Grace Episcopal Church Capital Campaign

Transcription

1 Grace Episcopal Church Capital Campaign Grace Episcopal Church 160 High Street Medford, MA

2 Dear Friends, Grace Episcopal Church is a beacon of hope and faith to our members and the broader community. We are united in friendships that span generations. We celebrate the multifaceted diversity in our lives and backgrounds. We are all brought close to God s heart in our sacramental life and worship. And, each of us shares an admiration for the sheer beauty of our historic spiritual home. The Rev. Noah H. Evans And yet, our faith is not an exercise in nostalgia. We are not content to coast on the memories of what Grace once was. Our goal, as it always has been, is to be relevant in the lives of our members, those who call on us to help, and our community at large. We strive now, as always, to be faithful to Jesus call to make a difference in the world. Outlined in the pages that follow is our case for an efficient, accessible, weather tight and structurally sound sanctuary, bell tower, and parish hall. Please give it your earnest and prayerful attention. Peace, The Reverend Noah H. Evans Rector Sean Kerans and Margaret Smist Capital Campaign Co-Chairs Grace Episcopal Church in Medford has always played a significant part in the lives of families in the greater Medford area. Many parishioners were born and raised at Grace, while others have moved to our area and were welcomed into the Grace Church Congregation with open arms and hearts. Over the last several years, our parish hall, sanctuary and bell tower have become a significant financial burden to our parish family. Repairs to the buildings, deferred maintenance, energy bills, and the general operation and administration of this historic old facility have developed into a substantial drain on the financial resources of our church. With all that our parish community requires and deserves we continue to be hampered by this growing financial challenge. Clearly, a change is necessary if Grace Church is to continue to be an important and integral part of both our existing and future parishioners lives. Correcting the critically needed deferred maintenance, installing more energy- efficient heating and lighting systems, and upgrading our handicapped accessibility will allow us to focus on serving our parish and the wider community verses the burden of operating an old and deteriorating building. We have an exciting opportunity to overcome these challenges and to make the changes that will ensure Grace has the ability to serve and welcome people and families for many years to come. It will be a difficult challenge to raise the money we need to affect these repairs; however, we have never been as close as we are today. With careful thought and consideration, our Vestry has come up with the plan to handle the repairs and improvements detailed in this booklet. Now, it is now our turn to carefully think about how Grace has impacted our lives and consider what each of us can do to help Grace Church move forward with a successful capital fund drive. Margaret Smist Sean Kerans Capital Campaign Co-Chairs

3 Grace Episcopal Church Capital Campaign Grace Episcopal Church is a multigenerational, diverse and welcoming Christian community which values shared leadership, service to those in need and nurturing all in the love of God. Built in 1867, the Grace Church Sanctuary is on the National Register of Historic Places. Designed by noted architect Henry Hobson Richardson, it is his oldest surviving Church. The chimes in the steeple were raised in 1873, and cast by Blake Brothers Company, successor firm to Paul Revere's. The 90-foot tower holds nine bells. The largest bell was given to Grace by the city of Medford for use as a fire-bell. The stained glass window, Rebecca at the Well was created by renowned 19th century artist John LaFarge. Between 1882 and 1957, several additions were made to the church building, including the parish hall and education wings. Grace Church is a dynamic and vibrant spiritual home to a diverse congregation of over 200 families with different racial, social, ethnic, cultural, and religious backgrounds. Some are lifelong Episcopalians; some were raised in other denominations, all have found Grace Church is their spiritual home. Grace Church is thriving. Over the last 15 years, the average Sunday attendance has more than tripled, and has increased 25% in the last two years. Annual Giving has grown over 30% in the last three years, despite the economic downturn. Economically, Grace Church kept going during lean times, often at the expense of its long term needs. Grace Church has depleted its endowment, and deferred much maintenance; including critically needed repairs to its historic building. Now it is time to catch-up.

4 A Capital Campaign Fiscally, the Grace Church Vestry has seen the need for prudent long term planning, and annual parish budgets have been balanced for the last 3 years. Parish Leadership and giving have grown to support our many parish programs and maintain our buildings. The recent Wiles bequest has given us seed money to restore a parish endowment. We will need the financial support of the entire parish community to achieve the goals formulated during an extensive parish discernment process undertaken in Top parish priorities for the next 5-10 years are: maintain and grow a diverse community while preserving a sense of intimacy; keep young adults active and involved, allowing them to serve leadership roles, and meet their spiritual needs (in particular through a ministry for young adults); preserve and protect our historic property; have a strong presence in the community and a commitment to social justice in the world; and keep clergy & congregation working toward the same goals To keep Grace Church operational during this project, construction will take place in phases to accommodate church activities. We will be mindful of the environmental impact in all phases. This will be especially evident in relighting the Parish Hall and Sanctuary with energy efficient LED lights. Critical needs to be addressed include: Restore/upgrade Bell Tower $287,000 Restore and upgrade Pipe Organ 60,000-75,000 Install efficient natural gas condensing boilers, and install efficient lighting 129,000 Repair interior/exterior water damage, including stained glass, masonry and foundation work 120,000 New upstairs bathroom, and make existing bathroom handicapped accessible 35,000 Repair roof and broken/missing slate shingles and gutters 39,000 Exterior re-grading, safety fence, lawn repairs, etc. 52,500 Subtotal $737,500 10% tithe to Diocese of Mass.Capital Campaign $62,500* Grand Total: $800,000 Gifts already secured: $175,000 Balance to be raised: $625,000 *Supporting Diocesan ministries is vital to Grace Episcopal Church s ongoing mission and success. The Diocesan Campaign is raising $20 million for: Young Adult & Urban and Ethnic Ministry Barbara C. Harris Camp and Conference Center Environmental Stewardship Grants Parish International Mission Grant Fund Cathedral (deferred maintenance and repairs) Since delay will cause repair costs to escalate, it is imperative we move forward with this project immediately. Construction will begin in the late Spring of 2011 and conclude early in Our normal operating budget cannot cover these expenses. Therefore, they must be raised by a Parish Development Campaign seeking support from Grace Parishioners through generous pledges payable over three to five years. The needs of our historic building are now at a critical point, so the time to act is now!

5 Planning Your Gift To achieve its goal, Grace Episcopal Church s Capital Campaign will require generous pledges payable over the next three to five years. The following chart demonstrates this concept: A Weekly Gift Of Equals Monthly Equals Annually Over Two Years Over Three Years Over Five Years $3.00 $13.00 $ $ $ $ $4.00 $17.33 $ $ $ $1, $5.00 $21.67 $ $ $ $1, $10.00 $43.33 $ $1, $1, $2, $15.00 $65.00 $ $1, $2, $3, $20.00 $86.67 $1, $2, $3, $5, $30.00 $ $1, $3, $4, $7, $40.00 $ $2, $4, $6, $10, $50.00 $ $2, $5, $7, $13, $60.00 $ $3, $6, $9, $15, $70.00 $ $3, $7, $10, $18, $80.00 $ $4, $8, $12, $20, $90.00 $ $4, $9, $14, $23, $ $ $5, $10, $15, $26, Donations to Grace Church are taxdeductible. Consult with your financial advisor and/or attorney before making gifts of securities or other property. Donations may be made in the following ways: Cash: Cash contributions account for the majority of charitable giving. Cash given over a multi-year pledge is the most common and popular way of giving. You may find that you will be able to increase the size of your gift if you extend payments over the full 3 to 5 year pledge period as shown in the table above. Matching Gifts: Some companies have matching gift programs. If you, or your spouse, are affiliated with such a company, please forward the company s matching gift form with your signed pledge card. Securities: Donating securities that have appreciated in value and have been held for more than twelve months may offer tax advantages. Please consult your tax attorney or financial consultant to determine the best way to make such a gift. Real Estate: Real estate that has been held for more than twelve months and has appreciated in value may be donated to the campaign with the same tax advantages as gifts of securities. Named Gift Opportunities: Friends and families may wish to recognize or commemorate a loved one by naming a room or area in their honor. A detailed listing of such opportunities is available from the church office. My children Nzube, Ebby and Chioma are all friends with the other children at the church and serve as acolytes - Agnes Opara Grace church is the equivalent to a home away from home. My family and I love Grace Church because of its welcoming atmosphere and the constant open arms of the parishioners. I ve been attending Grace Church for almost 13 years and have witnessed its growth and improvement not only with its resources but with the growing of children, and the newcomers who almost always become regular attendees. My children are all friends with the other children at the church and serve as acolytes and help with the toddlers and exhibit a genuine hands on attitude. The spirituality I look for in a church community is obviously present at Grace Church. There s something about Grace Church that keeps you coming and never turning back and I m glad my family and I never turned back. - Agnes Opara

6 I have been a member of Grace Episcopal Church all of my life. As a child, along with my sister and brother, I was expected to attend church every Sunday with our parents. Now, in my elder years, I look to Sundays as a springboard to the rest of my week. To spend time with our multi-generational and diverse congregation brings joy to my heart! - Ruth Hall Going Green Replacing Grace Church s aging heating system with modern high efficiency units will significantly decrease the ongoing cost of heating the sanctuary and parish hall while also decreasing Grace Episcopal s carbon footprint. Water Damage in the nave of Grace Episcopal s baptismal font is but one example of the High Cost of deferred maintenance that must be corrected before the cost escalates even further. Summer Camp youth from Grace Church benefitted from the significant support the Barbara C. Harris Camp receives from the Diocese of Mass. on an ongoing basis. This is another reason why Grace Church parishioners support of the current Diocese of Mass. Capital campaign will help further our mission. Grace Episcopal Church Heavenly Music Restoring Grace Church s historic Hook and Hastings pipe organ to its former glory is long overdue. 160 High Street Medford, MA (781) office@gracemedford.org