1. Why are we building?
Covenant is building in order to fulfill the Great Commission -- to make disciples for Jesus Christ. Covenant has been blessed with substantial growth for many years. It is common for every classroom to be filled, which limits the ability of the church to meet the needs of our members and visitors for Sunday school classes, Bible studies, and small group meetings. Wednesday night congregational dinners are often filled to overflowing. On Sunday mornings during the school year, and in Vacation Bible School (VBS) during the summer, our wonderful children's program frequently is beyond capacity. (More than 350 children attended VBS in summer 2007!) While these are wonderful problems to have, they challenge us to make room for all those to seek to know Christ better. To learn more, please watch the video on the main BBB page.

2. How has the current plan developed?
A coordinating committee encompassing building, communications, intercessory prayer and capital campaign subcommittees, based on continued input from the congregation and appropriate experts, and oversight by your Session. This plan grew from earlier efforts, taking into account response to that effort from the congregation and neighborhood, and considering the current growth and direction of our church.

3. What are we building?
The current plan includes:
- a four-story Fellowship and Education Building on the site of the existing Children's Hall, to create meeting, worship, fellowship, recreation, and gathering places for all ages, sizes, and types of groups; and
- improvements to the roofs of the Sanctuary and Eaton Hall

In addition, we have already completed improvements to the interior of the Sanctuary, the addition of portable buildings to accommodate classes and small groups during the construction process, and improved water and wastewater lines to accommodate the needs of the project. We enter this project debt free after paying off all debt on Covenant Hall, which was built in the 1990s.

4. What will the new Fellowship and Education Building have that we don't currently have at Covenant?

By God's own grace and power, we are about to break ground on this project providing:

• A fellowship hall with space for us to eat and play together and with lights, sound equipment and a stage designed for contemporary worship.
• Thirty up-to-date classrooms for small groups, youth D-groups, classes, Bible studies, and prayer groups.
• A large assembly area and multi-purpose media room for programs, presentations, films, and lectures to educate our members and reach out into the community.
• An intimate and meditative chapel for prayer, small memorial services, weddings, and all those who seek a quiet moment with our Lord.
• A gymnasium where people of all ages can enjoy play, jazzercise, basketball, yoga, volleyball, broom hockey, square dancing, freeze tag, and many other activities.
• A fully-equipped nursery and children's Sunday School area to will relieve crowding and better equip us to build the faith of our children.
• Four floors that will serve as a launching pad for sacrificial service with improved housing, laundry, and recreation space for our IHN families; a kitchen capable of feeding the hungry in our community; training space for new short and long-term mission trips; spaces equipped for adult day care; and convenient, accessible collection sites for clothing, food, and other donations to help those in need.

5. Who determined the elements of the new Fellowship and Education Building?
The Session formed an Executive Coordinating Committee (ECC), encompassing building, communications, intercessory prayer and capital campaign subcommittees. These committees gathered input from the congregation and appropriate experts, with oversight by the Session. The plan for the Fellowship and Education Building grew from earlier efforts, taking into account response to that effort from the congregation and neighborhood, and considering the current growth and direction of our church. The Fellowship and Education Building was designed to address the current needs of our congregation, and allow for future growth. In planning for this building, members of the coordinating committee conducted extensive conversations with staff and lay leaders for all church programs in an effort to address the most pressing needs of our church.

6. What is the plan for Eaton Hall?
One early plan was to build the new Fellowship and Education Building where Eaton Hall is presently located. That met resistance from the local neighborhood association, as well as some of our members. Plans developed to renovate Eaton Hall so it could house the pre-school. The estimated cost of those renovations came in at approximately $1.3 million, and with the construction industry booming throughout Austin, it was difficult to find contractors to bid on a renovation project. At this point, the plan is to address the Covenant's most pressing needs by proceeding with construction of the new Fellowship and Education Building. Plans for Eaton Hall are still in discussion. Those decisions will be made as we move forward.

7. Will the on-going drainage problem around Eaton Hall be fixed?
Architects, contractors and engineers have put a lot of time and effort into diverting the surface water that drains from Mopac across our campus. We are confident that drainage will not be an issue.

8. How much will the current plan cost?
The total project will cost approximately $16 million, including just over $2 million that has already been spent to pay off all debt on Covenant Hall, improve water and wastewater lines, acquire and renovate the portable buildings during construction, improvements made to the sanctuary in 2006, architectural and engineering fees, permits, consultant fees, interim financing charges, and other expenses.

9. How will we pay for it?
This project will be funded by donations. Pledges and donations to date have exceeded $6 million, with more than $2.8 million of that amount already received by the church. The capital campaign is an on-going project. We are seeking responses to the capital campaign from members who have not yet indicated whether they will make a contribution. We are also asking those who have made a 3-year pledge to prayerfully consider extending their pledges to 5 years.

10. What if we don't raise enough money?
Frost Bank has given the church a loan commitment for interim financing (during construction and while capital campaign pledges are being fulfilled over a period of up to five years) in the amount of $12 million, and permanent financing (beginning in five years) in the amount of $7.3 million. The estimated debt service expense on a $7.3 million loan would be approximately $590,000 per year. That would represent 20% of Covenant's 2007 budget, which is consistent with prior debt service expenditures at various times in Covenant's history. On July 22, 2007, the Congregation voted overwhelmingly to approve this interim and permanent financing so that construction can proceed this Fall. Every dollar that is contributed during the capital campaign reduces the amount that must be spent on permanent financing.

11. What about parking?
The current construction plans will not add any new parking spaces. A task force is looking into this issue in depth, including exploring use of private land around and near the church for parking. Parking is a critical issue primarily at Sunday worship times. The Sunday morning shuttle service will be continued, and its use encouraged.

12. What is going on with the portables?
We are fortunate to have the portables available for classes and small group meeting space during our construction project. In addition, the Covenant Preschool will be housed in the portables for the 2007 - 08 school year. We own three of the portables, so they will be available to provide needed meeting space even after the construction is completed.

13. Will we continue to have space in the Northwest Recreation Center after the new building is finished?
We plan to continue our relationship with the Northwest Recreation Center, which gives us access to parking and meeting space on Sundays.

14. Why aren't we building a larger sanctuary?
Our sanctuary completely fills up only a few times each year, but our education and meeting rooms are full several times a week. We have had some groups meet in restrooms and staff offices and others have been forced to meet off campus. Our campus plan was developed to accommodate our small groups and other ministries while providing space for our congregation to worship and fellowship together.

15. Why have there been so many changes in our plans?
Any major construction project involves changes along the way. We have continued to look for ways to improve the project while being the best stewards of God's resources that we can be. We have also attempted to have open communication and transparency throughout this process, which means that the congregation has had information about the plans as they have developed. We will continue to look to improve the overall project as long as such changes are feasible. Input is always welcome.

16. What is happening to the Preschool?
The preschool will be housed in the portables for the 2007-2008 school year, and will move into the Fellowship and Education Building when it is completed. Renovating Eaton Hall for use by the preschool was not the best and most efficient use of funds or space.

17. What is the current timeline for the overall project?
The current construction schedule calls for construction on the new Fellowship and Education Building to begin in Fall 2007. Construction is expected to take about 18 months. Roof repairs to the Sanctuary and Eaton Hall will be done during the construction process. Other improvements are not currently scheduled.

18. How can I make a donation or a pledge to support this important project?
You can designate any gift to the capital campaign by so indicating on your check or on the envelopes that are located in the sanctuary pews. For new pledges, pledge cards are available throughout the sanctuary and in the narthex. Also, for your convenience a pledge card can be downloaded and printed below, or you may choose to pledge electronically.

To fill out an online Building Beyond Boundaries pledge card without making a gift today, please use the following form:

Building Beyond Boundaries Pledge Card

To extend your current Building Beyond Boundaries pledge from 3 to 5 years, please use the following form:

Pledge Extension Form

If you would like to print out a pledge form to make a new pledge or to extend your pledge, please print out the following document and return it to the church office.

PDF Pledge Form

19. I have already made a pledge for a 3 year period, but I am willing to extend my pledge by giving the same annual amount for an additional two years. How do I notify the Church of my decision to extend my pledge to five years?
New pledge cards will be available very soon that will allow you to do this. You may also use the following electronic form: Pledge Extension Form.

20. If I have additional questions or want to discuss this project further, who can I talk to?
Please feel free to speak with any member of the church staff, the Session, or the ECC. The ECC includes Wick Alexander (chair), Ron Gentry (chair of the Building Committee), Sara Crawford and Tom Hutchison (co-chairs of the Prayer Committee), Melissa Gaskill and Laura Tuma (co-chairs of the Communications Committee), and Doug and Thais Kilday and Bruce Todd (co-chairs of the Capital Campaign Committee)