As of 2024: Elder KC, Deacon Sean Wang, Deacon Julie Fu, Jay Huang. We are also grateful for Yanling Zhang for helping with translation of the blog.  

Yes, even if the church building expansion did not happen, we are required by the Town of Lexington to make sure we fix the water flow and sewage issues. 

Please see the additional details in the question below: Why is CBE experiencing delays? 經歷拖延?

Please note, the Church Building Expansion INCLUDES Building #151 and any other building projects, like the front deck near the entrance to the sanctuary. 

Church bonds were used to build the current building in 1990. This is how we planned for the financing of the CBE project in the 2012 vote. Church bonds require member approval (same as 1990).

教會債券曾經用在1990年建造目前的建築，這也是2012年通過的教堂擴建項目計劃使用的籌款方式，

發行教會債券需要會友通過 (與1990年相同)。

Funding changed from Church Bond to Member Loan and Donations due to the following considerations

籌款方式由教會債券改為會友貸款以及奉獻是由於以下考量。

Church Bond: High overhead, high interest and takes a longer time to pay (15 years). Over the years, the company we used went out of business. 教會債券：高發行以及管理費用，高利息，相對需要比較長期還清，發行的公司也已經不存在。

Options for funding now? 

1. Member Loan (an option): Members can choose to loan the church funds, no overhead, with an agreed upon interest rate and we pay back the member in 3-5 years. 會友貸款： 由會友自願借給教會，沒有發行或管理費用，用會友以及教會同意的利率，可在三到五年還清 Please email finance@cbcgb.org for more info! 

2. Donation of stocks/bonds: NEW for June 2024! Please email financedeacon@cbcgb.org. 

3. Other ideas: Donations in memory of loved ones, donations on behalf of others, donations in celebration, donations (any amount) for a raffle (for example, a close designated parking spot for a certain amount of time, first-in-line for lunch etc), donations for a specific CBE item (for example, "Thank the (INSERT YOUR NAME) family for the donation of this basketball hoop"). Other ideas are welcome! 🙂

4. Congregational giving: tithing and/or any extra donations are now the majority of CBE funding 

There have been suggestions on a capital campaign:  A capital campaign is a large-scale fundraising effort conducted by a nonprofit organization in order to bring in a large addition of capital investment.  Many churches (for example Grace Chapel in Lexington, MA and a Watertown, MA church) and other non-profits with major construction or renovations regularly organize this type of event in order to raise money beyond what is normally donated. 

What do you think? Please give us feedback HERE. 

See PURPOSE for more information especially regarding current youth and childrens needs. 

• Prioritizes current and future youth growth and outreach: more classrooms, multipurpose center 

優先考慮青少年，增加福音性活動與參與人數 ：教室、多功能活動中心

• Allows expansion, a focused, personalized, and safer children’s area in the current building 

擴大兒主限有的空間：打造兒主專屬的安全環境

• Strengthens the fellowship between groups by helping to remove limitations of space: more classrooms, multipurpose center, outdoor fellowship space 

增進團契之間的關係：教室、多功能活動中心、室外團契空間

•Structurally supports pastors and administrative staff with expansion of work-space: new offices and ability to use old spaces to support daily work 提供新的工作環境以便支持教牧同工：新辦公室

•Provides opportunities for expansion of ministries both to our congregation and to our local community: sports ministry (basketball, ping-pong, badminton), youth and children’s programs, Joshua fellowship, COM retreat and activities, fall harvest festival, music gospel outreach etc.

  增加拓展事工的機會：體育相關事工、兒童事工(例如：秋季豐收節慶)、退休銀  髮團契、城區退休會、音樂佈道會、等等

•Creates a more welcoming and personalized space for CB Sunday Service and a 2nd CB sanctuary may also allow the flexibility for a 2nd CM service 

  建立專屬跨越橋的崇拜空間，打造舒適迎新的環境，進而空出主堂使中文堂有拓  展第二堂的選擇

CBE Project Voting Ballot June 17, 2012

PROPOSAL

Implement the ‘CBCGB Church Building Expansion Project’, estimated cost $6,200,000.   Raise the needed funds for the project by collecting $1,000,000 in donations from the congregation and issuing $5,000,000 in church bonds. 

Church Bond: High overhead, very high interest and takes a longer time to pay (15 years). Over the years, the company we used went out of business.

教會債券：高發行以及管理費用，高利息，相對需要比較長期還清，發行的公司也已經不存在。

Please refer to "How are we funding this", for more details on financing now. And clearly, an estimate in 2012 is very under budgeted for 2024. 

Only the estimated amount ~$6 million dollars and a general concept idea was presented and approved. There were no detailed blueprints at this time.

當初只有估計約六百萬美元以及一個概念性的構想被提出並通過，並沒有提出或通過詳細的藍圖。

For old design proposals, please refer to meeting notes from the special members meeting on May 19, 2024.  If you are a church member you would have received it in an email, and if you did not receive it please update your info HERE or contact the church secretary. 

For more information on the current proposed design, please click the DESIGN page HERE. 

For many YEARS, Pastor Bowman (Children's CBCGB Pastor), has wanted to update our current children's space including updating check-in and out systems and controlling access to the area. There are currently 6 entrance points to the space which is not only potentially dangerous, but distracting to the children and teachers when people use the area as a pass through. 

They reached out to a local church (Grace Chapel, Lexington MA) and toured their Children's area noting updated security and safety checks. Grace Chapel hired Risk Management Advisors (RMA) for not only a safety assessment and security updates for the children's space, but for the ENTIRE church and campus. We hired the same company Fall of 2023, and they are in process of making recommendations to our children's ministry area in addition to our ENTIRE church.

RMA is aware of the ongoing CBE project and will make more specific recommendations once permitting is in place. In addition, now that we have engaged them with our current buildings and campus, we would be able to adjust any CBE designs ahead of time as we now have more public safety education and foresight.  They are also keeping in mind integration with the future expansion, so the entire church can be on one logical comprehensive system. 

Email safetycommittee@cbcgb.org with any questions! 

Please note, the Church Building Expansion INCLUDES Building #151 and any other building projects, like the front deck near the entrance to the sanctuary. 

Please see History page and Updates on this blog for more details.

• We are waiting on the external review from the Lexington Conservation Committee.

    等保育委員會完成外部評估。

• Gravel parking lots were NOT PERMITTED, the City is not PENALIZING us (fines etc), but they are asking us to make it RIGHT

     停車場第一層(碎石區)從沒申請過許可證，鎮公會選擇不

   罰我們，但是他們要求我們盡快更改。

Scope of work has expanded: 工程範圍增加

We need to connect to the town sewer, decommission our septic tank and fulfill requirements of water and land conservation. 

These are needed, but unexpected costs. ~$700k 七十萬

If you other questions, comments, recommendations-please see form HERE to ask! 

Please also refer to the April 28, 2024 scheduled membership meeting minutes and May 19, 2024 special members meeting minutes on the church building expansion. Given the public nature of this website, we are trying to be careful with posting potentially sensitive information. Thank you for understanding! 

If you have a question on supporting our pastors or our youth ministry, these are important questions, but separate teams are working on updates, please contact:  elders@cbcgb.org about pastors and youth-info@cbcgb.org  about youth ministry. 

If you are a church member you would have received updates and meeting minutes in an email. If you did not receive it please update your info HERE or contact our church secretary secretary@cbcgb.org.