Learning/Outreach Center

Miilhan Stephens
June 29, 2013

Here's a message from our council chair, Joanne Parrish:

Pastor Dear Family,

The outreach team and the pastoral team are keen on renting a small storefront at 5510 Cherrywood Lane, Greenbelt, MD as a evangelistic outreach center. The Church Council would like your input on this prospect. The asking price of $2,000 per month is affordable and that will likely be negotiated downward. The space would be usable with a minimum amount of fixing up. This is a small, but easily accessible place, to meet, greet and connect to people.

Advantages are:

1) It is close to Greenbelt Metro, Lake Artemesia, Beltway Plaza and University of Maryland.

2) The storefront has window space onto the sidewalk on Cherrywood Lane (behind Chipotle) and plenty of pedestrians in the area. There are several fast-food restaurants next door and a Giant Supermarket across the street.

3) The space includes the main room (13' x 18') and two other offices, one of which could be a lecture room.

4) The venue could be a teaching center as well as a small-group hangout 7 days a week.

5) Window space allows us to show videos all day long as a promotional device.

6) The lease will be for only one year, so financial liability is small. 7) If this is so successful that the space becomes too small, there is a larger upstairs office suite in the same building that could also be rented; asking price is $1,700.

The front area can be set up to attract people's interest, with a comfortable place to talk, serve snacks and refreshments, give out literature and maybe watch a video. The back room could be for introductory lectures and other SMALL group activities. To be clear, this would serve as a place to meet and greet people. This would not be a place for 25 people workshops or other large gatherings, but it would be a good public presence for outreach.

Please stop by and look at the place yourself. Doug Burton and members of pastoral team will explain the venue after church at 1:00 p.m.

Sincerely,

Joanne Parrish for the Maryland Church Council