Dear BPCWA worshipper, As announced in our bulletin some weeks ago, Melville Council has approved the drawings submitted for our church extension update. Some may have been wondering what’s next after this important step. Others may be thinking that perhaps they’d soon see construction work beginning on-site. This pastoral will help to give our worshippers an update on what has been going on behind the scenes of the church extension project.

The design phase. In our last communication update, we updated the congregation on the proposed drawings which involved a single-storey worship sanctuary extension. Much time was spent on ensuring that our current limitations are addressed. Here are just a few highlights to recap the key aspects which we have already shown you all at our last presentation. For example, the orientation of the new worship hall will follow the current, in order to aid traffic flow when people come in to worship. The storeroom space behind the pulpit was designed such that the new worship hall can be extended in the future if needed. We also ensured that there will be no need to walk up or down steps to get into the church from the front. This will significantly aid the accessibility for elderlies, families with prams, and the handicapped. The new worship hall’s Audio-Visual booth will be outside the cryroom so that the crew manning it in the main hall can hear me speak, and instantly respond to issues if any.  Bible study meeting rooms were added for Fellowship use, together with additional Sunday School rooms upstairs. More toilets were added to the premises. A workspace was included so that printing and various work for church activities can be carried out. A new infant changing/ feeding room is added. In addition, a covered porch for drop off and pick up at the front entrance ensures that it will be easier for worshippers on rainy days. More cupboards will be added to the kitchen.

Preparation for submission for approvals. After confirming the major aspects, the next level of details had to be worked out before our submission for approvals. Project teams were set up to go through various aspects for the next level of details. For instance, Project teams met to come up with specifications and requirements for car park spaces, Sunday School rooms, and fellowship rooms setup, audio-visual needs, electrical supply requirements, air conditioning sizing, lighting needs, security, worship hall seating proposals, nursing room design, storage spaces, and kitchen cabinet designs. We also had to engage a company to provide proper acoustic reports. In order to ensure full compliance with the Environmental Noise Protection Regulations, we had to have a proper study done for onsite noise monitoring, acoustical modelling, and noise mitigation solutions. It was only when all these were completed that we submitted our design and plans to the Melville Council for their review.

Challenges after submissions. Over the past few months after submissions to the Melville Council for approval, there had been some challenges to overcome. In the first meeting with the Council department officers, they wanted us to redesign the part of the building that was facing Canning Highway and also reduce carpark spaces to make space for more landscaping. This was to soften the façade along Ullapool Road. However, we thank God that the major redesign to include a driveway in front of our church for pickup and drop-off did not raise significant eyebrows. We also thank God that through the constant prayers in our Tuesday night prayer meetings, God helped us with some redesign of our façade to blend better into a more residential district. It was an uphill task to convince the relevant officers, but God worked in their hearts and the redesign received their approval after several iterations and compromises. This truly showed how important prayer is and that we are totally dependent upon God.

What is next? So, what do we need to do from here? Well, here is the list of activities that our building committee lead has submitted: 1) Work with the architect to prepare detailed drawings and specifications. These are in the areas of AV, CCTV, seating, lighting, air conditioning, storage, equipment specifications, etc. As you read this pastoral, this is where we are currently. 2) Architect to prepare details to tender the project with builders. 3) Work with any external consultants such as AV consultants or Acoustic consultants, if required. 4) Receive tenders, evaluate tenders and negotiations. 5) Finalise and award contract (pending our financial situation). 6) Apply for Building and other required permits (amalgamation etc). 7)  Work with the architect and builder to plan for the work after kick-off. 8) Finalise further details with builders on the choice of certain final finishings. 9) Prepare for the purchase of required equipment such as chairs, curtains, equipment such as TVs, AV gear, cameras. 10) Supervise construction through the various stages. Work will begin with the construction of the carpark, then move to the build of the new sanctuary, before the renovation of our existing building, before concluding finally with joining both the new and existing building together. 11) Complete handover and commission of the building with the architect and builder. 12) Complete final works and installation of items that are not part of builders’ scope, such as self-supplied equipment. Here, various smaller contracts to finish off works, including curtains, piano moving and tuning, and gardening and landscaping, will kick-in. 13) Move into the new sanctuary and finalise the planning of activities in the church building. 14) Setup new processes to run and ensure the ongoing maintenance of the church building. 15) Complete defects liability signoff with Architect and rectify any issues post-handover.

The aim of this pastoral is to recap, update, and ask you to be praying much for the next steps. It is truly daunting to have so few personnel working on such a project. We pray that God will raise more in time. But since God has made His will clear by leading us thus far, we know and trust that His grace is all-sufficient as we do all things for His kingdom and His glory alone.

“(A Song of degrees for Solomon.) Except the LORD build the house,
they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city,
the watchman waketh but in vain.” Ps 127:1

Yours in our Lord’s service,
Pastor