Earlier this summer, a small committee of lay leaders gathered in my office in order to tackle a problem. Some things needed fixing around the church, big things, and it was time to consider raising the money to do it. It’s not like we didn't know these repairs were needed before; it’s just that in 2008 and in the face of the economic free fall, we made the decision to keep local outreach dollars the same at the expense of our property. As I liked to say at the time, "The Firehouse Shelter needs us worse than we need a new parking lot."

But the time has come for our property and as we added up our "wish list" we came up with a total of 1.5 million dollars. This would include a new sound system, new columbarium space, a playground, development of the property next door, retirement of debt, and replenishment of our maintenance reserve funds. In short, we felt like this amount would repair the church, retire the debt, and enable us to live into our high calling as a village church.

The idea was to launch the campaign on Rally Day, with the hopes of having a successful "quiet phase" in the summer months before. We had no consultant, no advertising agency, no official "plan" other than to make some calls and hold a few awareness meetings for anyone we could find during the summer.

Of course, there were bigger problems than our not having a consultant. It's tough out there, financially speaking, and we all know it.

So, we made some calls and held a few meetings, and we told our story. And a miracle happened in the summer of 2010: As of rally day, the day we launched our campaign to raise 1.5 million dollars, we have received $1,367,850 in pledges. That's some quiet campaign... In fact, it is a miracle.

Now we ask and invite everyone here at Saint Luke's to help us finish the goal. Pledges to our "rebuilding" campaign can be made over three years beginning next year, and these are not to be confused with Stewardship at Saint Luke's; these pledges are over those gifts and pledges to our General Fund.

It has been quite a summer; your overwhelming response has been humbling. I see our miracle as a reminder of God's hand upon our village church, and a herald of hope and good days to come.

.

.