Christ Lutheran Church Building With Boldness Campaign
For eleven years, our congregation has been involved in planning for our future and expanding the usable space for ministry.
I think that you will agree that it has been a long road, with all manner of frustration and disappointments.
However, it appears that this is all soon to change. The congregation has approved securing a set of plans from Barden Buildings to determine the feasibility, location and cost of our building. When the plans come back to us, we will determine how much of it we will be able to build, given the financial projections of what we can raise and how much of a mortgage that we could afford.
This brings me to the sensitive issue of financing the building. While we have been holding fundraising events, these events only supplement what the Lord requires of us individually and as a congregation.
When Solomon was called by the Lord to build the Temple, God required each family to give so that it could be built in all of its splendor. Following this Biblical example, I believe that the majority of the cost of this structure must be met by you and me.
Rough estimates all come in at about 1.5 million dollars. That’s a lot of money-- money that we do not have in the bank. Payments on a mortgage of that amount could be in excess of $15,000 a month, an amount that our congregation could not afford and still maintain our present ministry. We don’t want to hurt ourselves with this project.
In the past, we hired a professional capital funds procurement director. It cost the congregation $10,000 for the program. That was in 1997; it would cost more today. We can go that route, as some have suggested. But I think there is a better way that we could do ourselves.
Grace Lutheran Church in Mastic Beach adopted a slogan when they built their new church: “Not equal amounts, but equal Sacrifice.” I like that. We-- you and I-- need to shoulder the burden of our new building, each carrying the amount of the burden that the Lord has enabled us to carry. To some, a sacrifice might mean giving a lot; to others, it may be the widows mite. The Lord accepts both as holy.
It is possible to raise large amounts of money when it is done as an offering to the Lord. He will bless our efforts.
Here is the plan. If we could get 100 families to give $10,000, that would be a million dollars. Or 200 people to give $5,000 that, too, would be one million dollars. Now, I know for me, that seems like a lot of shekels to shell out. Certainly with the economy the way it is, just about every penny is spoken for before the check comes in.
However, if you break down the giving, the numbers don’t seem so bad at all.
Let’s say we spread the giving over three years, like we did in our last campaign (which was in the last Millennium!) Then, further break it down into monthly and weekly giving. Here’s what it would look like over a three year period:
| If, over three years, you want to give | It would be this per month | It would be this per week |
| $100 | $2.78 | 70 cents |
| $500 | $14.00 | $3.50 |
| $1,000 | $28.00 | $7.00 |
| $2,500 | $70.00 | $17.50 |
| $5,000 | $139.00 | $35.00 |
| $10,000 | $278.00 | $70.00 |
| $15,000 | $417.00 | $105.00 |
| $20,000 | $556.00 | $139.00 |
You get the idea. You can figure out any number in between these as well.
Once again, remember the slogan, “Not equal giving, but equal sacrifice.” Let’s say that you’re on a limited income and can only afford to give $500 over three years (or maybe even less). To put things into perspective, you would give $3.50 a week. That translates into 50 cents a day. (Right now a 16 oz. cup of coffee at 7-11 goes for $1.47-- you see how you can do this?? You bet you can!)
As the Scriptures remind us, we give as the Lord has enabled us. That’s different for everyone. Maybe you can give more. Praise the Lord. No one will tell you what to give. That is between you and the Lord.
However, in selecting what it is that you can do, remember these things:
1. Every member of our Church and Sunday School needs to be involved in this to make it work. Kids too! (You’d be surprised what kind of lessons we can learn from our kids when it comes to giving to the Lord!)
2. Take a look at your monthly income and outgo and decide on what you can give.
3. After you have decided this, go to the Lord in prayer. If you truly want to sacrifice, ask Him to help you commit to the level above the one you feel you can do.
4. Pray that the Lord would help you in your giving. Just as in our offerings, the Lord blesses multiple times over whatever we give to Him.
5. Remember that this amount we are speaking of is not your regular offering. We need everyone in the congregation to continue their faithful giving to the work and mission of the Lord first. The Building fund is always giving “on top” of your regular offering. This should also be weighed when considering what level the Lord is leading you to give.
6. We will have a pledge Sunday for the building project on May 6, 2007. In the mean time, sit down with your finances and prayerfully plan what you will give to the Lord.
7. There are some other things that people don’t think about. You can put the Church in your Will. You can donate a house or a car. You can give stocks or bonds to the Church. You can work out other financial arrangements with your financial planner. These are ways that are often overlooked and would go a long way in ensuring the future of our congregation. Please consider them if you have these abilities.
Beloved, I write this with much excitement in my heart. Our long vision is about to become reality. I truly believe that the Lord has called us to this task, and I truly believe that He will see us through in ways that we would never imagine.
May the Lord guard and guide you in your planning and giving.
In Christ,
The Rev. John G. Fleischmann, STS, Pastor