Minister's Letter | Past | Present | Future
How Can You Participate | Campaign Leaders' Letter

Reach UP: “Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house; with deepest awe I will worship at your Temple.” Ps. 5:7 (NLT)

Reach OUT: “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matt. 5:16 (NLT)

Reach IN: “Under His (Christ’s) direction, the whole body is fitted together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.” Eph. 4:16 (NLT)
  

   
Dear Christ's Family Member,

I know how excited I am to be part of the growth of God’s Kingdom here at Christ’s Family Church and am praying that you too have been caught up in the Spirit. It is my belief that God is giving us an opportunity to help grow His Kingdom through our Reaching UP, Reaching OUT, Reaching IN campaign which will help us build a new addition to our facility. This physical growth will enhance our ministries here at Christ’s Family Church.

Throughout history, God has given to His people a vision. God’s vision gives people the insight and foresight to see things from His perspective. This brochure is designed to provide you with such vision. It is our hope that you will see the past, present, and future of our church through the eyes of God.

On the first pages, this beautiful booklet will show you some of the things God saw happen here in years gone by. You will see what is written in eternity about a group of people who were willing to dream His dream and work to make it come true. The result of that vision and commitment to serve Christ is the church that enriches us all today.

As you turn the pages, you will shift to the present. You will see how God has brought us together in this moment to continue that vision and work started years ago. You will view the blessings resulting from our ministries and review the challenges these successes now create for us. You will see how our present situation and circumstances limit what we can do for God or could do.

Finally, you will reach the concluding pages that look into our future. Although you may only see “through a glass darkly,” with eyes of faith you will catch a glimpse of where God wants us to go and how He wants us to get there. As you visualize the path before us, pray about what you need to do to help all of us arrive at that destination.

The church’s vision for the future provides us with God’s perspective, but it also imposes upon each of us a serious and sacred responsibility. As one once said, “There is a time to stare up the steps, and there is also a time to step up the stairs.” This is that time when a church, built on the vision of God, takes the next step toward His dream for us. Our Reaching UP, Reaching OUT, and Reaching IN campaign allows us to see tomorrow from today, and it also lets us see what we must do today to get there tomorrow. Thank you for taking the time to read through this exciting story or our past, our present and our future.

To God be the Glory
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PAST

In 1977, Rev. Albert Vander Meer and several families began meeting for Sunday evening home worship and fellowship, and progressed into Sunday morning church services at the Bettendorf Holiday Inn. Growth continued as God blessed the new church family involving 68 charter members.

After meeting for five years at the local hotel, the early members of Christ’s Family Church acted in faith and broke ground on previously purchased land on the corner of Utica Ridge and Crow Creek Roads. In 1985, a beautiful church building became a reality through the guidance and blessing of God, and the dedication of many people working together for one purpose: to form a special house of worship.

  
PRESENT

Christ’s Family Church continued to grow and in 1998, a 30 x 60 ft. addition was added to the original building. This provided the church with a larger sanctuary and much needed additional classroom space.

The $351,075 project was paid for within one year of completion. The congregation rallied around the expansion and fully supported the financial commitment to make the additional space a reality.

The addition accommodated more programs and events for the time being. However, there now is an immense need for more physical space to encourage further growth of current programming and activities.

 
FUTURE

“The mission of Christ’s Family Church is to lead people to Christ, equip them for service in the Kingdom of God, and to send them out to reach others with the Gospel, that God may be glorified.”

In order to effectively carry out the mission of Christ’s Family Church, our church family needs to further reach out to the community. Reaching others for Christ develops the need for more programs, involving more people, utilizing more space. Thus, the need for the current expansion plans.

For two and a half years, the Building Committee has been meeting to pray, brainstorm future needs, pore over plans and suggest solutions. “As a committee, we did a lot of praying, researching, and talking to a variety of groups in the church. God planted a vision on our group; we saw this vision of how God wanted us to pursue with the expansion plans,” said Ginny Corwin, member of the Building Committee.

Our entire church family will benefit from the 17,733 square foot expansion.

• Fellowshipping in an enlarged foyer on Sunday mornings will be a breath of fresh air for everyone.
• Those who peruse the library will be able to lounge in a reading/sitting area.
• The new family life fellowship hall, complete with a commercial kitchen, will provide the much-needed space for a variety of larger social functions from potlucks to wedding receptions; from youth activities to senior gatherings; from community outreach events to funeral luncheons; drama productions to worship events.
• The construction of new classrooms offers an opportunity to hold additional Sunday school classes.
• Three new offices will allow the current and future staff to spread out and have actual office space.
• With the addition of more people involved in the ministries, the parking lot will be expanded to handle the increased number of vehicles.

The Building committee has been working with Zion Builders, the contractors who built the original structure and who executed the building of the 1998 expansion. They have worked hard to develop plans that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, and will be structurally sound, while maintaining the consistency of our facility

how you can PARTICIPATE

To accomplish the goal of connecting a building to our current facility, it is going to take a group effort. The cost of the project is expected to be $2.4 to $2.6 million. “God has provided for this church all along. The funds will be there. One person can’t do this alone, but little by little, we can do it. God can make this happen and it will be a beautiful miracle!” expressed Ginny Corwin.

Your participation is essential. Please:

1. Prayerfully consider an amount you will pledge for the new church facility over the next three years.
2. Fill out the Commitment card with your pledged amount. The amount you pledge is confidential and will remain confidential.
3. Faithfully pray that God is glorified as we all join together to enhance our church facility.
4. Consider donating non-monetary gifts, such as stocks, vehicles, property.
5. Volunteer your time and talents to assisting with the building process.

Main level - 6,683 sq. ft.             Lower level - 11,050 sq. ft.
Total - 17,733 sq ft.
Building Plans: Upper Level | Lower Level

Dear Christian Friends,

In this brochure, we have outlined a plan. A plan that will meet the needs of our church and its growing ministries. . . a plan that will require the participation of every member. . . a plan that depends upon each of us seeking and responding to God’s will in our lives as it relates to our participation. Our plan: Reaching UP, Reaching OUT, Reaching IN. It is a ministry that affords all of us the opportunity to serve the Lord and to respond to His blessings.

Our unique theme is Not Equal Gifts but Equal Sacrifice. Simply applied, God seldom asks any two of us to give the same amount financially, but He asks all of us to demonstrate a uniform level of commitment. The dollars given may vary, but the sacrifice driving each of us should not.

The Reaching UP, Reaching OUT, Reaching IN campaign is too large for any one of us. It is too large for all of us put together. No campaign, however, is too big for God. Our challenge is that each of us, through prayer, will understand God’s will for our lives. Once we have this understanding, our challenge will be to do God’s will with faith and a dedication that is pleasing in His sight.

We are honored by the way God has blessed our church. What anticipation we can feel knowing that He plans to do even greater work in the years to come.

Sincerely,
Rick McAnally Tom Schuetz
Campaign Leaders