Find answers below to some of our most frequently asked questions. If you don't find your question, please contact the office so that we can help!
Why do we need a building campaign?
17 years ago, Jesus planted us on the corner of 17th and Highland, and we are thankful that he did. Redeemer was smaller then, and our current building was adequate for our needs at that time. Now, with a growing congregation, we are stretching our facility to its limits in terms of classrooms, nurseries, restrooms, small group meeting space, hospitality space, and more. Even the way that we move around our facility is inadequate, as our people-flow is constrained by bottlenecks which often confuse visitors. And, unfortunately, much of our current space is not wheelchair-accessible.
When visitors to our neighborhood drive towards the University of Tennessee along 17th Street, Redeemer’s “black wall” is one of the first things they see. In the past, we have laughed about the wall and tried to ignore it; but we want to reflect the beauty of our God in all that we do, and we want our property to reflect his redemptive, life-giving presence among us. Updating our building’s exterior to reflect the warmth of our community and to highlight our God’s desire to make all things new is an important piece of this project.
For these reasons and many others, it is time to invest in physical improvements to our property.
How long have we felt this need?
We have felt the limitations of our space for a number of years. In 2018 we updated the seating in our sanctuary to create space for 100 additional individuals; these additional seats are now regularly filled in two morning worship services.
We have tackled many small projects over the past few years (for example: stage and foyer renovations, new chairs, new carpet, and painting throughout the building), but our property is at a point where any additional work needs to be part of a larger project to address ongoing limitations.
What work has already gone into planning for this project?
In 2016 the Officers of Redeemer began to ask questions about Redeemer’s physical location and needs in light of our mission. They investigated the pros/cons to selling our property and moving locations, but it was decided that our mission was to Urban and University Knoxville, and there is no better location for that mission than the corner of 17th and Highland. This decision has led us to double-down on our present location.
Over the past few years you will have noticed that we’ve recommitted ourselves to this location in lots of ways—relationally, missionally, financially—and now it’s time to bring our building into line with the long term needs that our community will have as we prepare to live and worship on this corner for the long haul.
In June 2018, we took an important step in this direction by sending a building-questionnaire to the congregation to gather information about your pain-points with respect to our property. Those of you who participated in this survey will see your feedback reflected in the Cultivate the Corner campaign.
With missional needs and congregational survey in hand, the past 5 months have been filled with lots of meetings with architects and contractors as we have tried to pull the pieces together into a plan that will meet our needs. We have talked with banks about financing options. We have talked with friends (both inside and outside of the Redeemer community) with experience in capital fundraising to determine what financial goals are reasonable for a community of our size and demographic. We have worked with videographers and photographers to develop resources that will help us communicate our needs. We have launched, stopped due to a pandemic, relaunched, redrawn plans due to increased costs, and are now ready to start construction asap. Lots of time has gone into this, and we’re excited to see how it all comes together to Cultivate the Corner.
Will the renovation give us more space?
Sort of. The increases in usable space will be dramatic. Much of our existing chapel wing is inadequate for our community’s needs, so a large percentage of that space is currently used for artist studios, storage space, or single-purpose rooms. The new wing will be purpose-built to meet our present and future needs, with improved hospitality space, ample restrooms, and the addition of office spaces. Our currently office space and lower hall will be renovated to include 8 rooms for nurseries and children’s classes.
How much is the total renovation cost?
We have been through many rounds of drawings with architects and contractors with the express purpose of keeping our total costs under $3.2 million.
That's a lot of money. How will we get it all?
The total project invites your partnership with Redeemer and your generosity to our common mission. This project is estimated to cost around $3.2 million. Due to your generosity we have received a little over $1.5 million, along with $450,000 in outstanding pledges. We assume that not all of these pledges will be fulfilled. However, because many of you are continuing to fulfill your pledge, we expect that between $250,000 and $300,000 of the pledges will be fulfilled. This means that we are expecting to have almost $2 million pledged and in hand when we approach the bank in order to take out a construction loan for up to $1.5 million. Our desire is that over the next two years (starting November 2023) we would be able to raise another $500,000 in gifts or new (or renewed) pledges, thus limiting the use of the construction loan to $1 million.
To explore ways to give to the Cultivate the Corner campaign, check out the Campaign Giving Page.
Why do we need pledges?
Pledges are a really important part of the campaign, because they act as a guarantee when seeking a loan to begin construction. Essentially, the pledges allow individual givers to spread their contributions out over two years while also telling us (and our bank!) giving plans. Our bank takes these pledges very seriously! Having pledges-in-hand will allow us to get started with construction without having to wait for all of the money to come in.
You can visit the Pledge Page to make a pledge right now!
How much money do we need to raise?
We need to raise as much of the $3.2 million cost of the project as possible. The more money we raise, the less we have to finance, and the better our financial position will be after this project.
What's the timeline?
You can give to the Cultivate the Corner campaign right now! Visit the Campaign Giving Page to learn more.
While the Cultivate the Corner campaign was initially set to run throughout the 2020 Lenten season, the timeline has been shifted in light of the COVID-19 outbreak and its economic implications.
Construction started in December of 2023. Our desire is that over the next two years we would be able to raise another $500,000 in gifts or new (or renewed) pledges, thus limiting the use of the construction loan to $1 million.
How will the construction impact our life on the corner? Will we continue to worship in the building? Will we have to move for a time?
There is no doubt that we will get a little dusty while construction is underway. Since no major work will be done in the sanctuary, we expect to continue worshiping in the same space. Once the renovation of the chapel wing is completed, we will transition into that space before the renovations of the lower hall/children’s spaces.
How will parking be impacted by construction?
Parking is likely to be the area in which we feel the inconvenience of construction on a day-to-day basis most acutely. While the work of construction and demolition is happening, our paved parking lot will be inaccessible Monday - Friday, requiring us to park in the gravel lot or elsewhere in the Fort. On Sundays, the paved lot as well as the gravel lot to the east of the building will be available for parking during construction.
How will the renovations impact our mission? What will we be able to do in the new space that we can’t do today? What new avenues will it open to help us reach Urban and University Knoxville?
One thing to remember is that our presence as a worshiping community on this corner is the most basic part of our mission in Urban and University Knoxville. Everything else that we do flows from our communal life together in worship and at the table. A number of ways that the renovations will help us reach Urban and University Knoxville include: allowing us to create a warm and hospitable environment to welcome worshipers on a Sunday morning; being able to accommodate the basic needs of those who come to worship (i.e., restrooms, clear points of entry and exit, easy ways to move around our building, secure and dedicated children’s classrooms and nursery spaces). The chapel space will be a gathering place for individual meetings, small groups, wedding receptions, parties, etc. Overall, it is our hope and expectation that we will create a beautiful space for you to gather on Sunday mornings, and it will be a beautiful space where fellowship can occur throughout the week; where events can happen for our community and for our neighbors; where we can throw parties and, in countless other ways, where we can celebrate the kingdom of God on this little corner of Knoxville.
