NEW YEAR

We have a building committee meeting scheduled next Tuesday to get the final cost estimates. I talked to David Beard today and he told me the cost will be close to his last estimate of about $30,000 more than one million. We have about that much but will be close to taking all our funds to complete the building. Carol Bennett has challenged us to consider carrying a little debt. Our members have said they don't want to have debt. It is interesting that we visited Lou's cousin in a suburb north of Austin. We drove by the huge First Baptist Church on our way in and commented that they had a new building that looked like a school. Our relatives belong to the church and I asked about the building. It is a new $8 mil educational building. I asked about their finances and they have a $3 mil budget with a $12 mil debt.

We may have to take a more optimistic look at our building and have one we can grow in. Let me know what you think. This is a place for comment.