FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here are a collection of the most frequently asked questions by church members. If you want answers to other concerns, please complete our Feedback form.

Questions have been grouped under the following headings:
Why?

WHY?

How do the building plans fit with our vision?

Our mission is bring people and God together ; our vision is to build a Christ-centred, culturally relevant, biblical community, worshipping and serving in the centre of Edinburgh ; our strategy is to make, mature and mobilise people as disciples of Christ. Do we need a building for that? No. That is about who we are as a church and what God is doing in us and through us. We want to be a church that, under God and directed by Him, makes a difference in the society and culture in which we live. We are not interestedin being a larger or bigger church for the sake of it ; we are not interested in projects for the sake of them or in playing religious games. We want to be part of a Christian community that makes a difference in people's lives, Christian or unchurched. We want to be a church of action. The building project however is part of that. The building does affect what we do as a church. We want a building that reflects who we are as a church and what we hope to become. We want to grow as a church in depth and numbers. We want to be an equipping and sending church. We want to be a church that can impact Edinburgh, Scotland and the world for Christ. The new buildings will help us do that.

Why are we doing it?

The building is a facility to help us achieve God´s vision for P´s and G´s. There are great opportunities within Project 21 to create a space where more people can hear the gospel and where we are better able to build community with each other, and to resolve some of the problems we currently have with our building(sound, lighting, seating, toilets, space etc.)

Why do we need to be big?

We don´t - but we are! In UK terms, we are one of the largest churches and we need to take that responsibility seriously. As quoted elsewhere we are not interested in being a large church for its own sake but a church that makes a difference. Being a large church does not mean we are a good church or a healthy church - but it does mean that with our resources and staff, we can do things that some smaller churches cannot. We want to be a growing church - that is the biblical pattern.

Are we empire building - simply trying to copy other churches, from HTB to Willow Creek?

There is a huge difference between building the Kingdom and building an empire. All those involved in this project are doing it because we are convinced that it will glorify God - and bring more people to know Jesus. You may disagree with the method - but please do not question the motivation of those involved.

We are not doing this to improve our reputation as a church or Dave´s reputation as a leader. If you think that, you are in the wrong church.

We are not trying to copy other churches - God´s blueprint for us will be individual and unique to P´s and G´s. We do seek to learn principles from other churches and apply them in a way that is culturally appropriate (and it would be foolish- and arrogant - to think we have nothing to learn from anywhere else). However, we need to hear what God is saying to us - in Edinburgh.

Why say you need more space when you have taken pews away.

The pews have been taken away in areas of the church to enable services to be friendlier and more contemporary, to allow easier flow of people and to enable various activities to happen - e.g. the coffee points and information desk at the rear of the church. To replace these areas with pews would be detrimental to the community we are trying to build within church, and the number being replaced would only be a stop-gap measure - the extra seating would not be sufficient for the long term. Also, the building project is not just about finding more seats - it involves a whole raft of other opportunities as well.

We talk about needing more space but the church is never always full.

For the past 50 years church growth experts around the world have repeatedly discovered that once a church gets 80-85% full, it only sustains that level of attendance for a limited time before numbers begin to fall. P´s and G´s has hit this figure repeatedly over the past 10 years. We need to do something before a new decline hits in. The 10.45 service is full - with 20 people standing until the children and young people leave. The 7.00 service is regularly 75-80% full. We are creaking at the seams in all sorts of ways. We need to expand in order to continue to grow.

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THE ALTERNATIVES

Why not build on a Greenfield site?

We have already decided that we want to be a city centre church. To find a site in the city centre of a similar size might cost around £5 million, but it is nearly impossible to find one anyway. Commercially, the existing church building would not be worth anything as much, as you would not be allowed to demolish the church and develop it. It may be possible to divide the existing building into offices but when there are dozens of empty purpose built office buildings in Edinburgh, who would want to do it?

To find a site out of town is still difficult with the pressures that already exist on the greenbelt, however should one be available it may cost in the region of £2m to £3m an acre dependant on location. Building a new church of a similar size on that site would then cost another £3m to £5m. There are also the environmental issues to consider when rejecting the development of an existing building in favour of a greenfield site.

Our attendance would drop dramatically as students and young people would not travel to the Gyle/Straiton/Granton every week. Would the rest of us really all want to travel out to outlying areas? Also would existing Episcopal churches in these areas not have a few problems with Ps&Gs dropping in on their doorstep?

Why don´t we send our congregation to other smaller churches?

This sounds great in theory, but in practice the reason many people come to P´s and G´s is because of the kind of church it is. We have a responsibility to build people up in Christ and we are privileged to be resourced enough to lead a full and varied ministry programme. Who is to say that our people would want to go elsewhere?

As a church we are committed to working with the diocese on opportunities for planting a church. We want to do this in a careful and considered way, ensuring that the planted congregation continues to be well supported, taught and encouraged in their faith.

Project 21 is not just about more space. It is also about improving the quality of the space we have, so that, listening to God, we can move forward with our plans for ministry in Edinburgh with a facility that meets our needs in terms of its lighting, space, seating and technical specification. Sending out people to other churches would not bring these solutions.

If we didn´t have children in church at the start of the morning service, there would be much more space wouldn´t there?

Our children and young people are full members of the church. We feel it is important to include them in our worship time together whilst providing age appropriate teaching for them in the children´s groups. Once again not having the children in church would only solve part of the space issue. It does not address the need for space for the increasing number of children´s groups. It also does not help us to address the issues of meeting space, and facilities in the building that the project also seeks to address.

How does this fit in with our plans for the South East Wedge and other church plants we may be involved in?

It fits in perfectly. The staff member responsible for leading plant in the SE Wedge is due to be appointed in 2007, with the congregation meeting in 2009. It could take 5 years for the plant to become financially independent - taking us up to 2014. We may well be involved in other church plants during this time but we want to do them carefully and wisely. Above all we want to plant from a healthy base - ensuring the continued growth and development of P´s and G´s AND the daughter churches we plant. We believe this building work will contribute to that plan, allowing room for more growth and development.

Why can´t we do a building swap?

Swapping with another larger church in Edinburgh would solve the space issue in the church but it would not solve some of the other problems we face: contemporary feel; sightlines; PA; lighting, meeting and community space. This project is not just about being a big church. We don´t want to move to a larger building just for the sake of it and be faced with the same problems we have now in a building that is more expensive to run.

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THE FUNDING

How much will it cost?

The current estimated cost for Project 21 is £5.6 million. This includes the proposed changes to the church building in York Place, the start-up costs for a church plant in the South East Wedge of Edinburgh and also the final repairs to the exterior stonework on the church.

How will you get more money from people already giving?

We are not expecting the congregation to find all the money which will be needed for a project this size. We will be seeking help from appropriate charities, grant aid bodies and any organisations who donate money to either church growth or building projects. Also, there will be a variety of fund raising events activities which will enable church members to involve friends, family and colleagues, plus we would hope to have activities involving the wider community within Edinburgh to raise funds. The fund raising activity can be a vehicle for evangelism and outreach - P´s & G´s has a very positive story to tell! The Project 21 team will have a fundraising team, dedicated to fundraising & finding innovative ways of raising funds for the project.

How can we justify spending this amount of money when people are starving in the world?

We are enjoying the benefits now of people 200 years ago and 20 years ago who invested money in the building. They invested capital in the bricks and mortar that enable us to worship and witness together.

We remain committed to world mission, supporting 12 mission partners, with nearly £40,000 a year being raised to support them. On top of that we give away another £40,000 a year to home mission through our 10% Fund. If we are to fulfil our mission, we need to do this building work so that more people hear about Jesus, grow in their relationship with Jesus and are equipped to go out into the world to serve Jesus at home and abroad. Our predecessors invested in us - we need to do the same in those who will follow us.

How are you going to fund all the extra resources these extra people will need?

Initially we would not expect to be increasing resources - needs will be met from within the existing staffing level. However, at the same time we would be hoping for an increase in voluntary activity from church members, especially since we will also have a larger resource pool to pull from. Plus, as the congregation numbers grow, we would also hope the financial offerings to help fund God´s work at P´s & G´s would increase. Eventually we may have to increase staffing in the office, but we do not expect this to be a requirement in the near future.

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THE PROJECT

Who is going to manage this project?

Vestry has the overall responsibility for Project 21, but the day to day management activities have been delegated to three main groups: Communications, Building and Finance. The Executive Committee is made up of the three Chairs of these groups, with Dave Richards, as Chairman of the Committee, and Emma Vardy, the recently appointed Project Co-ordinator. The Executive liaises directly with Vestry. Further information can be found under Project Management.

Why can´t we do it in stages?

The three parts of the scheme - balcony, new hall and meeting rooms, and foyer - are part of an integrated plan. The work to all three parts will mean severe disruption for us as a church family and this needs to be minimised. If we delayed the work and did it in stages, the disruption would increase and so would the costs. It is more than likely the building work would start with the hall and work backwards to the foyer. They need to be done at the same time. The result will be a building designed for growth and a warmer welcome.

Where will we park?

Nearly all church members park in the streets around the church on Sundays and this will not change. In addition there are car parks available at Greenside and St James´ Centre and we are considering installing a cycle rack. We hope to retain one loading bay for tradespeople and transporting equipment.

What will happen to the congregation when the building work is being carried out?

During major building work the congregation will need to move to an alternative building for health & safety reasons. We would endeavour to find a location which is easily accessible and try to keep this period to a minimum. We hope church members will be flexible and understanding during this phase.

How long will it take?

Until we have final designs, the full scale of the work won´t be known, but we estimate that it could take a year to 18 months from start to finish. The timing of the work, i.e. the start date, will be dependant on how successful we are at raising funds.

How have other people done it?

We are finding out! We have been in touch with other churches who have done similar projects and have invited guest speakers to talk to church members during the Moses teaching series. Also, the Project 21 team spent a day with Clare McInnes, who worked on the successful building project at St. Aldates, Oxford and who is now a consultant for major church building projects.

Who will make the decisions?

Vestry, as custodians of the church resources, will have the overall responsibility for the building work and will take any major decisions on behalf of the church members. On a day to day working level, the project manager, in close liaison with the P21 team, will take most decisions to progress work (further details on project management can be found here). Throughout the process we will be keeping church members up to date with developments and capture feedback which, if appropriate, will be acted upon accordingly by Vestry and the Project Manager.

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