Larger Church Bus Bought

The church has bought a bus from Carpenter Bus Sales, Inc. in Franklin, Tennessee. It is a 1999 Chevrolet Supreme with 57,300 miles and a 27 passenger capacity. It is an attractive white bus with burgundy trim. Entrance and exit from the bus will be easier for everyone since the step-up is lower to the ground and it has a fully automatic wheelchair lift. We want our older members and our physically challenged members to have easy access to all our church programs including out of town events.

The Session decided to buy a larger church because we have outgrown the 15 passenger church van. Haley and Jay Williams are taking 20 young people to the Montreat Youth Conference this Summer. For the last couple of years they have had to arrange extra cars when they take the youth to Oxford, Memphis or Montreat. Our Xyz group has also faced the problem of having to arrange additional transportation for their out of town trips.

The cost of the bus is $36,400 and this is where you come in. The Session challenges each family to give $300 to cover the expenses of the new van. Some people may be able to give more and we encourage those who are able to give more. But if each giving unit will give at least $300 we can cover the cost of this van. You may want to give your extra $300 over a 3 year time span so that you increase your giving to the church by less than $1 a day for the next three years. That is all it will take for us to be able to pay for the bus without depleting our savings account.

In the meantime, the Session will use money from savings to purchase the van because we need it now. Our church is a young and growing church. Thanks be to God that we need a larger church bus! Many churches would love to have such growing pains. In a spirit of gratitude to God for this growth let us give as we have made up our minds, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Peace,
Dr. Jon Burnham