La Plata United Methodist Church

1. La Plata United Methodist Church 2013 Feasibility Study & Readiness Assessment Are We Ready? To Expand our Ministry, our Facilities and our Influence “Grateful to the Past — Building for Future Generations”

2. Our Vision For La Plata United Methodist Church to be a beacon of service, love and learning for the community, the county and beyond in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. “Grateful to the Past — Building for Future Generations”

3. Our Dream To expand our facilities so that we may provide sacred space in which to house our ministries, to be available to the community, and to serve the needs of our neighbors. “Grateful to the Past — Building for Future Generations”

4. Our Methodology Following the pattern of the Discipleship Adventure, we will worship whole-heartedly; fellowshiplovingly, and continually include new friends; learnand grow as modern-day disciples of Jesus; use our gifts, talents and abilities to serve the people around us; and share the joy and triumph of having faith in Jesus Christ. “Grateful to the Past — Building for Future Generations”

5. Our History 25 70 134 350 640 820 929 965 950 957 1091 Members 1892 1900 1922 1947 19501958 1966 1974 1985 1995 2000 2008 2012 Year “Grateful to the Past — Building for Future Generations”

6. Worship — Sundays: 8:30 & 11:00 AM Wednesdays: 6:45 PM Summer Sundays: 8 & 10 AM Special Seasonal Services: Three Christmas Eve Services Ecumenical Good Friday Pilgrimage Easter Sunrise Service Annual Hymn Sing & Song Fest Ecumenical Appreciation Day Service Watch Night Service Prayer Vigils “Grateful to the Past — Building for Future Generations”

7. Fellowship — Birthday Party for Everyone Annual Talent Show Lenten Dinners Summer Fellowship Hours Blue Crabs Baseball Games Softball and Kickball Games Charity Days at Hawthorne Country Club Church Picnic “Grateful to the Past — Building for Future Generations”

8. Discipleship — Blessed Lambs Preschool Sunday School for All Ages The Alpha Course Daytime & Evening Andrew’s Circle Financial Peace University Wednesday Morning Bible Study United Methodist Women’s Book Club DISCIPLE Bible Studies I, II, III and IV Walk Thru the Bible Old Testament New Testament Pastor’s Monday Night Studies The DiVinity Code Christian Decision Making Fruit of the Spirit Making Good Marriages Better Advent Studies Christian Parenting Revelation The Four Gospel Writers History of La Plata Methodist Churches Prayer World Religions Protestant Denominations What Happens When We Die

9. Missions and Service — Food Pantry & Safe Nights Congregational Care Ministry Team Prayer Chain Volunteers in Mission Work Trips Change the World Day Rebuilding in Nanjemoy Supporting LifeStyles of Maryland Support Children’s Aid Society Global Missions Partnering with Miguel Mariena, our missionary in Nicaragua Paying our Apportionments in full every year School Supplies Drive S.H.A.R.E. Food Distributions Church World Service Blanket Tree Mission 100 Support Financial Support for local residents Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts & Boy Scouts Alcoholics Anonymous & Recovery Groups

10. Witness & Sharing our Faith — The Great Pumpkin Patch Presence on the World Wide Web Inviting our FRANs Friends, Relatives, Associates & Neighbors Healing Services County Fair Food Booth Newspaper Advertising Christmas & Easter Flyers Building our Reputation in the Community “Grateful to the Past — Building for Future Generations”

11. Getting Us to This Point • What to do with the historic bell from Bethel Church? • Bell Tower Committee Established (2009) • Presentation to Admin. Council estimating $100,000 for tower • Request by Council to consider church’s future, to do a Master Plan • Building Committee established (2010) • Dreaming – Congregational Focus Groups (January 2011) • Architectural drawings developed (2012) • Readiness Assessment and Feasibility • Study (Jan-Feb. 2013) “Grateful to the Past — Building for Future Generations”

12. The Benefits of Building • Expand our Sunday School spaces to meet our present and future needs. We are presently out of rooms! • Expand our Pre-School. They have a waiting list. • Expand small group bible study programs. • Increase total number of parking spaces, all would be paved! No more gravel lot. • New Fellowship Hall more than doubles present hall, and will allow over 250 people for sit-down dinners, wakes and receptions. • New Fellowship Hall can create new revenue streams by hosting more community events like theater plays, speaking engagements, youth sports events. “Grateful to the Past — Building for Future Generations”

13. More Benefits • New Fellowship Hall at parking lot level, allowing for full handicapped accessibility • Food Pantry will be larger, more easily accessible and manageable, allowing clients to line up inside, instead of out in the elements. • Initially, Blessed Lambs Preschool will have seven classrooms, an increase by two, plus there is room for two more classrooms on the lower level. • Dedicated Youth Room - where their space will not be invaded by community groups and other activities. • Dedicated Music Room, for the Cherub Choir, for smaller subsets of preschool children and for piano lessons. “Grateful to the Past — Building for Future Generations”

14. More Benefits • New Church Office suite with reception area near elevator, a pastor’s study, conference room, and staff offices. • Larger, nicer parlor, still the Wilbur Hancock Memorial Parlor but upstairs across from church offices. • Additional storage in lots of areas of the new space. • New Chapel that can actually be used, seating about 100. Can be used for small private weddings, funerals, and will be Rev. Jones’ primary classroom for his Pastor’s Monday Night Studies. • The New Chapel will also be at parking lot level allowing for direct access without steps. • The Heating and Cooling will be an economical “Geo-Thermal” System. • Visit the church website and review your dream list… “Grateful to the Past — Building for Future Generations”

20. An Opportunity To expand our ministries, To grow our church family, To better serve our community, To fulfill our calling from God.