Joining with Unity of Ada

​UNITY OF GRAND RAPIDS
 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT
YOU’RE INVITED TO AN OPEN HOUSE AT THE
PROSPECTIVE CASCADE CHURCH LOCATION!
Saturday, August 21 from 1 - 3 pm
 
Blessings! We come to you with a special announcement to provide an update on our discussions about joining with Unity of Ada. We will be sending these out regularly to keep everyone abreast of what is happening and to seek input. A few points of interest:
 

1. YOU ARE INVITED! Ada Unity is holding an open house at the church in Cascade at 2965 Wycliff Drive SE on Saturday, August 21st from 1 – 3 pm. They have invited everyone from our church to stop in and take a look at the church they are considering for purchase (more details below).

 

1. Although we have not yet formally decided to merge with the Ada Church, nor have we made any decisions about selling our building, we are beginning discussions on if it makes sense to bring the two churches together. As a result, we have begun sharing services at both the Walker and Ada locations. Many friendships already exist among the two communities, and this is a chance for new ones to grow. Please refer to the e-newsletter or FB events to note the joint service dates.

 

1. Both boards met after church Sunday, August 15 with Rev. Sharon from Lansing Unity. She has navigated the waters of merging two churches and is a wonderful resource for our churches! The main takeaway was that she recommended a workshop to look at combined Mission, Vision and Purpose statements for the churches. She suggested this would be a fabulous way to create a foundation on which to build, and a reference point to look to when we question right action. Look for details once we schedule this workshop. We not only want, but need, your input to help shape our trajectory going forward!

 

1. At the meeting with Rev. Sharon, it was also decided that the boards from each church will begin opening their board meetings to whomever can make it from the other board. The first joint board meeting on the calendar was Ada’s, and it happened to be scheduled for Wednesday, August 19 (this week). Two of our board members were able to sit in. Our next board meeting for UGR is next week, and we have invited Ada’s board members. In this way, we’re able to get a feel for each other’s church and the way the business portion is handled.

 

1. Ada Unity is proceeding with an offer to buy the Cascade Church at this time. The deal is not finalized and it may not be realized. However, their congregation is formally voting on the purchase this Sunday. This Saturday, they will be hosting an open house for their congregants to go through the church, and have invited anyone from our church who would like to walk through it and ask questions. Here is the letter they sent their congregants with details:

 
Dear Active Member,
 
Your Unity Spiritual Community Church Board of Trustees has been assessing the former New Day Church at 2965 Wycliff Road in Cascade as our new church home. After discussions and negotiations with the seller, the Cascade Township Board, inspections, and quotes on renovations need to make the building serviceable and comfortable, the Board is recommending we proceed with the purchase of the subject property. Because of the current sellers' market that exists in real estate we needed to move quickly to get the property under contract. Our offer, however, is contingent on Unity member approval and the results of inspections, cost quotes and agreements with Cascade Township. At this point we have not had sufficient time to get every inspection and quote we will ultimately have done, but we have made sufficient progress to feel very comfortable with member approval of the purchase. Even with member approval, which we have contracted to have by August 22nd, contingencies will still remain, and any unexpected issues would allow us to withdraw our offer.
 
A special active member meeting will be held at the church after the service (11:45 am) on August 22nd. This recommendation will be discussed, questions answered, and a vote taken.
 
The subject offer is $677,000 for 3.86 acres of property including the former church. We have, under contract, an agreement for Cascade Township to purchase 1.86 acres of this property for $300,000 to use as a park immediately after we close on the initial purchase. The cost to us, therefore, will be $377,000 for two acres of land and the building, with the guarantee of a Cascade Township nature park immediately adjacent to our property. Compared to commercial properties available in the Grand Rapids area over the last several months, this opportunity stands head and shoulders above anything we have found to date. This property and its improvement will not require us to carry a mortgage, so we will be debt free.
 
Background:
 
With the sale of our Ada property for $800,000 that closes on or before September 15th, we will have a cash position of approximately $772,000 after payoff of our current mortgage. With the cost of the Cascade property of $377,000, we will have a cash position of approximately $395,000. This will create a building renovation fund of approximately $200,000 and a reserve operating fund of approximately $195,000. The reserve operating fund should keep us financially solvent for 5 to 7 years, even absent material growth. We do, however, expect with a new location and new energy, we will see much improved growth associated with this change.
 
We would expect to close on the Cascade property by September 22nd. Sale of the vacant 1.86 acres to Cascade Township will occur very shortly after that. We have use of the Ada location, rent free, for 6 months. This takes us to mid-March 2022. During these 6 months we will be able to renovate the Cascade property so we can move to it before we have to start paying rent on the Ada property. It is also very important to point out that this property provides excellent opportunities for expansion to accommodate growth over the future.
 
As noted previously, moving to a new facility improves the potential for combining the Walker and Ada congregations. At this point in time, Walker is considering a possible merger, but much thought remains to be given before any such commitment could be made. On the other hand, Ada is under time constraints associated with securing the Cascade property, and this is not an opportunity we would like to lose. Too many elements are falling into place that are very favorable to us to ignore.
 
6)    If anyone can’t make it Saturday but would like to see the Cascade Church, they can contact Katy Chapman at 616-915-3289 to schedule a walk-through.
 
7)    We know that there will be questions along this path, and we’ll do our best to send out regular updates. Please contact any board member if you have questions in the meantime. Over the coming weeks, please join us in prayer:
 
As a spiritual family we come together and affirm that the right and perfect situation for our church home and family will occur. We trust that we will be guided and declare divine order for us at this time. We trust that whatever the outcome, it will be for the highest and best good for all concerned. We trust God, we trust this process and we trust each other. At this time, we focus on divine wisdom, divine judgement and divine love, and thank God once again for giving us this opportunity to serve. We claim our own divinity as well as each other’s and say Thank You God, Thank You God, Thank You God! And so it is.
 
In Love and Light,
Unity of Grand Rapids
Board of Directors