Delaware City Vineyard is changing building locations 

to stay committed to our ministry & mission

Our church is in the process of searching for a new building that fits within our financial reality. Currently, our building is the largest line item on the church’s budget — more than administrative and ministry initiative costs — and takes up almost 60 percent of our total revenue. So we are in the process of searching for a new building that will allow us to stay committed to ministry and mission in the city of Delaware.

As we search for a new building, our elders and leaders are completely committed to our vision to be a church “in the city, for the city.” So, we are committed to finding a gathering space in Delaware, the city we have been called to love and serve for the past 15 years. As we enter into this season of transition, our elders have sensed that our church is being energized for ministry and mission in our city.

What are the Details?

Letter from pastor julie
All-church handout
all-church meeting slideshow

FAQs

What has DCV done to increase giving?
There are many ways that we have worked to increase revenue, including:

Receiving and praying over an offering every week.

A recent sermon series and a call to personal generosity and tithing. We've done several series on stewardship over the life of DCV.

Applying for and receiving grants from United Way to support our work in caring for the poor.

Making direct asks of high net worth individuals to offset shortfalls.

Making direct asks of partner organizations and churches.

Conducting focused giving campaigns one or two times per year to encourage giving "above and beyond".

Conducting an Annual Meeting and Financial Report each year. During this meeting, we share with complete transparency and to the penny the financial reality of DCV.
What has DCV done to decrease expenses?
Implemented a crisis budget: The elders approved the 2024 budget which is a crisis budget, prioritizing payroll and facility expenses. All other non-essentials have been reduced or eliminated completely.

Negotiations with our Landlord: We have been in ongoing communications with our landlord requesting rent abatement, renegotiations and any reprieves that can be offered.

Shared use of our facility: Even in our prior facility, DCV has had numerous shared use partners, including some who have paid rent and shared costs.
When are we planning to move?
Because of the urgency of the financial situation, we are looking to move to a new building rather quickly, with a target of Summer of this year. A building search committee was formed several months ago and has explored several different building options, both temporary and permanent.
What are we looking for in a new building?
In order to stay true to our vision of being a church in the city and for the city, we are looking for a gathering space in the city of Delaware. The building needs to fit within our church's budget and have the space for us to not only hold Sunday morning services but Family Ministry programming.
What options are being considered for a new space?
Late last year, we engaged a group of folks with diverse backgrounds in the city, real estate and from our leadership team to begin brainstorming alternative space solutions. We have considered both temporary and permanent locations with a target financial number that would drastically reduce our expenses. This building search committee has been in contact with several organizations and businesses, including:

Liberty Community Center

Unity Community Center

Willis Education Center

Meeker Event Venue

Delaware YMCA

Harvest Hills Ministries

The Barn at Stratford

Delaware County Fairgrounds

We've also contacted a number of commercial buildings to discuss subletting commercial space.
What is happening with FEEDDelaware?
FEED, our church's weekly food pantry serving the community, is a critical part of our church's mission in the city. If we end up in a temporary building, we will seek creative solutions to keep serving and feeding those in need in Delaware.
How can I help?
First and foremost, we ask for your prayers. Pray that God would provide the perfect building for DCV to continue and even grow in how we are serving Delaware. If you aren't currently in a regular pattern of giving to the church, would you consider tithing? Finally, just as it is the case when a family moves into a new home, there is a lot of work to be done. We will need many helping hands to make the move possible.

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You can support the mission and ministry of the Delaware City Vineyard through making an online donation below.
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