds us as a community. Let us all eat together.
- Honor Lutheran Towers by improving the skywalk link and connectivity to programs and services.
- Maximize the value of our resources to sustain and grow our mission.
When considering the transformation of our campus, any development that we embrace must reflect our relationship to the community around us. The Master Plan for our campus should reflect clearly that we are an integral part of the community, open and welcoming to everyone and a vibrant part of life in Midtown. Through Redeemer, the world will see Jesus.
As a congregation, we have a long history of programming and service to Midtown Atlanta. Our neighbors need to see us in action and feel welcome to come to worship and serve. In all of our programming, we interact with the community around us. Easy access to join, visibility of Redeemer in action, and spaces that are friendly and open will attract the community.
An integral part of our process to balance mission and development is the formation of the Financial Analysis Team. This team is composed of congregation members who are not currently members of the Facilities Master Planning Management Team. Members have expertise in the subjects of financial modeling and/or church finances. The team will review data provided by the management team around property values, project costs and development arrangements. The team will then provide a “gut check” response to the concepts developed in the master planning process. This team’s objectives are:
- Review LCR assets and opportunities as part of a modeling process to evaluate various development options.
- Interact with the Financial Secretary, Treasurer, Finance Committee, and cost and valuation consultants.
- Provide raw financial projection for LCR development options.
As summer begins, we continue to work towards the final phase of our master plan-Congregational Review and Action. Thank you, Redeemer, for your voices throughout this process. We look forward to additional congregational input at a Combined Subject Area Group presentation on Sunday, August 6th, followed by a Temple Talk and Listening Post this fall as we share the culmination of our hopes and dreams for Redeemer. With your input, we will create and celebrate a final report of the Facilities Master Plan for The Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Redeemer.
God’s Peace,
Janet Preston & Jay Puckhaber
Co-Chairs, Facilities Master Planning Management Team
