• Construct a new, expanded Child Development Center, growing the program through partnerships that admit low- and middle-income families, diversifying our enrollment.

• Fund scholarships for approximately 70 children, raising enrollment from 130 to 200.

• Set aside monies toward the construction of a small home in honor of Buck and Betty Blankenship. This home, on our campus or elsewhere, would also address the issue of affordable housing and, if constructed on our campus, could serve as residence for a caretaker, who could help to maintain our expanded buildings and grounds, in exchange for free or reduced rent.

  This directive will be funded through two separate campaigns for a total project cost of $7,000,000: a Church Campaign of $1,000,000 and a Community Campaign of $6,000,000.

• Revamp church website, focusing on visual appeal and ease of navigation.

• Create welcome bags to be given to guests and prospective members.

• Pair prospective members with existing members and sponsor a lunch to help them get to know one another.

• Offer quarterly "Park Road 101" sessions with new and prospective members.

• Install a podcast studio to expand outreach beyond our four walls.

• Create a Parents' Night Out program for CDC families, coordinated with CDC staff.

• Provide training opportunities and assist staff with continuing education.

• Show appreciation for staff performance with merit-based bonuses.

• Enhance off-site staff retreats for appreciation and relationship building.

• Assist staff with outstanding education loan debt as appropriate.

• Refurbish church steeple

• Replace Community Center roof

• Replace walkway roofing

• Replace slate roof underlayment on sanctuary

• Replace sanctuary walkway roofing

• Replace Milford Chapel roof

• Redesign and resurface parking lot

• Offer a retreat or conference annually, in alternating years.

• Invest more deeply in Park Road University.

• Develop a program that focuses on connecting with nature and developing spiritual practices.

The total cost of “Building. Community.” is projected to be $9.0 million.  We are proposing the Park Road congregation raise $3.0 million in a Capital Campaign, and outside foundations fund $6.0 million in a Community Campaign. Half the funds raised in the Capital Campaign will be spent on the proposed Education Building. All the funds raised in the Community Campaign will be spent on the proposed Education Building.

The church will vote on “Building. Community.” on Sunday, May 31 after worship.  We will vote on a motion to adopt this long range vision and to proceed with the formation of a Capital Campaign committee to raise funds from the congregation, the formation of a Community Campaign to raise funds outside the congregation, and the formation of a Building Committee to oversee the design and construction of a new Education Facility.

We anticipate the Capital Campaign to be conducted between June 2026 and December 2026.  We anticipate the Building Committee to be formed this summer, with an estimated groundbreaking on the proposed Educational Building to take place in the third quarter of 2027.  We anticipate the first of our campus improvements to begin work in the fall of 2026, with a steady cadence of projects scheduled each year for seven years, through 2033.  We anticipate each of the Outreach for Growth, Spiritual Discovery and Valuing our Staff directives to be spent in regular installments over five years.

The Building Committee will determine both the size and location of the proposed Education Building, but the Vision Team estimates it will be 15,000 square feet in size in order to accommodate our goal to serve 200 children. The building will most likely be located along Ashcraft Lane, next to the Community Center, to make use of the existing gym and commercial kitchen, but this will ultimately be decided on by the Building Committee.

Once the proposed Education Building is complete, CareRing will enroll up to 48 children in our new CDC, and will coordinate tuition assistance for each of these families.  Another 22 children will enroll from families living at the new YWCA housing complex on Park Road.  These children will be offered discounted tuition by our CDC.  Additionally, CareRing has agreed to help us raise funds in our Community Campaign efforts.

Outside foundations do not donate directly to churches as a matter of policy.  For this reason, the Park Road CDC will be organized as a separate 501c(3) before we receive outside funding toward the proposed building. The Ministry Council will be responsible for coordinating this non-profit entity and deciding on the membership of its Board of Directors.  The accounting records of the church and the CDC will no longer be commingled in a joint bank account once this takes place.

Yes, several projects in Charlotte in recent years have been funded with the help of outside foundations.  For instance, the affordable housing project at Caldwell Presbyterian was substantially funded with outside foundations.  Caldwell’s congregation contributed $800,000 towards the $6 million project.  The rest was raised outside the church.

We have early indications that several foundations will contribute, but we cannot be guaranteed they will follow through. This is a risk to the plan. We will need to solicit the help of many foundations to ensure our needed funding is raised. We cannot guarantee they will before the church votes on the plan.

In the event we are unable to raise the required funds for the proposed Education Building, we will re-allocate the $1 million earmarked from the Capital Campaign towards renovation projects needed to maintain the existing CDC and Youth buildings. These were identified in a Reserve Study conducted two years ago.

The Mission directive will be managed by two church committees. The Capital Campaign will have its own committee, starting work in June. The Community Campaign will also be conducted by this same committee. The Building Committee will oversee the design and construction of the proposed CDC building.

The “Facilities and Campus Needs” directive will be managed by the  Administration Committee.

The “Outreach for Growth” directive will be managed by the Communications Area Coordinator and the Outreach Team.

The “Valuing our Staff” directive will be managed by the pastors of Park Road, with the assistance of the Personnel Committee.

The Spiritual Discovery Directive will be managed by a new Spiritual Discovery team.