After building two churches in the past three years, I would propose the following financial plan were I to promote another church building project.
After the architectural plans are completed, and a reliable estimate of the cost of the contemplated edifice is secured, my first step would be to determine the financial resources of the congregation for the proposed task. A careful study would be made of the ability and willingness of the congregation to contribute.
Suppose the goal is to raise forty thousand dollars in a congregation with approximately fifty prospective contributors, and suppose the plan adopted is to have payments made over a period of eighteen months. The picture will look something like this:
5 pledges at $25 per month for 18 months ($450) ------------------- $ 2,250.
10 pledges at $15 per month for 18 months ($270) ---------------------- 2,700.
25 pledges at $10 per month for 18 months ($180) ---------------------- 4,500.
10 pledges at $5 per month for 18 months ($90) ------------------------- 900.
One year before building operations are to begin, a personal canvass for pledges would be made to all the members, showing them the proposed plan for raising $10,350 in pledges to be made in monthly payments. I would then encourage their commitment. In addition to this plan I would endeavor to enlist their willing cooperation to contribute as large a cash donation as possible, to apply on the remaining deficit of the forty-thousand-dollar project.
"Constant, self-denying benevolence is God's remedy for the cankering sins of selfishness and covetousness.... He has ordained that giving should become a habit, that it may counteract the dangerous and deceitful sin of covetousness. Continual giving starves covetousness to death."—Testimonies, vol. 3, p. 548.
The second step would be to start a citywide canvass for material donations from all lumber yards, electric companies, paint companies, hardware stores, plumbing stores, and ready mix companies. This step is important, but many times the most neglected one. Thousands of dollars are lost to the denomination each year by not carrying out this phase of the program.
In Quincy, California, our church edifice was recently built costing approximately $10,- 000 and valued at $60,000. A canvass for material donations was made. As a result eight lumber mills donated 22,000 feet of lumber valued at $2,000; three retail lumber yards donated a total of 3,000 feet of lumber valued at $300; two electric companies contributed electrical supplies totaling $50 in value; two hardware stores donated kegs of nails, paint, lavatories, and door locks; sand and gravel companies gave all the sand and gravel needed; and two plumbing supply stores donated most of the water pipe and fittings needed.
Recently C. F. Phillips, home missionary secretary for the Nevada-Utah conference, Paul McFeeters, and I spent five days in Utah, helping the Ogden Seventh-day Adventist church in their solicitation program for material donations. The response in this difficult city, with 60 per cent of its population Mormon people who are assessed annually to aid in the building of their wards (churches), was very heartening. Thirty-five yards of ready mix concrete, valued at $400, was donated by three companies; one hardware supply contributed all the door hardware and locks needed, valued at $175; the Crane Company donated $100 in rest-room fixtures; one paint store gave $25 in paint; and the sum of all donations during the week totaled $3,750.
The third step would be to solicit all other places of business, with the exception of the small business, for cash donations to the church building fund.
The fourth step is a novel idea. We have found that many of the small places of business will give little or nothing financially for a building project, yet if they are canvassed for credit vouchers, they will enthusiastically respond. Many service stations will give a credit voucher stating, "The bearer of this voucher is entitled to $5 gasoline." Others will give a free automobile lubrication to the holder of the voucher. Grocery stores will give a $10 order of groceries. Others will give meals for a family of four, portraits, small electrical appliances, tires, as well as many other items. These vouchers, in turn, can be sold to the members at an evening social at a discount from their actual value. This project should net another one thousand dollars for the building fund.
Building contractors estimate labor to be 50 per cent of the total cost of any building project. This is a financial item not to be overlooked. Through personal visitation of every member I would endeavor to secure their willingness to pledge a certain number of hours each week, stating what nights they could be available, as well as Sundays if possible.
In Testimonies, volume 6, page 101, is found this helpful counsel:
"There are some cases, however, in which a young church may not be able at once to bear the whole burden of erecting a house of worship. In these cases let the brethren in other churches help them."
The Baldwin Park church in Southern California, under the direction of Merrill Enright, pastor, promoted a Sunday work program in which seventy-five men from fifteen churches traveled from all parts of the Southern California Conference to assist in framing the church. Thirteen of the volunteer workers were not members of the Adventist faith, but they expressed great satisfaction in lending a hand for such a project.
This brings to mind that the largest and most successful Sunday work bee for our Elko, Nevada, building project was the day in which each member invited non-Adventist friends to join us for the day. At other times non-Adventist painters and roofers were invited to donate a few hours, which proved to be successful. Sometimes nonmembers are won to the message through this type of fellowship.
Invariably the treasury is depleted toward the end of the project, and there are no funds for the church furniture, platform and aisle carpet, and landscaping. I have found this an opportune time to introduce the members to the "Memorial Gifts Plan." By this time most of the members are finishing their eighteen-month pledges and are very willing to start another monthly pledge as a memorial gift. Some of these are as follows: outside bulletin board, foyer bulletin board, landscaping, piano, organ, minister's desk, primary or junior furniture, tower chimes, minister's pulpit, chancel chairs, communion table, pews, aisle carpet, platform carpet, stained glass windows, lighting fixtures, and pulpit microphone.
A Book of Memorials, displayed in a handsome glass case may be placed in the foyer to be seen as one enters the church. In this book is inscribed in beautiful script each donor's name (in alphabetical sequence), the gift, the person commemorated, and the purpose of the gift.
Each week a new page is turned in the Memorial Gifts Book to reveal a new list of donors. To preserve the book, it is locked in the glass case, but may be seen in its entirety by anyone upon request. This book of remembrance will also contain the names of the members who donated many hours each week to the building and those who have aided financially in any way.
As J. Lee Neil stated in his article, "Sons of Strangers Shall Build Up Thy Walls," the program is one of prayer and perspiration. Let us arise and build, remembering the promise in Philippians 4:19, "My God shall supply all your need."
