A Message from Ellen
January 8, 2020
Dear Friends,
Over a year ago, the Session heard concerns from the Property Ministry about ongoing repairs and renovations that Property felt needed to be done, but which have not possible within our annual budget. Some of the items were already way past due. For example, there was a foundation issue caused by water runoff that had to be addressed. So, Session voted to use some reserves to fix this issue before more damage could happen. We saw all of that work done this summer. But there are some items that we know are larger than our reserves, and after reviewing the list, Session decided that the time had come to do some work on our facilities to ensure a strong foundation on which to build our mission and programs. So, Session asked a group of capable and knowledgeable members to form a Capital Campaign Research Task Group to collect both feedback from the congregation and to begin to collect working budgets that would allow us to address these physical plant needs.
You may have participated in one of the congregational feedback sessions that the Capital Campaign Research Task Group held in May of 2019. In those meetings, members even identified other issues that were added to Property’s initial list. That Task Group worked hard for over eight months to collect bids and construction information that led to a working budget that was received by Session in September 2019. In October, Session voted to conduct a feasibility study for the purpose of brining a recommendation to Session for action” in early 2020, and they approved a contract with Rev. Eric Skidmore to direct this Feasibility Study.
Since that date, a Feasibility Study Committee has been recruited and is beginning their work now. Eric Skidmore will be directing and staffing this exploratory effort. Suzanne and Dave Precht have agreed to chair this Committee and serving alongside them are Joe Davenport, John Hudgens, Tom Leclair and Kevin and Sara Tyer.
Inside, you can see a simple listing of the projects that are under consideration. And you will all be invited to talk with members of this Feasibility Study Committee to give your input and to indicate your priorities and interest. Please take time to talk to these good folks when they call you. It is not an easy thing to do to ask for money, but it would be much harder to fail in our responsibility to care for the buildings and facilities of this church and so not be able to do what we need to do to be Christ’s church. It is always easier to do nothing. But we are not after easy. We are about faithful.
See you in worship!
Ellen Fowler Skidmore
