Spring 2023 Hope Church Location Updates
The Background
For the first 4 years of Hope's life, we were a portable church. We focused on people and community, setting up and tearing down our worship location each Sunday. While that served us for a time, in early 2018 we grew weary of wondering what we'd find next from Saturday night in our worship location. We needed a visible space and a space for growing ministries and partnering with the community.
We took the leap, and by Easter 2018, we leased a 24/7 space - the space we are today!
If I'm honest, I (Jennie), had dreams of staying here forever, perhaps purchasing the building and eventually expanding to the bank side and gaining access to the kitchen!
For the first 4 years of Hope's life, we were a portable church. We focused on people and community, setting up and tearing down our worship location each Sunday. While that served us for a time, in early 2018 we grew weary of wondering what we'd find next from Saturday night in our worship location. We needed a visible space and a space for growing ministries and partnering with the community.
We took the leap, and by Easter 2018, we leased a 24/7 space - the space we are today!
If I'm honest, I (Jennie), had dreams of staying here forever, perhaps purchasing the building and eventually expanding to the bank side and gaining access to the kitchen!
An Unfortunate Building Code
In fall 2022 our annual fire inspection resulted in a long document sent to our landlord, Mike Talkington, requiring a number of updates to the building. He desires a safe building and gladly complied with all them. BUT - there was a new requirement: A fire suppression system a.k.a. sprinklers. This addition would cost over 2 million dollars on a building that is worth $500K.
He was told that the only way to get around this requirement is to remove the church (us) as tenants.
If we stay, they told him, a sprinkler system is needed in the entire building, including the bank side. If we go, a sprinkler system will no longer be needed. It is about usage policies.
For months, our landlord communicated with the City, praying and pleading for common sense to prevail.
On Monday, March 6th, another inspection was conducted with Mike present. At this inspection,he was told that the city would be filing court orders against him for not complying with the requirement. Genevieve Pilon, who works a few hours a week helping to keep our finances up to date, happened to be present during the inspection. After she and Mike sat at her desk, both very distraught.
Mike called me deeply upset. He is not sure how long we will be allowed to stay at this location. He has already asked an additional commercial real estate agent to begin looking with and for us.
In fall 2022 our annual fire inspection resulted in a long document sent to our landlord, Mike Talkington, requiring a number of updates to the building. He desires a safe building and gladly complied with all them. BUT - there was a new requirement: A fire suppression system a.k.a. sprinklers. This addition would cost over 2 million dollars on a building that is worth $500K.
He was told that the only way to get around this requirement is to remove the church (us) as tenants.
If we stay, they told him, a sprinkler system is needed in the entire building, including the bank side. If we go, a sprinkler system will no longer be needed. It is about usage policies.
For months, our landlord communicated with the City, praying and pleading for common sense to prevail.
On Monday, March 6th, another inspection was conducted with Mike present. At this inspection,he was told that the city would be filing court orders against him for not complying with the requirement. Genevieve Pilon, who works a few hours a week helping to keep our finances up to date, happened to be present during the inspection. After she and Mike sat at her desk, both very distraught.
Mike called me deeply upset. He is not sure how long we will be allowed to stay at this location. He has already asked an additional commercial real estate agent to begin looking with and for us.
The Church is Not a Building...
....says and sings everyone snuggly inside a church building!
But for real. It is not.
Hope Church is YOU.
WE are Hope Church.
We have done this before, and we will do it now. We will support each other, love each other, and at some point, we'll all carry chairs downstairs to a moving van.
We'll do this together.
But for real. It is not.
Hope Church is YOU.
WE are Hope Church.
We have done this before, and we will do it now. We will support each other, love each other, and at some point, we'll all carry chairs downstairs to a moving van.
We'll do this together.
What's Next?
Time Frame? The short answer is that we don't know. The longer we have to stay here, the longer we have to find another location, without needing to use temporary locations.
We look for a new place to call home. There may be a time we are setting up for a Sunday-only location. It's not ideal, but we can make it work.
Ideas of theoretical locations can be distracting. However, if you know a currently available location for lease, share the listing agent with us!
Axis360 Commercial Real Estate Agents, including our landlord Mike Talkington, are actively helping us
We can be creative about where we land.
Our non-negotiable is full-inclusion of all people!
Ideas of theoretical locations can be distracting. However, if you know a currently available location for lease, share the listing agent with us!
Axis360 Commercial Real Estate Agents, including our landlord Mike Talkington, are actively helping us
We can be creative about where we land.
Our non-negotiable is full-inclusion of all people!