• Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

Man, I love it when things start getting constructed, instead of destructed! Stage is framed up (it looks huge!), and so is sound booth. Ceiling grid is back in, and the doorways are cut open between the lobby and auditorium. We looked at chair space today, because the poles and the stage seem to take up so much space. We should still be able to seat 320-340 people. We never wanted a huge room, but would rather do multiple services so everyone can get to know one another easier in the main meetings. I've been on lots of construction sites in my life, and the attitude on this one is probably the best of any I've ever experienced. Much of that is because of you guys who are praying for this project, and also Bayless our point person. All of our subs, and contractor are just great to deal with.

There should be a huge difference to be seen by the end of the week.

Also, thank you to all who are giving so faithfully and generously. We have had three weeks of very good offerings, above normal! We need this regularly because we still have much to pay out-of-pocket on this, and we have our regular expenses. Because of your giving, we now have our first mortgage payment put aside for next week. We still need $4,200 for the draperies or sound treatment window drapes, so please pray with us about that. Of course there's all of the sound install and cabinets that we have to pay for as well.

This church is awesome! Love you guys and it is such a joy and honor to serve Jesus with you.

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

Spending my time studying, and have conference calls this afternoon, but will drop by site this afternoon, and update no later than in the morning!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

Stage is framed up and they are installing the decking now. Sheetrock is being hung, and the fire-sprinkler dude is hard at work. The platformed will be floored by this afternoon, and tomorrow morning Joey and his crew will be back to install the boxes that hold all the monitor wiring, A/C, and balanced/unbalanced inputs, and cat 5 hook-ups.

There seems to be some discussion about how to hang the screen(s). We can get one on stage-left, but stage-right has the windows to contend with. Blame me for that, and my postmodern take on angles. We may be able to get a 65" HD screen hung in the middle where the back chase is though. We'll see. Glad there are bigger brains than mine around..hey, wait a minute, that's not hard to do!

Safety dude came by today and made everyone put their hardhats on. We had to nix any vinyl on the platform, and had to go with low profile carpet. Later on we will get Henry C., my old bud and artist to install some wood flooring for us hopefully.

The room really has a cafe' feel about it, and someone commented today by text to me that while the room had a cool vibe, the Spirit was even more pronounced around the facility. Awesome!

Financially, keep praying for us. We would like to order the draperies and they cost $4,200 plus they have to be installed.

Next week we will begin to move our offices to the new location. Hopefully most of the dust will have been settled by then, so we can actually still work out of the site.

Thanks to all of you who are praying, helping, and giving. What a great church to be a part of!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

Well, a surprise hit us in the wall. We have to install 3 steel support pipes to hang the two sets of 3-ft wide doors on. The steel welders were working on it when I left. This is an added cost, as is the fire doors they are going to make us install. When we first submitted our drawings they said we did not have to have fire rated doors going into the auditorium, now they say we do. So, add all of that up and it's an extra $6-8,000.

Of course we have the expenses for the sound stuff coming, and we're not clear exactly yet how much that is going to be.

But, the work continues and it's awesome.

I had another church tell me they plan on giving our church their Easter offering! How wonderful is that? With all the jealousy and jockeying for position in communities by churches, to be the recipient of such kindness is truly humbling.

There is a work day tomorrow at the building so come out if you can to clean some of the dust and trash out.

We also have another anonymous donor who will match any amount given toward the draperies. It's going to cost $5,000 for them. So, this person will match up to $2,500 on those. God just seems to send these people to us.

Ceiling inspection was approved this morning in the auditorium, so the tiles can be replaced. Recessed lighting is going in as well.

The bathrooms are being sheetrocked, stalls installed (hmm, in...stalled, how appropriate!), and someone also donated all brand new very nice fixtures for all the bathrooms!!!

Drop by and check it all out!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

Thanks to everyone who came out today to help clean up, strip nasty banking wallpaper, and paint! Also, to Jon and Bruce, you guys rock! To Mike Williamson, you are the master flusher..wait a minute, I mean you're the greatest plumber who ever installed a urinal...or potty...or ever helped a church.

To all those who swept, scraped, pulled, and painted, you are the best!

The guys staining the floors will have a clean floor to work on, and we will indeed have some recessed lights in the auditorium after all, thanks to Jon & Bruce! Thanks to Chris we will have new plumbing fixtures!

Three weeks to go my friends!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

About 25% of the auditorium ceiling has been painted Plantation Brown (just think Starbucks), all of the sheetrock between the brick walls has been hung, and finished. We did discover since we ended up having to remove all the wallpaper in the lobby and hall, that now the walls will have to be treated before they can be painted...another unforeseen expense.

The painters will be in the auditorium today finishing up the ceiling, and by Friday the floor guys will be back to begin acid-washing and staining the auditorium, lobby, and hall. They will also etch our wave logo into the floor at the spot just as you enter the auditorium from the lobby!

At our weekly staff meeting today we discussed the very tight schedule and budget, we are on to get into the facility by Easter. Please pray for all of the office staff, it's a monumental challenge. Also, pray for our finances as... we need them...get it? I would ask that you guys pray for a very generous gift to come in very soon that would enable us to complete this project without having to "nickle-and-dime" our way through to the end. This morning the staff was brainstorming on how we (the staff itself) could all pull together and get what we need for the kids, and outreach for Easter. This is so exciting, but it is not without it's challenges...as it should be!

We will begin moving the church offices this Thursday. We hope to be completely moved by next week early.

We also have 91 hedges that have to be acquired and planted before we get a C.O.

Man, this is so wonderful! While we were praying this morning, I reminded the staff that it was just less than a year ago we were talking about the need to find our own facility. We always talked about it, and low and behold, here we are! My how things can change quickly.

Thank you all who are working, praying and giving!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

Maybe one last row of ceiling tiles is left to be painted in the auditorium. Seems that Plantation Brown really soaks into the tiles. The oil base has been sprayed in the lobby & entrance hall (stinko!), but we have found some problems in the children's classrooms. Seems when the wallpaper was removed, some of the actual paper covering the sheetrock was as well. This means the room(s) will have to be skim coated entirely before any painting can occur. That's an added, unexpected, expense and more time. Anybody out there do a good job at paint prep on sheetrock? It has to be smooth, and consistent.

The doorway into the parakeet room (my word for the yellow color), or kid's big room should be through today. Paint will be applied on the walls starting today or tomorrow in the auditorium, lobby, hall, and bathrooms. Clean up has begun in the parking lot and yards that border our property.

We also have a potential renter for the 8 office suites. Man, it would be great to get some income from this. We really need an infusion of capital right now.

I'll post some pics on my facebook page when I get back this afternoon. Just check it out, and keep on praying!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

A couple of our members noticed that the Hot Rod gathering this weekend across the street needed parking spaces. Every year local people make a few extra dollars charging a small amount for those attending to park closer to the site instead of having to park a mile or so away and take a trolley/bus. We are also trying to move some of our "stuff" from our present site to the new one this morning, so it's a bit hectic today. Pat Martin is trying to put together a team to help oversee the parking lot plan, and it probably needs to be people who aren't already involved in the construction/clean-up/moving of the moment. There will be 15,000 people converging on the site directly across the street form us today, and throughout the weekend. If you can help Pat, and are not already committed to some part of the work, call our office (843) 692-2404 or one of us (me, Karen, or Shane) and we will direct you to Pat. The teams already helping Shane, Karen, and Bayliss cannot help in this, as they are already busy. Or you can drop by the site and talk to her. It's an opportunity to raise a few thousand dollars for the construction. The city so wants us to offer our spaces that their trucks showed up this morning to pick up our yard waste.

Pray for a calm, and steady set of nerves for all involved as this project picks up speed. We're so close!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

Place is looking beauti-mous (as an old construction worker on my dad's job once said). We swept the auditorium and lobby today in prep for John & Skip (Carolina Beach surfer dudes, floor-stainers extraordinaire). Had a good update meeting with the Facilities Team (thanks to Shane for taking his day off to come out, with kids in tow), and everything is full bore mondo pedal-to-the-metal git 'r done!

In the midst of this 15,000 Hot-rodders are gathered across the street. Man, there are some sweet machines sitting next door indeed. We have people posted at the front and back parking areas (which we need more help! call if you can!) charging $5 for parking. The city begged us to allow it, and suggested we charge. For the next 5-years this will occur. Next year we'll really be ready for this, along with outreach, and a blues band playing in our auditorium with the doors open to draw them old coots in (of which I am one...so I can say that!).

Kudos to Pat, Diane, and Evan for helping watch over this. This could actually finance the floor for the kid's area! Pat Martin, you rock!

Bayliss Spivey is our head dude on-site and is stoked about the schedule and firmly believes we will have a C.O. by next Friday. There are not enough words to adequately thank him.

Bruce Fowler, aka "Ninja," or "Sparky," is also working like a dog, as we say down south. Bruce went from decades of sitting at a desk, to pulling wire. He has worked very hard as well, along with Jon Tonkin, and Michael Williamson our plumber. It's a humbling thing to watch all of this love and sweat be poured out.

Come Monday we will be able to see what the finished floors will look like. The walls will be painted, the stage carpeted and we will begin actually moving in very shortly.

Thanks to all who will be out tomorrow working with Shane, painting, etc. Love you guys!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

No report today, as I am busy finishing up for Sunday's services (we have a celebration night Sunday night...ya'll come on out at 6:00PM!), and have a wedding mid-afternoon.

Shane and his crew are working hard painting, etc. Jeff is around working, John & Skip are hard at it on the floors, Pat & her crew are parking the hot rodders.

Whew! What a week! but indeed, it's all good!

Hope to see you tomorrow at the Vineyard, 9:30AM & 11:00AM and 6:00PM for baby dedications and welcoming new members. We will also have worship and a time of allowing the Holy Spirit to come and fall fresh on us; we'll be in no hurry. There will also be refreshments after-wards.

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

The acid wash & staining of the concrete floors in the auditorium & lobby are done. It took a lot longer for the dry, due to the rain, high humidity, but as of yesterday at lunch time, they were drying away (with the help of a giant rocket-style heater). The walls will be painted today, and tomorrow the floor-covering on the stage and bathrooms will be installed. Toilet partitions come next. Bayliss, our on-site superintendent is pushing for a Thursday C.O. now. Go Bayliss! We await doors to be installed.

There is much to do around the building, what with a serious clean-up inside, and all the trash picked up around the dumpster area. We will eventually get to landscaping all the various areas. Gabe Fowler is heading that up. We do have a sprinkler system throughout so when we finally get things running, it should be all green and good!

More pictures will be posted on my Facebook page this afternoon.

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

The facility was rather quiet for most of the day, but lots of painting was going on, and they are laying the VCT in the bathrooms. Lots of clean-up to do over the next few days. If you're around tomorrow (March 25), drop by and see Bayliss about helping clean up two rooms so we can store chairs in there. we will load chairs into two trucks immediately following the second service Sunday. If you come to the first service and still want to help, come back around 12:15PM or meet us at the new building around 1:00PM to unload. If there is any change on that (like we couldn't get the trucks), I'll post it here.

The trim is down in the auditorium, and tomorrow they will lay carpet on the stage and sound/media booth. I have posted a few extra pictures on my Facebook page, so go there and check it out!

Mirrors have been bought, and Shane has already moved into his new office! It won't be long now. Hedges have been planted by Gabe, Randy, Rick, Shane, and others (forgive me if I didn't mention you), so hopefully we will have enough planted to satisfy the code.

Our contractor mistakenly broke one of our irrigation lines late this afternoon, but Mike Williamson and the City were there to get it shut down. It will be repaired.

Shane, Beau, and his crew are working hard to paint and get the kid's rooms ready. There's a lot of painting to do (all the doors will have  to be matched with the trim).

Monday the floor guys will come by to wax the concrete, and then we are supposed to walk a lot on it to get that softer look. I like it now, even with the shine. It's grotto chic'!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

It was a rather "quiet" day, and that is a relative term. If you were in the building when the fire protection people set the alarms off, or near the guys jack-hammering the 10" slab out back, it was anything but quiet. Yet, there wasn't that much crowd activity. "Snake" is cutting in the auditorium, Mike is installing plumbing fixtures, toilet partitions are up, Esin & Mark are painting in the kid's big room, Karen is running around trying to finish up last minute details (light fixtures, etc.), and Bayliss seems to be remaining sane in the midst of it all.

The fire protection people are trying to get the children's area synchronized with the auditorium's system. I can tell you one thing, no one is going to remain in that building if the alarms go off. It will drive you completely insane in about 2-minutes.

The two rooms (Green Room & Musician's Equipment Room) are cleaned out (thanks to Randy Fisher & Bayliss) and ready to hold our chairs Sunday after we move them (which we will do after the second service!).

We moved our C.O. to Tuesday of next week because of the fire system and doors. Our exterior and auditorium doors are not on-site yet, and we want a complete C.O. when we call for it. They will be here by the first of the week.

I'll post some pictures of the progress tomorrow afternoon. Thanks to all who keep coming by to clean up, paint, etc. We are down to the wire, and a thorough cleaning is at hand!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

Doors came in just before I left the facility Friday afternoon! Building inspectors have been great to deal with but between the fire doors and fancy fire system we had to put on-line, it cost us a bundle. First coat of paint is up on walls in lobby and auditorium. Shane and crew are painting Saturday in his classrooms and offices. Floor waxer comes in Sunday to put down layers of wax, then he has asked that we give it a lot of traffic for a couple of days to wear the wax in and dull the sheen.

We will begin to load out chairs, and other stuff immediately following the second service tomorrow (March 28). We will have moving trucks and trailers there. Please hang around and help us get loaded, and if you come to the first service come on back, or meet us at the building to unload. We will store all the chairs in the two rooms across from the main bathrooms. We cannot get on the floors until the waxer is finished.

Here is a huge need: Monday - Wednesday we need 4-5 people for 4-5 hours each day to do cleaning. Bayliss Spivey is the point person on this detail. Let us know tomorrow, Sunday, if you can come out during the day and help. This is important, so thanks!

The columns are painted in the auditorium, and the cabinets have been installed in the sound booth. Curtis, our cabinet dude, will install the coffee/donut cabinet early next week. Jeff Skelley is working on a sample of a window hanging to consider for the auditorium. It is a piece of cabinet grade birch plywood with rectangles and squares cut out, as well as a cross cut out in the middle. The spaces will be filled with colored glass. We are going to hang a small sample up and see how well it diffuses the light that comes through our awesome arched windows.

Joey Oneal, our sound tech, has his hands full trying to get us up and running for Easter. He has to use what we have until we can afford to buy more equipment. Locating and hanging the screens is also a challenge (lots of opinions about this!). The goal right now is to "get in" for Easter. We'll make adjustments after we get out of our present facility and into the new one.

The building inspector told me Friday we will have to place planters on the ramp out front so no one will mistakenly go up it. The double doors are not an entrance, so we need to make that platform into a nice display of flower pots, etc.

Okay! New pics are up on my Facebook page, and tomorrow, we leave the building on Palm Sunday. How appropriate! Thanks to all of you! Love this church!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

Man, what a church to be a part of! You guys rocked Sunday. As soon as the service was over, the chairs were loaded, and within 3-4 hours everything was moved (including all the cables, etc.). Wow, what a hard working group of people.

Well, the carpet for the stage & sound/media booth is the big hold-up right now. They lost the first order (someone has some nice solid black stage carpet), and a new roll was sent out yesterday. Supposedly the local guy is picking it up in Columbia today and will install it by this afternoon (excuse my pessimism). Shane has a crew painting and cleaning. Bayliss has a crew cleaning the auditorium, and the doors are being hung, and the panic hardware installed. Man, what a bunch of money these doors have cost us. The panic hardware is going to be a bother because it's so loud when it's used. Hopefully we can find an alternative later.

I've posted new pics from yesterday on my Facebook page. We're almost there! Keep praying for favor, finances, and strength to carry on and finish the "wall" God placed us on.

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

The big hold-up now is the carpet. It was promised last Friday, and we are still waiting. It's black carpet for the stage and the sound techs can't install the stage boxes until that's done. It's Easter and they have other responsibilities at other churches, so this is really putting the squeeze on their time, which puts it on us. We were told the carpet would be in today (we've been told such twice before). Also, the last set of doors (affectionately called the "Trapper Gate," because Trapper Cannon, one of our members is hanging this last set of doors) should be in this morning as well.

The floors in the auditorium had some kind of substance in the wax evidently because they look a bit milky. It's bothersome after waiting so long for those guys to do the work, and then it not look as nice as we would like. But they too are coming back tomorrow, or Friday to try and fix it.

The fire doors with panic hardware are almost finished. It's taking days to install this complicated hardware.

Shane's crew has been cleaning, painting, and beginning to set up and get ready for the flow of little ones that will come in this Sunday to hear the Gospel. He has a new curriculum that promises to enhance the sharing of Christ to our little dudes and dudettes.

Esin, Tim, Beau, Melissa, the kids, Tiffany, Kevin, and so many more have been around cleaning constantly, and Tyler will come (again) Thursday and clean all the carpeted areas.

Today our old home will be inspected by our landlord. Jeff Skelley & Karen will be doing a walk-thru. Pray that she allows us to leave without any extra work to the building and office area.

Okay! Pray, and praise! It's an awesome time. It's Easter, time for new beginnings, and a fresh hope that can change the world. Why wouldn't we be ecstatic? Bless you guys!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

The carpet is being put down! Yes! Also the last of the entrance doors have been hung! There's a crew in there cleaning up as well. The floors will be buffed tonight to get that milky sheen off. We received our Temporary Certificate of Occupancy!!!!!!!! Easter is on! We even had some music playing from our sound system. First rehearsal with worship team tomorrow night!

Still need lots of help cleaning up, and straightening out things. Keep praying for finances as well!

Bless all of you who track our journey. What an awesome trip it has been, and will be as we enter a new part of our history as a church!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

Woohoo! Signs are being installed as I type! Carpet is done! Last minute painting is going on, and our coffee service bar is being installed as well. There is lots to do in the children's big room. It's still a mess, so if you can help Shane and his team pull it together, give him a call. Tracey is getting her office set up, and the sound techies are about 60% done. We have sound, but no screens or stage lights as of yet. The carpet deal set their time schedule back, so pray they can get back to us.

Because of the mess up on the waxing in the auditorium, they will remove the old and re-wax tomorrow. We will put the chairs out Saturday morning.

You've done it Vineyard! You've gone and got yourself a home! Congratulations! And...job well done!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

Whew! The band worked at the building from 7:00-11:00PM last night trying to get the system working correctly, and trying to incorporate a young rapper into the mix for a song Sunday. What a great team of people to serve with. Attitude is everything, and artists can be some of the most temperamental, sarcastic people to be around. I can say that 'cause I "are" one. Taming the tongue for the benefit of Christ is a challenge but our team put an enormous amount of energy and discipline  into working together last night. Rude comments, selfish attitudes, enlarged egos, and petty picky-ness was in short supply. Thank you team. We go for another last rehearsal tomorrow at 4:00PM.

While we have sound, we do not have projectors & screens yet. Our sound techies are rushing about from church to church, and because of the carpet we find ourselves at the back of the pack....waiting. I believe we will have video Sunday but may not get any stage lighting in before Easter. But hey, to get in at all has been a real miracle!

Tiffany Fowler and her crew were working hard this morning getting the children's space ready. Ginny Stanley, Ann Zilinsky, Linda McDandel, and many more were cleaning out the clutter, and making everything look tidy.

Curtis Richardson installed his counter for the coffee/donut bar; Jeff Skelley had his condiment table finished, Paul Alverson was pressure washing the sidewalks, Karen Holt was trying to find entrance mats that weren't "tacky." Tracey, our office wiz was cleaning, as well as getting Sunday's handout finished (all without the benefit of internet...it's coming Tracey!).

Kemp Nash stayed out last night to work with the band getting the sound balanced. Tracy Floyd set his Mac kingdom up and awaits the projectors. Bayliss even came out (after a 10-12 hour already!) and helped with the band.

Shane came back and was still working in the kid's room when I left at 11:00 last night.

Jason W. was trying to trim out a room, and so many more were buzzing here and there.

Bayliss, Jeff and I did a "punch list" this morning which will probably not get completed until sometime next week. At this stage, we just want to get in for Easter!

We will need cleaning crews tomorrow throughout the day. So, if you can come by and help out...come on! Give me, Karen, Bayliss, or Shane a call to let us know when you'll be there.

They will re-wax the floors in the auditorium tonight and we can put the chairs out tomorrow around mid-day. They will need to be vacuumed and wiped down.

Gabe Fowler, Rick Causey, and others have worked hard on the grounds. It looks great! Thanks guys!

If I missed you, forgive me. So many great people; what a great problem...I can't keep up with them all!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

It is on! Just left, and everything is working, at least enough to celebrate Easter. You might see a few wires, smudges, no stage lights yet, etc., around, but it's beautiful to me. Join us at 9:30AM or 11:00AM to celebrate the resurrection! We finish all the details next week. Amazing feat to get all of this done in 30-days! Come celebrate with us.

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

Well, what a day it was! It was...to use a worn out word, awesome. Everyone was so tired, and at the same time so excited, there was almost a giddiness to those of us who have been at this for the past month or so. I was extremely pleased with the way things went. We have the hardest working church on the beach. Plus, they have great attitudes, which means everything.

We had over 500 in attendance and 6 people acknowledged receiving Christ. This morning I heard someone say they overheard  a young person talking about the church at a gym, and how great it was.

Here's to you, Vineyard! Now we get to show the love of Jesus in a new facility and reach out directly to the tourists, our guests, just a short walk away while they sit, sunning on the beach.

It's an honor, privilege, and joy to serve our Lord with you. What a trip!

  • Registered: 2002-04-18
  • Posts: 428

Re: New Facility

Just a follow up to this whole amazing journey; as I said Sunday, "Someone has to continue to give." In Nehemiah 7 we saw Sunday where he took a census, and then listed who gave what so that the city could continue to be filled with people. Our job is not over. The church has been very faithful in the building process, but now the work of reaching out and ministering to others really kicks in.

Please pray about your giving, and join the many of us who give sacrificially each week to see that the work continues. If you pray, and are obedient, well, everything will be great and all we need will be supplied.