Building Expansion News
We are building an extension on our present facility to better reach, teach and minister to our children and children in our community. Target date: our 55th anniversary – May 2012. Visit this page for updates on the project.
To contribute online to this project financially, follow the link and designate your giving as, "Expansion"
January 16, 2012
Building Expansion Progress Update
It has been awhile since progress has been reported. Let's take a look at where we have been and where we are now at in this project.
- Facility planning for “The Next Generation” approved by the Board of Deacons (November 4, 2008)
- APC’s Building Committee, with the help of Redbox Design Group (student education design specialists) prepared plans
- Engagement of Reinders and Reider Ltd as our architects (November 2009)
- Presentation to and approval by members to proceed (September 26, 2010)
- Presentation to congregation with a message about “The Next Generation” (April 30/May 1, 2011)
- Fundraising began with pledges and offerings (during 2011, $281,105.45 was raised)
- Phase 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the required archeological study was completed over six months (2011)
- Many meetings to remove property changes required by the City of Toronto resulted in $80,000 of savings for us
- PRESENTLY awaiting a building permit from the City
PLEASE BE IN PRAYER!
About the Author
Pastor Keith Smith
On weekends, Keith Smith loves to show how real Jesus is and how relevant the scriptures are to daily life with fresh, Biblical teaching. (Previously, he and his wife Esther led wonderful church families in Ottawa and Edmonton.) During the rest of the week he leads the staff of Agincourt Pentecostal and Toronto Community Churches. Both sons and his daughter-in-law are involved in church leadership. On a day off, you would find him motorcycling, building, canoeing, or doing anything else that enables him to spend some time outdoors.
At APC since 1994. His hometown is Ottawa, Ontario.
July 15, 2011
Archaeological Survey
We remain in the pre-development stage where active changes often come slowly. However, lack of obvious growth does not mean lack of progress.
At this point, our archaeological survey has moved forward allowing submission of our building plans to Community Planning at the City of Toronto. This represents a significant step forward in the building permit application process. It does not guarantee a date on which shovels will go into the ground. However, it does show we have made great progress towards that date.
Continue praying for God's leading and wisdom in this project. The members of the Building Committee continue working faithfully to bring the needs of APC's church families to the design of this structure and to ensure everything is ready for each next step made available to us by City Planners. As we entrust the plans to His care, God can influence the hearts and spirits of our government officials to favourably consider the future needs of our ministries.
Giving Update
So exciting to be able to say that we have surpassed the $100,000 mark! Thank you for your generosity and continued support for this important expansion project.
About the Author
Pastor Dwight Anderson
He wants to see the operations, facilities, and Human Resources department of APC develop into the portion of the church using the spiritual gift of administration rather than the place where administratively skilled people get slotted to work; a place where the Holy Spirit creatively works through people each day validating and anointing them for His intended purposes. His hobbies include continuing education, gardening, and watching the Leafs. He is the Director of Human Resources and Operations and leads Believer's Life Bible Study and 4Forty.
Part of the APC team since 2009. His hometown is Pembroke, Ontario.
June 6, 2011
Pray? For a Building Project?
A church building expansion is more than preparing funds, obtaining city approvals and drafting floor plans. Because it is the expansion of space that has as its purpose to reach and disciple people (in our case, the next generation), we can expect resistance. There are always powers of darkness at work in our world and Scripture teaches us that, with their limited power, they will especially target what will further Christ’s Kingdom. Of course, that includes the expansion of a building.
We are thankful for the approvals we have received from the municipality but we have also encountered what seem to be longer than necessary delays, and not always the friendliest of attitudes towards expanding our place of worship.
The most recent delay comes from finding items of interest in the required archaeological dig next to Heritage House (the house on the south-west corner of our property). We are now required to go to a fourth level archaeological study in June.
So be praying:
- with thanksgiving... we are expanding our building to reach and disciple more people, with a strong sense of unity and destiny, and the funds continue to come into our Building Expansion Fund.
- for timely advancement... that nothing would interfere with God’s timing on this expression of kingdom advancement in Toronto. Also, that the Lord would give us favour with all officials and safety for workers, and a wonderful ministry centre.
As we continue to prepare through giving and pledging, let us also continue to “pre-prayer”.
About the Author
Pastor Keith Smith
On weekends, Keith Smith loves to show how real Jesus is and how relevant the scriptures are to daily life with fresh, Biblical teaching. (Previously, he and his wife Esther led wonderful church families in Ottawa and Edmonton.) During the rest of the week he leads the staff of Agincourt Pentecostal and Toronto Community Churches. Both sons and his daughter-in-law are involved in church leadership. On a day off, you would find him motorcycling, building, canoeing, or doing anything else that enables him to spend some time outdoors.
At APC since 1994. His hometown is Ottawa, Ontario.
May 18, 2011
Design Preview: Classrooms
Let's take a look at the design for the classrooms.
Each classroom will be designed around four principles:
1) Teach
A raised stage area for where the lessons are taught and acted out. Equipped with a large magnetic white board, television and display area.
2) Art
Glue! Construction paper! Crayons! Markers! An area where children can create, and actively engage in the lesson taught.
3) Play
A play area for children to be active and socialize. An integral part of building friendships for children.
4) Read
Based on these principles, each age group will have access to an environment that will help themes and lessons come across in a way that is clear and alive.
On other note:
Numbers are in from last weekend, May 14/15. It is so exciting to watch these numbers grow because it's an indication of the unity that we have in building this expansion to our facility – in order to reach more people; building the kingdom together!
