Background Information:

    Auburn Christian Fellowship (ACF) is an independent campus ministry. The primary source of income for the ministry is through supporting churches and church groups throughout Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and beyond. Most of the supporting groups are independent churches or churches associated with the National Association of Nondenominational Christian Churches, and a few of the groups are from conservative Disciples of Christ churches.

    ACF is currently celebrating its twentieth year in ministry. The original location of the ministry was in two houses on College Street at the site of the current Auburn Alumni Center. Through an involved deal with Northcutt realty, the current site of 315 S. Gay St was purchased debt-free and the debt incurred on the previous properties was eliminated.

    Over the ten years that the original campus minister, Dean Collins, oversaw the ministry, the group grew to include about 80 students on a fairly regular basis. When Dean Collins chose to move away from the position of campus minister, a few years of turmoil followed. In 1993, Perry Rubin became the campus minister and arrived to find a handful of students working hard to keep the ministry in existence. Through massive amounts of prayer and hard work, Perry and the handful of students began to see the ministry grow once again.

    Now in his sixth year of ministry, Perry has seen the ministry regain and overcome the strength that it once had before. The ministry regularly ministers to over 80 Auburn University students, and has regular contact with well over 100 students. The existing facilities, only able to comfortably contain about 80 people, have become inadequate.

    In 1996, the leaders began to pray that the adjacent property would become available and that funds would be received to purchase it and redevelop the two sites together. In 1998, the vision began to become reality. The owner of the adjacent property struck a deal with the ministry for the purchase of the property, and the collection of funds for the final payment on the property is currently underway.

    Now, a vision for the future is beginning to take shape. How can this ministry redevelop the property they now own in order to meet their current needs for ministry, and maintain a vision for future growth and ministry opportunities? How can this ministry learn from sister ministries at other campuses, as well as from fellow ministries in town in order to develop a long-lasting facility to draw students in for years to come?

Spacial Requirements:

    The following chart outlines the current spaces, immediate need, and the future vision for the property. The current spaces include the two structures on the recently-purchased property, the existing house, deck, and meeting hall.
 

Space	Current Availability	Immediate Need	Long-Term Vision
Meeting Room	+/-860 s.f.-120 pers. max.	+/-1,700 s.f.-240 pers. max.	2,100+ s.f.-300 pers. min.
Adj. Kitchen	+/- 300 s.f-Res. Equip.	As req. for Commercial	As req. for mtg. Room
Adj. Restrooms	1 unisex, access directly through mtg room.	As required, separate sex, access through Foyer	As required, separate sex, access through Foyer
Adj. Storage	none except pantry	Tables, Chairs, Pantry, misc.	Tables, Chairs, Equipment, Pantry, and misc.
Adj. Mech Rm.	Included in Pantry	As required	As required
Foyer to Mtg.	none	As required	As required
Exterior Storage	+/-120 s.f. shed	min. match existing	min. match existing
Exterior Meeting	wooden deck	patio to match mtg. rm.	patio to match mtg. rm.
Offices	1.5 for minister and 2 staff	2-3 for minister and 2 staff	3+ for minister and 3+ staff
Bedrooms	6 total -  3 in exist. House 3 in adj. House	Match existing	Match per growth rate
Living for residents	2 total - 1 each house	Match exist.	Increase size per # residents, make variety of space uses
Study Spaces	none	1+	1+ as available
Res. Kitchen	1 each house	1 per living area	1 per living area
Res. Stor.	Exist. Attic and closets	As required/avail.	As required/avail.
Laundry	basement of each house	1 per living area (mult. Machines)	1 per living area (mult. Machines)
game/noise room	existing garage bldg.	1+	1+
Parking	total +/- 18 spaces exist: +/- 14 spaces 4 spaces on adj. prop.	as avail, apply for variance, seek alternate locations-i.e. Heart of Auburn	as avail, apply for variance, seek alternate locations-i.e. Heart of Auburn

Design Concerns:

    The primary design concern for the project is the vision from which Auburn Christian Fellowship develops its ministry.  Perry Rubin, the campus minister, considers relationships to be the primary format for ACF to spread the Gospel.   Every portion of the ACF campus should be set up in order to make possible a way to build relationships.  Each gathering space should cater to different ways for people to interact.  The going from space to space should make growing relationships easier.  The series of spaces should draw in new people in order to build relationships with them.

    The number, orientation, and size of spaces should allow for the ministry to grow in numbers, but maintain a "Cheers" atmosphere.  The "Cheers" atmosphere is the famous TV show quote, "Where everybody knows your name."  As the ministry grew from very few students to its present size, there was a point at around 40 regular attenders that the Cheers atmosphere began to be lost.  Adjustments in the leadership and format for ministry allowed for a transition and a rekindling of the Cheers atmosphere with continued growth.  As the ministry continues to grow, the structures must allow for future transitions in order to maintain this atmosphere.  Many students who have visited from other local ministries have made clear comments regarding this atmosphere in contrast to their respective ministries.  This is what sets ACF apart, and should continue to be the foundation for ACF's ministry in Auburn.