The annual campaign, which this year is entitled “Keeping the Dream, Building for All, and Growing Our Future,” will begin on March 15, but other than running through the early spring, it will not be typical.
This year we are looking to accomplish several tasks. First of all, the campaign committee wants to meet with everyone to ask them for their opinion and view on all that is happening in the church.
Everyone will also be asked to consider their gift to the annual campaign, which funds the operating budget and pays the day to day bills. This is critical to keeping the lights on; the heating and air conditioning running; the plumbing in plumb; copying the order of service, paying the salaries for me, Carol, and Sheila, the honoraria for speakers and musicians, and those who care for and teach the children. Our congregation does well in making sure the yearly operating budget is funded.
The next step is the “stretch” part. As is well known, there are plans in the making for an addition. In addition to the annual campaign contribution, your canvasser will also be asking you to consider a gift toward the building improvements. The building committee is looking for 100% participation in this, so that everyone will have a constructive part in meeting our current and expected needs. The canvassers will have more details on the different ways to participate in this element of the campaign.
The final step in this year’s campaign deals with the endowment. Now more than ever we have come to appreciate how people’s generous gifts over the last 25 years have allowed us to be where we are at today. Their efforts and contributions allow us to consider our many options for building and growth. The canvassers will be giving you information on how all of us can continue in this endowment tradition, which will extend our congregation’s flexibility and security into the future. We want to give successive generations the resources to meet the challenges they will encounter, with the same confidence we are meeting the needs of today.
We will celebrate the close of the campaign with our Celebration Sunday on April 26th. There, I look forward to joining with all of you in capping our campaign.
