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Classrooms are Full - The attendance of adult Bible class is continuing to grow. The capacity and configurations of our current spaces are being constrained. The ability to offer smaller classes is difficult due to our current classroom footprint (3 of the 5 current Adult classes have an average attendance of 80+). 

The Inflation Factor - Every month we wait, construction costs rise. The reality of future inflation not only affects project costs, but it also reduces the purchasing power of our current reserves (the $3.1 Million that we have from Brighter together gifts that we are repurposing for this initiative will build more square footage, more classrooms, and more ministry space now than it will two years from now). We expect that the environment for building is better today than in the future. 

We’ve Prepared for This - McDermott Road hasn’t arrived at this moment unprepared. Members - both current and previous - have invested in buildings, campus improvements, and paid down debt. All of this creates a strong foundation from which to launch this campaign. We’re not in a crisis moment - we’re in an opportunity moment. 

This is About Faithfulness, Not Comfort - It would be easy to say, "We're doing fine with what we have. Let's just keep going." But faithfulness isn't about maintaining the status quo. Jesus calls us to grow—in faith, in disciples, in witness, in service. A lack of space is currently limiting that growth. We're choosing to be faithful by removing that limitation.

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Friendspeak - God is using our Friendspeak ministry to connect us to our community. We were blessed to have 47 readers participate in the program in 2025. The ministry needs more space, particularly space that promotes connection. Friendspeak is resonating with our neighborhood and it is our desire to increase our investment in this effort. 

Support Ministries - It is our desire to increase the number of support ministries that McDermott Road is able to offer to our community. We believe that support ministry opportunities give our members the ability to use the gifts God has given them. Embrace Grace, Divorce Care, and Dynamic Marriage all are connected to national ministry platforms that allow people from the community to directly register to participate in these programs. We hope that more people will find our church through this type of needs-based outreach approach. 

Hospitality - McDermott Road believes that our facilities can be a tool in making our guests feel welcome and connected. For a relationship to progress to a deeper level, an initial level of connection must be reached. We believe the Connections Center will assist with our outreach efforts by providing additional space for both formal and informal connection.  

McDermott Road believes that God has provided our church with the people and the resources needed to level-up our commitment to community outreach.

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Fundraising - The initial commitment window for the “Called to More” Initiative will close on April 5th. The eldership in conjunction with the ministry team and the finance/facilities ministries will review the status of the initiative and determine next steps. 

Design Completion - At the point a decision is made to move forward with the Connections Center project, our architect (HH Architects), will be tasked with completing the detailed design process. The detailed design process will include additional consideration of structural engineering and the production of construction documents. 

Contractor Selection - McDermott Road will enter into a bidding process with several different contractors. The process of contractor selection will seek to generate a partnership that offers the best value and service for McDermott Road throughout the completion of the Connections Center. 
Construction - The estimated timeline for the total construction process is 14-18 months. The construction process is multifaceted and involves multiple parties. McDermott Road will use members with construction and engineering experience to ensure cost, quality, and schedule goals are met.

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Fellowship Space - Currently, the Fellowship Hall is already booked to be used for 815 Hours in 2026. We also regularly use the youth space for a variety of connection events. The Youth-Commons area is booked to be used for 480 Hours in 2026. The booking data is based on the McDermott Road church calendar as of 2/1/2026. 

Group Use - As our church continues to grow numerically and geographically, the campus is used to host more gatherings (Life Groups, Brothers Keepers, Heartfelt Friends, Bible Study Groups etc.). We understand that it is difficult to host certain events at a residence and it is our desire for this expansion to create ideal spaces for group, discipleship interaction. 
Building Usage - The McDermott Road campus is booked to be in use for 324 days in 2026. We are intentional in monitoring building usage and desire to be good stewards of our facility.

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The Separate-Budget Model - Here is the critical distinction: Your weekly giving goes into the general operating fund. The money funds local outreach, children’s and youth ministry, church programs, building utilities, staff salaries and the ongoing work of ministry at McDermott Road. The “Called to More” Initiative asks for a separate commitment: a one-time gift, quarterly gift, three-year commitment, stock/bonds donation etc., to the Connections Center project, in addition to your regular giving. The “Called to More” Initiative is a distinct, time-bound giving opportunity that doesn’t replace regular stewardship. 

Three-Year Commitment, Not Just One-Time Gifts - Most people will make a three-year commitment, in other words, you’re not expected to give it all at once. Still, the option to make a one-time gift may be preferable for some and, if so, that approach is available. If circumstances change (a job loss, promotion at work, unexpected medical bill, major life change), you can adjust your commitment. The fundraising effort is designed with real life in mind. 

Repurposing Previously Raised Funds - McDermott Road is planning to repurpose a portion of the funds from a prior ministry expansion initiative (The Brighter Together Campaign). The scope and timeline of the previous initiative was altered by the Covid-19 pandemic. As a result, funds that were not spent on a proposed auditorium are available to be used for the “Called to More” initiative. The current intent is to repurpose $3.1 Million to advance the Connections Center project. 

What About Borrowing? - It’s possible that even with strong giving, the church may need to borrow a portion of the project cost. Banks are willing to lend to churches with healthy finances and demonstrated giving capacity. We’ll explore the best financing options as leadership makes decisions about the scope and timeline. Debt can be a useful mechanism for facilities expansion. McDermott Road has successfully managed debt in financing previous projects. The usage of debt is intended to be a tool used to accomplish certain objectives. Our process of managing debt effectively includes the long-term goal of debt elimination. 

Have Future Operational Costs Been Factored into the Planning? - Yes, an analysis of future operational costs has been conducted. The Connections Center expansion is projected to add approximately $1,500 per week to operational costs. The future operational costs were factored into the decision to launch the “Called to More” Initiative. The future operational costs have been factored into both near-term and long-term budget projections. 

The generosity and faithfulness of the McDermott Road church family has been exceedingly evident over the last 25 years. Thousands of lives have been impacted by the sacrificial giving of our membership.

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Faith-Driven Initiative - The “Called to More” Initiative is a response to the movement of God in our congregation and community. We are experiencing a hunger for spiritual transformation - 37 Baptisms in 2025, 75% of Worship Attendees are Participating in Bible Class, 47 Friendspeak Readers - it is our desire to respond. 

Anticipated Costs - The current total project costs are expected to be $10-11 Million. The project cost projection includes all components (Construction, Architectural, Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment). McDermott Road practices value engineering. In alignment with our stewardship principles, we are committed to seeking cost savings in a manner that doesn’t compromise the goals of the facility. Since the start of our design planning process, we have already trimmed $3 Million off the estimated cost. It is our intention to work hard with our project partners to strategically reduce costs. 

Current Financial Position - McDermott Road is in a strong financial position to launch the “Called to More” Initiative. Our congregation has a proven track-record of faithful generosity. The generosity of our families has already kick-started this initiative. The McDermott Road Eldership has made the decision to repurpose:

• 3.1 Million raised in the previous Brighter Together Campaign 
• $25,000 in additional donations given at year-end 2025 
• The amount of regular 2025 giving over 2025 expenses which totals $16,000

The fund repurposing and a period of sacrificial giving, has the potential to propel the “Called to More” Initiative to its goal. 

Congregational Giving Capacity - The “Called to More” Initiative is a 3-year period of intentional giving with a faith-driven purpose. The most recent campaign raised $5.1 Million. A substantial portion of the Brighter Together campaign occurred during the covid-19 pandemic. The church family was faithful in its giving during a period of uncertainty. The congregation has also been blessed with a lot of new faces (40% of our church family has joined since the Brighter Together campaign). The combination of proven steadfastness and engaged newness position McDermott Road for success. 

The accompanying chart reflects an analysis of how the congregation has responded to prior initiatives.  With Next Generation Now, the congregation gave $3.3 million over the three-year giving period, which was 2.4 times the amount of our regular contribution in the year before the campaign.  With Brighter Together, the congregation gave $5.1 million over the three-year giving period, which was 2.0 times the amount of our regular contribution before the campaign.  Our regular contribution last year was $3.2 million.  If we apply the prior McDermott Road experience to the Called to More Initiative, this results in giving capacity of $6.4 million (at 2.0X) to $7.7 million (at 2.4X).  The midpoint of our historic range is 2.2X or $7 million.

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If I Can Only Give to One - My Regular Church Contribution or to the “Called to More” Initiative - Which One Should I Support? - The “Called to More” Initiative is intended to be funded by donations made in addition to regular contributions. If a person is needing to prioritize one giving opportunity versus another, our recommendation is to contribute to the regular operating fund through regular contribution.

If I Cannot Make a Campaign Gift or Commitment Now, Can I Still Give at a Future Date? - Yes, gifts or commitments can be made at a later date. If circumstances change and you're able to give at a future point, your gift will be gratefully received and will be part of the “Called to More” Initiative.

Are Gifts Tax Deductible? - Donations made to the “Called to More” Initiative are tax deductible. If a person donates non-cash items, it is considered a best practice to verify the specific process and recording requirements to meet IRS standards for deductibility.

Will Donors (and Donation Amounts) Be Publicly Acknowledged? - McDermott Road is blessed by all gifts given to the “Called to More” Initiative. We are very appreciative of these acts of generosity. As a matter of practice, McDermott Road honors your privacy. We work to protect your financial privacy by limiting access to all contribution data to a small group on our financial ministry team. To this end, while the finance deacon and a few other finance ministry team members have access to your contribution details, these details are not publicly shared nor are they shared with any elder or minister. All gifts are highly valued. Any token of appreciation for contributing will be made on the basis of participation and not donation amount.

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“Called to More” Initiative Giving Model - If each family were to look back at how much they gave in 2025 and multiply that amount by 2.2, that would be a proportional commitment to make over the 3-year-period - which would, collectively yield the $7 Million goal. 

Most organizations that rely on donations will tell you that gifts generally take the shape of a pyramid. Within the pyramid shown here, you’ll note there are 7 gift tiers – ranging from a modest $544 at the bottom, increasing to the top-tier amount of $300K. To the left of the pyramid, you’ll see a column of numbers that represents how many gifts might be made at each tier level…the total of which adds up to 466, being the number of families who made contributions, here, in 2025. To the right of the pyramid, you can see what the total gift amount would be for each tier which, when added up, totals the $7M goal amount.

Please understand, we are not saying your gift has to match one of those values. Your gift can and should be what you purpose in your heart that you are able to do.

The “Called to More” gifts are intended to be gifts over-and-above regular contributions. We do NOT wish for any funds to be diverted away from existing ministry efforts. We understand that your financial participation is based on your current situation, and that situation may change during the 3-year giving period.

Thank you very much for your prayerful consideration of financial participation in the “Called to More” Initiative.

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Transparency - Our goal for the “Called to More” Initiative is to provide each person with the information needed to make an informed and faith-driven decision. We are not “selling” this initiative; rather our intent is to garner participation through clarity and conversation. 

Preparation - It is our goal to be prepared and to provide accurate and relevant information to our church family. Your questions are a priority to us. If you have a question that you don’t see addressed, please reach out. We may already have an answer to your question; or, your question may prompt us to think through something we might have not yet considered. Either of those outcomes are positive.

Uncertainty - The “Called to More” Initiative is an investment in the future; and, by nature, the future is uncertain. We do not have all of the answers. McDermott Road is committed to conducting the necessary due diligence for factors in the present and to making future-based decisions with faith and prudence. 

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Prayer Request - We ask that you pray for: 

• God’s guidance for the “Called to More” Initiative 
• The people that God will lead to our church in the future
• For our hearts to be open to spiritual growth 
• Opportunities to minister to our neighbors

Opportunities to Serve - In 2025, 50% of McDermott Road members volunteered in service opportunities outside of worship. We are so thankful for that level of participation. Our desire, though, is for that percentage to grow. We believe that engaging in service is a key aspect of spiritual growth. If you are interested in ways to get involved in service, please contact Barrett Bingham or Matt Mead.