“The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.”
~ Genesis 2.15
Since October 2019, this verse has been my go-to encouragement for managing and stewarding the CPC facilities. On many occasions this hasn’t been easy. For example, moving around the campus on a scooter due to a broken ankle, assisting with tornado relief in our community, and of course, COVID safety concerns have each presented “out of the box” challenges.
Managing any facility can be complex, but active multifunctional church facilities come with unique needs. I take a four-fold approach to taking care of our facility:
- Be preventative in facility care
- Pursue energy efficiency
- Maintain a cleaning and landscaping schedule
- Involve the church community
BE PREVENTATIVE
I don’t like big surprises when it comes to facility maintenance. It’s better to remain alert and preventively service these need rather than waiting for something to happen. If you wait, something will happen; it always does. Usually it is messier, bigger, or more costly than you think it will be. By delaying maintenance, you also risk church function being disrupted or canceled.
Taking a preventative approach with respect to COVID, we have installed UV lights in our Sanctuary HVAC unit that kill 99.9% of all germs and viruses. This also means we must maintain consistent care of our HVAC units.
Sometimes, despite regular maintenance and upkeep, facilities do experience the unexpected problem. The broken drain line through the lobby was surprising, but thankfully, our Diaconate swiftly assisted in resolving the issue.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
We have an aging facility, and it was not built with many of today’s standard energy efficient systems. Converting to these newer technologies is essential for utility cost savings. We have installed WIFI-based thermostats around campus that have allowed a tighter control of heating and air conditioning needs. We are moving to more efficient LED bulbs which use less electricity and have a longer lifespan.
How can you help increased energy efficiency? Please assist me by ensuring our exterior doors are closed and not propped open. Double check the door going to the playground if your children are done playing outside. Make sure the windows are closed and blinds are drawn when leaving classrooms and turn off any unnecessary lights.
CLEANING AND LANDSCAPING
CPC has contracted with a wonderful janitorial company (Jan-Pro) that cleans on Mondays and Thursdays. For several years, we have enjoyed Julio Ibach’s excellent lawn service every other week. But even with these services, we have some gaps in these areas that need to be filled. This is where my final approach becomes vital in caring for the CPC facilities.
CHURCH COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Hebrews 6.10 tells us, “God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.”
Also consider 1 Peter 4.10, “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace.”
The PCA’s Book of Church Order (under Appendix F) gives proper guidance of dedicating a building. You can read it online or download the it at www.pcaac.org/bco/. When you have opportunity, please read it. This is my vision for our campus both now and looking toward the future.
Many of you have cheerfully assisted me with odd jobs around the campus, and I am so grateful. But there is still much to do. Can you trim bushes? Call me. Can you paint a small room? Text me. Can you organize a storage room? Email me. I can always use the help!
So, when can you start?
~ Tony Horton
