Christian Church(Disciples of Christ)
Christian Church
(Disciples of Christ)
Contact: news@cm.disciples.org
96b-48
June 24, 1996
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (DNS) -- Near record loan approvals, the receiving of a special offering for African-American congregations hit by arson, and the launching of a new service for congregations highlighted the recent Board of Church Extension directors meeting. More than $10 million in loan requests from 20 states, plus Puerto Rico, will be used to underwrite 36 capital improvement projects. Combined costs for the projects, varying from remodeling and new construction to debt refinancing, totaled more than $15.3 million. The loan requests ranged in size from $5,800 to $2.4 million. During the meeting, directors, staff and families gave a special offering of $882, to be sent via Week of Compassion, in support of the African-American congregations whose buildings have been burned by arsonists in the past year. President James L. Powell also received support from the governing board to write letters of solidarity to each of the affected congregations. Directors and staff gave special attention to worship space under the direction of a father/son team of liturgical design consultants. The guests, Eugene and E. J. Potente, Kenosha, Wis., will serve as special consultants on sacred space. This is a new service being offered to congregations by BCE. The Potentes told board members and staff that effective worship space design reflects a change from sacred space being "a house of God" to being "the house of God's people." Today, large narthex gathering areas, a bright sanctuary with baptistries and prominent communion tables, and flexible seating that surrounds the center of worship give emphasis to this sense of being the house of God's people, the Potentes noted. Visits to the four Albuquerque Disciples congregations and other surrounding churches provided directors and staff an opportunity to experience first-hand a variety of worship spaces. In other action, directors approved five interest-free loan requests totaling $173,250 for projects in Arizona, Indiana, North Carolina and Puerto Rico. This brings to seven the number of congregations with outstanding commitments totaling $245,750 in interest-free loans. As of May 31, reports showed loan balances of $77.8 million while BCE's assets stood at $99.2 million. Investments placed with Board of Church Extension, a primary source of loan funds, stood at $80.3 million. The Rev. Neil E. Topliffe also was named as a consultant, in addition to his role as director of public relations. Topliffe provides Board of Church Extension services to congregations on a limited basis in addition to his other responsibilities. Church Extension directors approved reports showing: - staff completed 186 field visits during February, March and April, and conducted 27 fund-raising campaigns that achieved pledges of more than $3.5 million; - gifts to the unit from individuals and congregations in the first five months of 1996 exceeded $197,000.
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