Vision for Tomorrow ? - WHY ???

 

For years we've known that we needed to do something about our lack of space. Our articulated and well thought out vision for mission for All Saints' helped us focus on what we wanted and needed to do and why.

 

Churches that stand still eventually die. The churches that move ahead and flourish take their "leap of faith," to become better equipped to do God's work. And in so doing they build the Body of Christ and enrich everyone's spiritual journey.

This campaign is not only about money and brick and mortar. It's about what brick and mortar will help us accomplish in mission. It's about strengthening, enriching and expanding our program ministries and having the space and places to conduct them.

It's about people and how our expanded ministries will serve their spiritual journey and growth in faith.

We all know that we suffer as a parish from a dire lack of space that has reached critical proportions. We cannot grow, we cannot expand our ministries, we cannot enrich our programs without more space.

So how will we serve our "people" better?

• There will be new space for our EYC so that they might grow and have their faith journeys influenced. These are the future leaders of our church.
• There will be new, more and better classrooms for teaching our children the basics of our Christian, and Episcopalian faith.
• There will be a special place for all of us to gather. The new multipurpose Parish Hall will enrich our gatherings and events and Christian Education program.
• There will be facilities to accommodate community events and meetings. It will strengthen our outreach and enhance our ministry.
• Our staff ministries will be enhanced with better space.

A new public lobby and administrative offices will strengthen our pastoral/crisis counseling, improve staff efficiency and provide a warm, welcoming reception area for members, visitors and those looking for a church home.

Our vision is before us and the plans set.

Our sacrificial responses in pledging will make our dreams into realities.

WHAT DO YOU SEE IN ALL SAINTS’ FUTURE?
--Sally Gray

I see opportunities for:

 Outreach – Making our new facilities available for others’ use.
 Enhanced fellowship – Room to move, interact and be together as a church family.
 Broader Christian education offerings – More classes in improved spaces.
 Downtown witness – A church committed to our community and neighbors.
 Updated kitchen – Accommodating all of us more efficiently when we prepare and share meals together.
 Improved meeting spaces – So Jr. EYC won’t be disturbed by those Daughters of the King meetings; those ladies can get pretty rowdy sometimes!
 Larger music ministry space – Growing adult and children’s choirs and bell-ringers need more rehearsal, robing and storage areas.
 EYC’s own space – So this growing group can have fun and encourage each other in their spiritual journeys.
 More welcoming space for visitors – Weddings, funerals and special events, and yes, maybe, to see my own daughters married here with receptions in our own parish hall rather than a rented space that holds no meaning for them.
 Growth – In numbers, perhaps, but most of all in an understanding and love of God.

What do you see?
 

A Prayer for All Saints' Capital Campaign

Almighty God, whose loving hand has given us all that we possess: Bless

the parish of All Saints at this time in our history. Grant us guidance, perseverance, and obedience as we seek The Way Ahead. Give us a spirit of gratefulness as we discern our personal responsibilities toward one another and to this campaign; and give us the wisdom to understand that we are each part of the greater community of faith which is your Holy Church. Grant this, we pray, so that we may continue and grow in the ministry that you have given to us, to be witnesses of your love to our neighbors, our community, and the world. We ask this, emboldened by the Holy Spirit, in the name of your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.