We have launched a 2026 capital campaign with an expected need of $240,000. The funds will allow us to finish the final major buildouts remaining in our new home (the old Coke Plant) on 3rd Street.
Project Snapshot:
Project cost: $240,000
Project goal: As soon as funds are raised, with the hope of completion by mid-to-late 2026
Result of the project:
- Lids (ceiling) on all existing kid’s classrooms to help with sound and climate control.
- Proper heating and cooling to the kid’s classrooms and nursing mother’s room.
- Development of the unfinished space in the southeast corner with the construction of two new classrooms and one larger library/multipurpose classroom.
- Functional and aesthetic improvements to the main foyer and the exterior.
- Increased storage capacity.
Present Moment and Pressing Needs:
When Paul prayed to a God who, “is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” (Eph. 3:20) he was reminding the Ephesian church of how their gathering together is both an experience of the love of Christ and an embodiment of the fullness of God. That’s the profound beauty of what happens when the local church gathers as a true gospel community. Our capital campaign is not needed in order for God to do such a wonderful and mighty work. However, the story of how we came to occupy this building has been a story of God surpassing our expectations and we remain humble yet hopeful he might use this fund to facilitate that glorious display within the gathered church.
This fund is essentially the fourth phase in the buildout of our facility. Phase 1 (2021) was the heaviest lift, transforming a Coke bottling plant into a church. It involved interior demolition, retrofitting and renovation of ground floor offices, construction of the sanctuary and the required, yet unexciting, code requirements of fire suppression, air circulation/HVAC, restrooms, electric and egress. Phase 2 (2022) included the construction of the kids’ classrooms and large classroom. Phase 3 (2024) finished the buildout of the upstairs offices and mezzanine space for student ministry and fellowship.
Phase 4 addresses the two remaining needs, both of which include the east wing of the building:
- HVAC and ceiling lid on the existing kids’ classrooms.
- The buildout of the southeast corner of the building.
These issues have been left unaddressed at each stage because of the major sunk costs involved and our ability to make do with the limitations they presented. However, the growth of our membership and our ministries have pressed these from something we can manage to something we need to solve for the following reasons.
Sound Control:
Warehouses like ours have roofs designed to sag and bend to accommodate snow load. That movement prohibited us from sealing the sanctuary walls to the roof of the building (if you look closely you’ll see a 4-6’’ gap across the top of our walls). Even if you’ve never seen it, you’ve heard it. If you’ve attended a Church Essentials seminar, Tuesday night class, or served in kids’ ministry–you’ve noticed! The lack of ceilings in the classroom wing makes it extremely difficult for teachers to be heard over the many children who use it, and the sounds from the main area, sanctuary and classrooms all spill over into one another. This is why our current library space is transformed from a classroom to a nursing mothers’ room every Sunday–our current nursing mothers’ room in the kids’ wing is too loud for infants to calm down enough to nurse.
We have also started using the large classroom to host seminars aimed at encouraging and equipping pastors in the Northwest. But even in an otherwise empty building the sound from all the various heating elements in the building make it difficult to hear.
Why didn’t we just put a ceiling on the kids’ classrooms you ask? This brings us to our next need:
Climate Control
Two of the largest sunk costs in Phase 1 were the two rooftop HVAC units and venting that serve the sanctuary and foyer/hospitality space. When we built the kids’ classrooms in Phase 2, we were able to construct the classrooms but they were unlidded (no ceiling). That’s because we couldn’t afford the required rooftop HVAC required to fully finish the space. Instead, we chose to keep them open and take advantage of the massive industrial air mover left over from the old Coke plant era. This unit hangs in the northeast corner of the classroom space and attempts to blow, loudly and inefficiently, warm air over all of the classrooms. Imagine a 100 year old attempting to blow out 100 candles on a birthday cake the size of your kitchen table. Then, amplify the sound a hundred fold–that’s pretty much what we’ve been working with. When this unit dies, which could be any day, code would require us to purchase the rooftop unit anyway. This must be addressed at some point, it’s simply a matter of when.
Classroom Space:
When we moved into the building we had one proper classroom: the current library/nursing mothers’ room. Phase 2 added the four kids’ classrooms, the nursing mothers’ room, and the large classroom. Phase 3 added the mezzanine space for teaching on the second level. But all of these rooms are now being used, especially on Tuesday nights. If we ever wanted to split up the Jr. High and High School group (which we do), add more adult classes (which we do), and split up the already too big late elementary and early elementary classes (which we do) we have no place to put these classes.
A Perfect Storm
And here lies our problem and the reason for this fund. In function, we only have one sound controlled classroom. This complicates any opportunity for multiple classes or ministries to function at the same time in our building (again, serve in kids’ ministry or attend a Church Essentials class for proof). It also makes it difficult for us to allow partners like Redeemer to occupy our space during the week without disrupting one another.
Thus, we face a domino effect: We can't fix the sound issue until we lid the classrooms–We can't lid the classrooms until we install HVAC–We can't install HVAC without infrastructure. It doesn’t matter which part we prioritize, each individual need requires the whole project. To fix one, we must fix them all.
The Scope of the Project:
This project will complete the initial buildout of our building footprint, and solve or greatly diminish the remaining issues. It will add a multipurpose library classroom (smaller than the large classroom, bigger than the others) and two more classrooms in the unfinished southeast corner. It will also enclose and provide proper HVAC and climate control for the new classrooms, the current kids’ classrooms, and resolve the poor ventilation in the current library/nursing mothers’ classroom. We would increase from one sound controlled classroom to nine. That doesn’t even include the benefit it would add to teaching in both the sanctuary and the upstairs mezzanine.
To the naked eye, all we are doing is adding ceilings and a couple walls. But, here’s a glimpse of all that’s going to happen behind the scenes:
- Removal of old industrial air mover.
- Installation of new rooftop unit to service heating and cooling to the kids’ classrooms.
- Addition of service lines from existing rooftop unit to supply heating and cooling to newly constructed classrooms.
- Lidding of all the east wing classrooms.
- Retrofit the fire suppression system for the lid.
- Retrofit the current electrical system (lights, switches, sensors) for the lid.
- Remove the drafty and poorly insulated roll-up door and install a glass storefront wall to give natural light in the new multipurpose library classroom.
- Regain functionality to the proper nursing mothers’ room with adequate sound control and ventilation.
- Restore proper ventilation to the current library/classroom.
- Instal new flooring in the newly constructed classrooms in the southeast corner.
- Instal new flooring in the main foyer entrance to the building.
- Increase storage capacity in the stage left and right closets.
The Ask:
- Give:
This project is not part of our annual budget. It is dependent upon people giving to it above and beyond their monthly giving.
Current needs:Through Sovereign Hope’s own surpluses and building savings, and some generous gifts and pledges from Redeemer Bible Church, we already have roughly $100,000 raised. This means our remaining goal is only $140,000.
While we understand this is not a small ask, God has done more for us in the past, and we will humbly move forward with whatever the Lord provides us. His plans are better than ours.
- Serve:
We are able to keep the costs for this project relatively low because we are planning on doing the general labor ourselves. The members of Sovereign Hope, and the members of many other churches in Missoula, helped us with the initial buildout and this one is much smaller in comparison. We will need individuals who are willing to watch kids while parents come and serve, we will need help moving storage materials around the building while the new storage and space is finished, we will need help with weekly clean up for Sunday, as well as framing, painting, hanging drywall, and a slew of other tasks.
- Pray:
Unless the Lord builds the house, the laborers labor in vain. Jerusalem had a wonderful temple, but it was empty of God’s presence. Pray that God might help us complete this project, but only to the end that he might continue to complete his work in us, his people. We want the improvements of our physical building to serve the spiritual improvements God is accomplishing at Sovereign Hope, in Western Montana and among the nations. Our hope, and our prayer, is that these improvements allow us to better care for, raise up, and send out healthy church members, faithful ministry leaders and pastors, and eager missionaries.
To financially partner with us you can give cash or check with “Classrooms” in the memo line. To give online you can click this link, or select “East Wing Completion Fund” from our website or Church Center App. From there you can:
- Give a one time gift.
- Set up a recurring donation.
- Fill out a pledge card: While not required, this pledge card helps us balance the timeline of the project and the expected funds that we have. Those who know the amount the plan to give over the course of the year, or know they will be able to make contributions at a later point in the year would help us by filling it out.