1. Opening Words – None
2. Report from Site Committee
   • Through a real estate contact arranged by ASCC friends Dee and Don Stanger, the Site Committee has learned that Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 3050 Lake Michigan Drive, is available for purchase. The asking price is $650,000 for a 10-acre parcel of land and the church itself. The church is being dissolved, and the current members would like to see this property remain a church. A lease arrangement may be possible, and they are willing to offer a land contract sale.
   • The Site Committee asked for the Board’s blessing in moving forward with lease and/or land contract discussions.
   • Some members of the Site Committee visited the site, along with several Board members. Photographs taken during the visit were available for the group’s inspection.
   • Chris Barfuss provided site maps showing both the property and the surrounding area. It was noted that the back of the property has wetlands, and that a septic system is in place. Chris showed the group nearest city sewer connections.
   • John Belaski provided a breakdown of monthly expenses for utilities and winter snow removal. The total monthly expenses including insurance are $843, but this figure does not include telephone, yard work, or maintenance/janitorial services.
   • After extended discussion, the Board and Site Committee identified five immediate tasks:

All Souls Community Church of West Michigan

evaluation of

Prince of Peace Lutheran Church

3020 Lake Michigan Drive Northwest

Grand Rapids

10/8/04

All Souls Community Church’s Board of Trustees, following the direction laid out in the community’s Strategic Plan, is exploring options for moving to a full-time home. The dissolution of the Prince of Peace Lutheran Church community at 3020 Lake Michigan Drive leaves a property that might be a good fit for the congregation. Pros and Cons are listed below. The board’s Site Committee has examined and photographed the property and explored purchase, lease, land contract, and other options. Finances are the biggest hurdle. A key learning to date is how far the congregation is from making a commitment even if the perfect property were available immediately. We resolved to gauge the community’s genuine interest in a new building by hosting an open house at Prince of Peace on Oct. 24. Each member of the community will receive a personal invitation from a BOT or Site Committee member to attend this open house, which will give ASCC members a visceral connection to the benefits of a full-time home. Then a straw poll of the congregation can be conducted to determine how much money members are willing to contribute to a building fund-raising campaign (in addition to the operating budget). That amount will put us in a better position to negotiate for Prince of Peace or other property in earnest. We may even choose to approach the current Prince of Peace congregation (which wants the building to continue as a church), and offer a monthly amount we can afford for however long the facility makes sense for All Souls, under whatever terms are acceptable to the Prince of Peace congregation.

1. John Belaski will schedule a congregational Open House for Oct. 24.
2. David Maxam will prepare talking points for Sunday announcements.
3. Herman Sullivan will prepare a posterboard of property pictures.
4. Roger Gilles will write an announcement for the Weekly Expression.
5. Jackie Vines will assign ASCC member contact names and phone numbers to BOT members and Site Committee members, who will make calls to members explaining the opportunity and inviting members to the open house.
6. Dennis Benoit will open a Building Fund with Jock Ambrose’s 21 cents and the multi-matching funds collected at the Oct. 8, 2004 meeting.