Overview
St. Luke Lutheran Church in Mesa, Arizona, faced a familiar challenge: decades of undocumented facility management led by rotating volunteers, leaving their new Director of Facilities, Kathleen Hoffman, without a clear roadmap. With no maintenance records, aging HVAC systems, and limited time, she turned to eSPACE to bring structure, visibility, and proactive planning to their operations. In just a short time, eSPACE became an essential asset—helping the church catch costly issues before they escalated, streamline maintenance tracking, and centralize all facility activity in one intuitive platform.
The Challenge
When Kathleen stepped into her role at St. Luke Lutheran Church, she was not only new to the church—but the role itself had never existed in a formal capacity. For 60 years, rotating volunteers had managed the facilities without documentation, leaving a trail of guesswork and gaps in knowledge.
From trying to shut off a leaking water valve (that hadn’t been turned in decades) to realizing major HVAC systems were aging without any records, Kathleen faced a facility full of unknowns. With only part-time hours, tracking everything manually was nearly impossible.
The Solution: Implementing eSPACE for Facility and Work Order Management
eSPACE provided the centralized system St. Luke needed.
With it, Kathleen was able to:
- Catch long-term oversights, including a 20-year-old HVAC heating issue that was never connected
- Document every asset, valve, and HVAC unit on campus
- Schedule preventive maintenance and label critical infrastructure
- Track recurring issues and justify replacing failing systems
- Integrate Pelican thermostats for smarter energy control
“It’s a valued asset for the church. What I love about eSPACE is that it was designed by people who actually understand church work.” — Kathleen Hoffman, Director of Facilities, St. Luke Lutheran Church (Mesa, AZ)
The Results: Increased Efficiency, Time Savings, and Scalability
Using eSPACE, St. Luke caught critical facility issues before they became expensive emergencies. One discovery? Their main lobby heater had been disconnected since a renovation 20 years ago—a $40,000 fix that was no longer necessary thanks to data-informed decision-making.
Kathleen now logs even construction projects in eSPACE, creating a single source of truth for all facility operations.
Why Kathleen Recommends eSPACE
“If you’re on the fence—just try it. eSPACE has been our biggest win: a one-stop shop for everything happening in the facility. It’s built by people who understand churches. That makes all the difference.”
Conclusion
What began as a daunting task—untangling years of undocumented facility management—quickly became a story of transformation for St. Luke Lutheran Church. With eSPACE, Kathleen and her team gained more than just software; they gained clarity, confidence, and control over their church facilities. By centralizing documentation, tracking preventative maintenance, and catching issues early, eSPACE has empowered St. Luke to steward their resources more wisely and serve their congregation with greater efficiency. For churches seeking a scalable, church-specific solution to facility challenges, eSPACE stands out as a trusted, proven partner.
To learn more about how eSPACE can transform your church facility management, schedule a demo today.
