RENEWAL STORIES
THE RENEWAL
BUILDING PLAN
As we look to reach future generations, now is the time to prepare our campus to align with our ministry goals. The vibrancy of MBBC needs to be reflected in an enhanced Sanctuary to gather and worship for decades to come, refreshed spaces for children, youth, and families, improved flexible spaces for fellowship and education, and improved wayfinding measures to help guests navigate our building more efficiently and safely.
Click on images below to see details about each rendering.
A Message From the Renewal Building Committee
Mountain Brook Baptist Church has been a constant source of God’s blessing in my life. I was baptized in the Chapel at the age of 9, raised my children in the church, and now have grandchildren who are active participants in this community of faith. As I consider the ways God has used this church to help me grow in my faith in Jesus Christ and the impact the church has had on others in my family, it would be hard to overstate my appreciation to God for the mission and ministries of Mountain Brook Baptist Church.
FAQs
We know you have questions about this process. Here are some answers to our most common questions.
The goal of this project is to renew or remodel nearly every square inch of our church facility so we can proclaim more effectively the good news of Jesus Christ in word and deed.
The Sanctuary is a meaningful worship space for every member of our congregation regardless of their preferred worship style. In this sacred space we celebrate the Lord’s Supper, baptize new believers, dedicate children and parents, unite couples in the holy covenant of marriage, and hold out the hope of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in memorial services and funerals. Rather than create a separate worship space, one important aspect of this project is to remodel the Sanctuary to improve our ability to provide meaningful worship experiences for every member of our congregation.
The project is expected to begin on March 1st, 2024 and will be completed by May 1st, 2025.
While the Sanctuary is under construction we will worship in the newly renovated gym. The displacement from the Sanctuary will take approximately three to five months.
Yes. Consultants will address both sound and lighting in the traditional and contemporary services in a way to vastly improve the worship experience.
The weekday education programs stay on schedule. The contractors will renovate the second floor by addressing small segments at a time. The impacted children will go to class in a different part of the building while their area is being constructed, and once that area is complete they will move back and the next segment on the second floor will be renovated.
The contractor will need access to some of our parking lot. As has been the case in the past when we've had a need for overflow parking on Sundays, we will utilize the Mountain Brook Junior High lot.
No. The stained-glass windows will remain. The intimacy and traditional feel of the chapel will be maintained. The renovated chapel will continue to be used for Holy Week and other services.
Mountain Brook Baptist Church has no intentions of creating new debt through this project. There might be short term debt that is incurred temporarily as construction takes place and while expected gifts are processed. (Bridge loan) The project will be funded by a combination of funds, including Capital Campaign contributions that were made from 2018 to the present, as well as funds received in the upcoming RENEWAL Capital Campaign.
Those contributions have funded the architectural and engineering work that has been done to date. The balance of those funds have been invested in Treasury bills.
Many of the adult Sunday school classes will temporarily move from one area of the church to another as construction progresses. There will be a plan for each class while construction is ongoing. Both missionary houses and Heritage Hall will be utilized.
Yes—we will work with the non-affected areas to accommodate the children and students to allow them to meet during construction both during the week and on Sundays.
The fourth floor will be converted to dedicated Student space that reflects the students and is not designed for mixed use. In addition to more space they will also have the ability to host more small groups and breakout groups with a variety of rooms. In particular, this new Student space will allow a dedicated space for just students as this area will be designed with them in mind - focusing on decor and color suited to them. This reflects our commitment to Student Ministry as they continue to grow.
The CLC is an important gateway component of our campus. It is the first exposure to the church for many guests. On a daily basis members and visitors use the facility, including numerous Mountain Brook Junior High students. With a renewed focus on families, children and youth, the time has come to update and enhance this area in a way that creates a warm and welcoming environment.
This area has not been significantly enhanced or upgraded since 2001. Ministerial representatives are assisting in the design and layout of the space to ensure that all of the needs for children are met. Every classroom will be renovated and updated. The project improves the space for the ministries, including a Fine Arts Center and an enhanced indoor play space.
Please do not reduce your regular annual gift. Your gift to RENEWAL is a gift above and beyond your normal annual giving. Our church has a ministry-focused annual campaign that supports our annual budget. We depend upon regular annual gifts to support the daily activities and ministries of our church - without the annual gifts our programs in the ministry areas would suffer. A gift to the RENEWAL campaign should be one given above and beyond your normal annual gift and can be given over a three-year period. We ask that you take time over the next few weeks to assess your financial situation, prayerfully go to God, and consider what you and your family will commit.
The Lord has used the faithfulness of past generations to provide us a strategic building for ministry. It is imperative we renew our commitment to be faithful stewards of all God has entrusted to us to make ministry possible now and for generations to come.