UPDATE 16 - Who is the building team, exactly?
Hey all. So one confusing thing about Project Sanctuary has been when I reference “the building team.” If you have ever asked, “who is the building team?”, know that you are not alone!
When we first started looking at 2531 E Lehigh Ave in the summer of 2023, I put together a team to vet the building and decide if Liberti should make an offer. That team included Jay Barbieri, Scott Hicks, Beau Rosario, Phil Stoltzfus, Larry Walker, and Dave Wenger, with Stacy Sanseverino serving as our realtor. That team had many animated discussions about the building, what it would cost us, and how to negotiate. But somehow God united all us sinners to be of one mind in getting the building under contract! :) I also took our elders, deacons, and deaconesses through the building to give feedback prior to making an offer.
After we closed on the building, that team was shuffled a bit to shift our focus to the Project Sanctuary initiative in the Spring of 2024. Our Project Sanctuary team consisted of Phil Stoltzfus to focus on marketing, Carol Davis to focus on prayer, Courtney Shenk to do admin, Beau Rosario to do website/video work, and Larry Walker to plan advance commitment meetings. We also got some amazing graphic design work from Ben Bond and artwork from Mike Townsend. Additionally, Scott Hicks took over demolition work in our newly acquired building.
In 2024, I assembled an architecture team. This team worked to select an architect, then met with the architects to think through the vision and schematics for the building. For example, this team deliberated a lot on what the orientation of the future sanctuary would be. This team consisted of Colleen Etherton, Scott Hicks, Madison Klee, and Justin Matulewicz. Beau Rosario also made occasional visits.
But I haven’t even answered the question yet!
In 2025, our “building team” has consisted primarily of Justin Matulewicz and Dave Hartsfield. Scott Hicks has been around some too, though having his second baby this year has taken him out of the work a bit. Dave Hartsfield is a deacon at Liberti MainLine who worked for many years in the city as Project Manager; now retired, he has been giving us a number of hours a week to review bids, help put together budgets, and interface with the architect and GC. This small band led the charge in picking a general contractor, giving ongoing feedback to the architect and GC, and descoping the project with the GC to fit our budget. They are our current building team.
And, though he isn’t on a formal team, Dave Wenger has been putting many many hours in getting us a construction loan. Our bookkeeper Kate Perez has helped prepare many statements. And Christine Matulewicz has helped in a few ways (though she would say all credit should go to Dave Wenger).
As you can see, this project has been a parade of teams. Lots of folks have offered their gifts! I’m grateful for every one of them, and I have had to lean on each person named above. Thank you guys for serving! And there are many who have given and prayed and served who aren’t named here, but have been indispensable to getting us to where we are.
- Stephen Wood