From your senior warden:
Dear Gregorians,
In a newsletter earlier this month, I wrote about the many blessings of our church for which I am thankful. Today, I want to add the Capital Improvements Campaign Committee to that list and catch you up on where the campaign stands.
First, a grateful thank-you to Stacie Court, who has led the committee throughout this very busy year, and to its core members Jonathan Klein, Lane Norton, Rhonda Packer, Jeff Welch, and Bruce Zavitz, as well as important contributors Randall Abney, Les House, and Mark Reinberger. Our success to date owes everything to their efforts.
The Capital Campaign has, as of this writing, received commitments of almost $180,000 from 42 sources. In a year in which our annual budget has fallen short of giving our staff a cost-of-living raise and fallen short of hiring a Christian Education and a Music Director, it is heartening to realize that the capital campaign has done as well as it has.
I would be even more thankful if we could do it all—and I keep praying that we will. (It would take another $46,000 in our annual budget to give our staff a needed raise and to hire Christian Education and Music Directors; it would take about $720,000 more—over five years—to embark on the full slate of capital improvements.)
In the meantime, let me acknowledge the splendid contributions of Jonathan Klein in keeping our music program going, and of Kate Avinger, Jenifer Borg, Anna Hiers, Catherine Holton, Jared Holton, Berni McCranie, and Jenifer Marquardt for their work with our children. And while I’m at it, a huge thank you to Missy Hamlin, Jude Red Bear, Berkely Boone and Stephanie and Willem Swindler for their work in the nursery.
So many Gregorians give so much to our community and to the wider world. It’s impossible to thank you all! (Though in future columns I’m going to try.) But let me get back to the capital campaign.
Stacie and her committee have planned what sounds like a fun event for the fall. On Saturday, September 21, St. Gregory’s will host a “Family Night.” But here’s the catch: the “family” referred to in that title includes everyone who attends our church--or would like to attend. We’re all one family, after all. Everyone will be welcome.
What’s going to happen, you wonder? Glad you asked. There will be games. There will be food. There will be a silent auction for items contributed by our parishioners and friends. And there will be a very un-silent auction of delectable desserts baked (or purchased) for the event. But mostly, there will be fellowship and fun.
“Family Night” is designed to coincide with the 2024-2025 stewardship campaign as well as the capital campaign—to remind everyone that both our physical and our personnel needs are important.
As we draw closer to the event, you will hear appeals for items or services you might be able to donate to the silent auction. Rumor has it that Jeff Welch may be offering airplane rides! Plus, with all the superb artists at our church, I am hoping we will have a veritable gallery of items to bid on.
That’s the news about the capital campaign. I’m so thankful for all that you have done so far, and I’m ready to be thankful for all that you will continue to do in the months and years to come.
In closing, let me end with a line from the Psalms that looks forward to Family Night and the dessert auction: “Taste and see that the Lord is good.”
God’s peace,
Mark Richardson
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