We are inching ever closer to clear building plans which we will share with you all on August 16th after worship, so mark your calendars! This month I want to remind you where we’ve been and share with you where we are headed.
Where we’ve been.
Last year we spent time discerning what we want in a new space. This is what we came up with:
- We want every single part of the space to be physically accessible to all people. This means wider aisles, an accessible chancel, choir loft, and sacristy, upgraded sound systems and lighting systems
- We want to remove all barriers to receiving the good things that God has for us in worship. This means a space free of columns, railings and again - upgrading things like light and sound so that everyone can see, hear and experience the fullness of worship. It also means replacing the HVAC system.
- We all agreed that we encounter God most in places of awe and beauty so we want this space to utilize artistic, musical and natural beauty, bringing the outside in and drawing inspiration from our awe-inspiring setting. We were clear that we want light and air!
- We want to keep central the things that have always been central to us: the Word, the table, the font, and the cross
- We want the sanctuary to make individuals feel embraced but not exposed
Where we are.
Right now, our sanctuary is underutilized despite that fact that our building is in high demand.
The last time we did a capital campaign the theme was, “All Are Welcome”. What if this time, our job was to make that welcome even deeper and wider? Creating a space that we could share with neighbors for weddings and concerts, that we could use for Prayer Around the Cross during Lent, that we could share with Twelve Step groups so that when Interfaith Shelter is here, everyone has enough room? Imagine sitting in worship and feeling the breeze, bathing in light, where we are afforded the calm of a space of refuge but aren’t cut off from our surroundings.
Where we’re going.
Between now and August, the building steering team is working with our stewardship strategist, Don, and our architects, John and Charity, to create a case statement whereby we make the case for a potential design and direction for this project.
Between August and September, the whole congregation will undergo a feasibility study to assess how excited and invested the congregation is in this potential plan. This is a time of congregational discernment. Is this really the direction that God is calling us?
The capital campaign will be held over 4 different Sundays spanning between October and November, complete before Thanksgiving.
This project is different than the “All Are Welcome” Campaign in 2014 in that the campaign will come long before the construction. We need to know how seriously the congregation is willing to invest in this plan before we invest in completing the design. From there it will take time to bring the design to completion, undergo permitting, and construction.
I ask that you enter in to prayer, deeply and sincerely because if we endeavor to do this, we are going to need to have our ear tuned to God’s spirit.
Peace,
Pastor Bekki