Family Life Center

In May 2009, the Building Committee was formed and charged with coming up with plans for a Family Life Center to be built on the Old Hamilton Mill Road site owned by BFUMC. The committee has been working diligently since then to develop a plan that will provide current members with a facility capable of supporting the existing activities of the entire congregation, while also allowing for growth.

The Family Life Center is intended to provide:

a large multipurpose area for worship, fellowship, and recreation;
a two story area for individual classrooms for children, adults, and youth;
a nursery, kitchen, storage and office space.

It is the intention of the Building Committee that, at a future date, a permanent sanctuary will be built on part of the existing concrete slab that was poured in early 2000.

Part of our vision through the last few years has been “Through faith we build.” We need to stay committed to that vision. Our present building has served the congregation very well for about 85 years. But, just like any vibrant, active, and expanding family, we have outgrown this facility. Not only that, but we also face the dilemmas of an aging building (Harry Wilkins and Pastor Sondra will be happy to give anyone a tour of the facility).

The Building Committee has tried to be sensitive to the love that people have for the present beautiful sanctuary. Worship is where God’s people are, not where a building is. The present building is old, is in bad need of repair, and we are concerned about the safety of it. Many people have joined our church because of the traditional style of worship. We are who we are because of this, not because of the beautiful sanctuary. We will continue the same manner of worship when we move. Also, there will be opportunities to explore an additional service – contemporary, not blended.

The previous plans that were drawn up many years ago (termed the “Phase 1″ stage) called for the square footage to be approximately 32,000 square feet, the cost to be close to $6 mil, and worship services to be held in the fellowship hall with moveable chairs. Plus, looking back on these plans now, there is now not nearly enough space to accommodate all the programs we currently have; nor would there be recreational space.

Fast forward to today, where our present plan with the Family Life Center proposes approximately 43,000 square feet that will allow space for all programs plus recreational space at a cost of $2.8 mil. Then, the sanctuary can be built on the existing slab for less than the original cost.

If you have questions about the Family Life Center, please contact the church office at 770-945-7438 or send an e-mail to clbfumc@bellsouth.net.

More Information

The Building Committee has conducted several “Listening Sessions” with the church to help answer any questions. Below you can find some of these questions along with the answers.

Why don’t we tear down the educational portion of the present building and the Benson house and rebuild right at the corner of Hill and Main Streets?
For one thing, we are landlocked with no place for additional parking. The sanctuary would need to be torn down and built from ground up. We would still have the space issues. Renovation of this facility is cost prohibitive. A sub-committee checked into this and found that would cost more than it will to build at other site.
What dilemmas has the building program faced?
The building program has faced a few dilemmas over the last several years. We have had starts/stops three times. The first one: a church near Dacula was going to purchase our building contingent upon selling their church to a developer who planned to put a strip mall where their church is located. Planning and zoning denied the request, so the sale fell through. The second one: a portion of the Old Hamilton Mill property was rezoned and a subdivision was going to be developed; the developer couldn’t get the funding. Third: the economy went south and the real estate market tanked.
Where will the organ be stored?
The organ can be stored in a climate controlled room.
Why is there such a large price difference ($6 mil vs. $2.8 mil) between the orginal plans and the plans now?
The original plan with the original materials included many intricate details; circumstances are different; original plans for the slab are being reviewed to focus more on the sanctuary.
What will the Family Life Center look line from the outside?
The exterior will be all brick and will have the look of a worship center, not a gym.
Can someone show me the Old Hamilton Mill Road site?
Tours are available upon request with Harry and Sondra’s Tours Inc. and with their agents Tracey and Linda. To arrange a tour or for more information, contact the church office at 770-945-7438 or send an e-mail to clbfumc@bellsouth.net. You can also take a look at a map that shows all of the great things that are currently located on the property, as well as plans for the future.
Can a permanent sign be placed at the corner of Hamilton Mill and Old Hamilton Mill at the traffic light?
The city has a sign permit. Signs typically would have to be on your property.
Is it necessary to have a deceleration lane and, if so, who is responsible for paying for it?
We would be responsible for a deceleration lane if we have to put one there. The city was going to check into that and see if they indeed did require one for that site.
How accurate are the pricing and plans for the interior items?
Pricing and plans for the interior items are being finalized and as numbers become available, we will publish those.
What are the plans for the cost of utilities during the transition phase from the two campuses?
Currently the utilities are approximately $2500 per month. Based on our research, the cost should be comparable because the new building will be more cost effective. We do not expect much use of the old campus during the transition phase. We have checked with other churches of comparable size and the cost of their utilities is approximately $2500.
Are there plans for additional staff that will be needed in the new facility?
We are currently checking the options because some grant money may be available from the Conference.
Are there plans for a stewardship committee to manage the capital campaign and what is the stewardship plan?
Several members of Buford First are members of the Stewardship committee. These members along with other people from our congregation will occasionally speak during Sunday services during what is called a “Stewardship Moment”. We also recently completed our Spiritual Gifts and Time and Talent class that helped to identify what church members can do and how they can to do it to reach our goals. The church is also active in Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University series. There will be a capital campaign in the Spring for the building fund, and a campaign in the Fall for the operating budget.
Please explain some of the financial aspects of the Family Life Center.
All costs and loan discussions are based on estimates and will continue to be until a contractor is selected, costs determined, and a financial plan is presented to the congregation at Charge Conference. The Georgia United Methodist Foundation (GUMF) may be considered as a financier if BFUMC seeks a loan to help pay for our Family Life Center. The GUMF’s mission is to help United Methodist Churches, entities and individuals. The GUMF is a connectional ministry that understands the requirements of the United Methodist Church and is able to simplify a financing process, offer low costs, good terms and competitive rates and serves as an advisor from start to finish of the construction and loan process.
With the GUMF being considered as a financier if MFUMC seeks a loan, I understand they ran into some financial trouble in 2008. Are they in good condition now?
The foundation did not in fact experience financial problems in 2008 as its liquidity and capital position were not threatened. Like many institutions, the foundation and its investors incurred unrealized losses on securities held or managed but the securities were not sold and no cash losses were incurred. Markets have recovered which allowed the foundation and most institutions to recover any unrealized losses. The foundation has performed at or above budgeted results due to the success of the loan and development programs as well as the array of other financial offerings.
The building is expected to cost about $2.6 million, and at least $300k is needed for furnishings. Would the loan be used to pay for the furnishings and the building?
Furnishings are considered part of the total financing package, including the building construction. The intent is for the church to raise at least $1.3 million prior to construction.
Will the loan be a 20 year fixed rate mortgage or is it a 5 year ARM?
The permanent loan is a straight 20 year amortizing term loan with a rate reset at the end of each 5th year to the then prevailing long-term rate published by the foundation. That rate today is 5.80%. There are no balloon payments through the life of the loan and the foundation does not charge origination or commitment fees. Refinancing options are available but the permanent loan is assumed to be a 20 year loan (i.e., the foundation is committing itself to a 20 year relationship with the church).
How does the GUMF determine their interest rate?
Interest rates on the Development and Loan funds are reviewed weekly. Loan rates are priced based upon the average cost of funds for the Development program plus a margin that covers the administrative costs of the loan fund. A comparable “rule of thumb” pricing model is a 5, 10, 15 or 20 year Treasury Bond plus 1.5 to 2.5%.
How accurate are the pricing and plans for the interior items?
Pricing and plans for the interior items are being finalized and as numbers become available, we will publish those. A lot of those items will be included in the RFP from prospective builders.
Where can I get demographics information related to the area?
Demographic information is available through the Conference online for anyone who would like to access it. A detailed hard copy is also available, and Charles Cook will continue to monitor the updates.
Have any building funds been spent?
No. The HVAC and safe repairs made last year were not funded from the Building Fund.
Can the city and or county change/rezone the property?
Property typically has to go through a rezoning process through a series of advertisement and public meetings.
Is the Corp of Engineers okay with the current plans for the detention pond?
The Corp would not be involved in this detention pond. The corps’ jurisdiction covers waters of the state or navigatible waters. They would only be involved if we wanted to dam up the creek to put the detention pond there. The City of Buford has regulations in place for the surface water (storm water), which is what the detention pond controls. The original study that was completed for the original permit will still serve the proposed development of the Family Life Center. A revised storm water/hydrology study will have to be completed once we submit for a land disturbance permit.
Where will the playground be located?
We had planned on putting it in the corner behind the Family Life Center and adjacent to the existing slab.
What is the best plan and cost for getting power to the FLC?
One of the options from Georgia Power is FREE to the site and that is the one we choose.
Is the fill dirt for the ball field safe?
We will have it tested if we can’t obtain a copy of the environmental study that Kroger would have performed before they purchased their site.