Another major milestone has been passed in H*VMI’s Property Project. In the short weeks before our Annual Lancaster County PA Luncheon, H*VMI received some final items needed before construction could begin. God made it clear that, now is the time to “break ground.” We rushed to get invites to as many people as we could in such a short time, and began preparing for the ceremony.
After the luncheon at Yoder’s on October 22, 2022 we transitioned the event over to the property and gathered on the ground where the future office will be built. More than 100 people joined the event. There were people previously connected to H*VMI: Our neighbors, supporters, friends, Board Members, Staff and Missionaries, both current and some former. There were also people connected to H*VMI through the project: The Mayor of Akron, Vice President of AMES Construction, H*VMI’s Engineer, a representative from Jonestown Bank and Trust and other people from the local area.
Remarks were made by H*VMI’s Founder, Tim Sheetz; Current Executive Director, Kyle Robinson; and Board Chairman, Doug Bennett. We began and ended with prayer and singing praises to the Lord. During the remarks we focused on the Lord’s planning and provision for the ministry, the Gospel message of Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection; and the upcoming construction plans.
You may be asking yourself, “What’s Next?” Although I tried to pass out shovels and have those in attendance begin digging the foundation for the buildings, that is not how the construction process will actually begin! In January 2022 we received Conditional Plan Approval in January 2022. Since that time we have acquired the necessary permits (HOP and NPDES) and made the Plan adjustments necessary. We have also secured Letters of Credit from our bank. They essentially issue these as requested by municipalities as an insurance policy of sorts in case H*VMI would begin the project, dig up utilities or do other such earth disturbance, then abandon the site or go bankrupt. In that extremely unlikely scenario, the funds in this letter of credit could then be accessed by the borough in order that they could come in and fix or rebuild things critical to the borough or the public good.
H*VMI is waiting on the final signing and recording of the Plans so we can say, “Go” to B.R. Krieder, the excavators we’ve contracted for the project. B.R. Krieder is prepared to make a serious dent in the excavating work before it gets too cold to move dirt. AMES Construction is also ready to begin working on the office in November with the goal of getting the building “under roof” before the colder, wetter weather sets in. That way they can spend the winter months finishing the inside of the building, hanging drywall, running utilities and doing the other finish work.
Please pray for the timing of the start of excavation, and for suitable weather for B.R. Krieder and AMES to be able to make good progress. We would like to go into 2023 with some major work completed and H*VMI well on our way to moving into H*VMI’s new office at our very own Ministry Center.
