Key Dates
2015 Stewardship
Initiative
Worship and Prayer Events Sunday Message Series May 17, May 31, June 7, June 14 Forty Days of Prayer May 17 through June 25 WOW! Worship on the Water May 21 Prayer Concert May 24 v Communication Events Three fun, informal opportunities at which Michael will cast the vision for Home for Good and you can have all your questions answered. May 29 June 5 June 7 Prom Night Trivia Night Family Barbecue Pastor Michael Longfellow Campaign Director: Matt Cary Home for Good Leadership Team v
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Administrative Team Leaders Ryan and Crystal Fortin Leadership Events Team Leaders Alden and Kim Longfellow Targeted Communications Team Leaders Ryan and Jamie Madore Prayer Team Leader Pastor Kelleen Longfellow Media Team Leader Kathy Daniel Invitations Team Leaders Julian Harwood Linda Jones Children’s Ministry Team Leaders Matt and Heidi Jennings Youth Team Leaders Dave and Shirley Smiley v
First Fruits Weekend Leadership Commitment Dinner June 12 All-‐Night Prayer Vigil June 13-‐14 Commitment Sunday June 14 17 Union Street, Hallowell, ME 04347 207.622.6827 www.fbchallowell.com Dear Friends, What a joy to look around on Sunday mornings and see that God is drawing people to FBC in unprecedented numbers. When many churches are dying, and when alarming numbers of people have written off church as an irrelevant institution, FBC is thriving—alive! God has uniquely positioned us in the capital area to reach the unchurched and the seeking, and to disciple the growing believer. Sadly, our building has become a hindrance to our health as a church. There’s no room to worship, no room to park, no room for our growing children’s and youth programs, no room to offer community events or even to have a church supper together. We are frustrated to see visitors walk away because they cannot find space to comfortably worship with their families. As a temporary solution, we’ve moved worship services to the local high school. But it’s not home. We need a facility that can be a tool for ministry, but not a monkey wrench. We need a home that enables us to strengthen our congregation and to serve our community. . . . To have a here-‐and-‐now impact and an eternal impact on our world. My goal—my dream for FBC Hallowell—is a permanent home where we can be a force for good. Home for Good. Will you join me? Pastor Michael Our Options
Given this need, what options do we have? Do nothing. 1) If we do nothing, we are changing who we are as a church, capping growth, and saying “No” to what God is already doing among us. 2) We turn our backs on the vision of the faithful pioneers who founded the church in 1806. Expand our Union Street facility. 1) We are unable to make any changes to building exteriors because of historic district restrictions. 2) We are severely landlocked for parking and cannot expand or build. Stay at Hall-‐Dale High School. 1) The 1-‐year contract may not be renewable. 2) Weekly setup and breakdown time and labor are an enormous drain on our volunteers. 3) We are supporting two locations in order to have office space and midweek accessibility. Actively seek a new permanent home. After much prayer and discernment, church leaders believe this is the option God would have us pursue. Our Proposal and Plan
We propose to find or build a permanent home for FBC within the Hallowell area that has a spacious, confortable, attractive sanctuary; parking for at least 150 vehicles; plus a variety of state-‐of-‐the-‐art classrooms and meeting spaces, for use both by the church family and the community. Estimates costs for such a project at $1M to $1.2M. To underwrite this proposal, we plan to  Conduct Home for Good, our first capital campaign, with a 3-‐year goal of raising $250K;  Seek to sell the church parsonage and the church and vestry buildings ($300-‐$400K); and  Take out a short-‐term loan for the remaining monies with a plan to retire the debt quickly, and undertake additional capital campaigns, as needed. Here’s the Dream
v A healthy, balanced, growing church in the Hallowell area where individuals and families feel accepted and have the opportunity to identify their gifts and use them for good. v An FBC campus with ample parking and a sanctuary large enough to seat 400-‐500 worshipers. v Flexible spaces that enhance and enable ministry. For example, inviting contemporary classrooms, nursery facilities, youth areas, staff office space, comfortable meeting rooms, a modern kitchen and dining hall, counseling offices, a gymnasium and playing fields. v Lives changed through our witness as people meet Jesus Christ and encounter the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. v Communities impacted by the body of Christ in tangible ways as we serve those outside our walls. Will You Invest . . .
Your TIME? . . . To serve others, to grow in your knowledge of the Word, to lead small groups, to invest in the lives of those in our communities as coaches and mentors, to share this vision with others you know. Your TALENTS? . . . Get connected in an area where you can use the gifts God has given you. If your gift is teaching, then teach; if it is encouraging, then encourage; if it is serving, then serve; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully. We all must work together so this body of Christ can function as God intends. Your TREASURE? . . . The Bible says, “Where your heart is, there your treasure will be also.” Will you commit to sacrifice in order to accomplish this mission? We need your commitment to invest in these efforts. FAQs What’s Home for Good about? Home for Good is a spiritual and stewardship initiative that will enable us to build a permanent facility for FBC and take advantage of the unique position and opportunity God has set before us. What’s the plan for the facility? It will be at least 12,000 square feet on a minimum of 7 acres that will serve as a church campus where we can minister to and meet the needs of our own congregation and the wider community. Where will the permanent location be? Our goal is to locate in Hallowell, at the best available location we can find. What will happen to our current buildings? If we are unable to sell the buildings, we would hope to convert them to a community center or youth center as a way to serve our neighbors. Why are we raising money before we have a site? Having funds on hand and commitments made for the 3-‐year campaign will help us when we negotiate terms with a bank. It will help us best determine the size and scope of project we can afford. How much are we looking to raise? Though the project will exceed the amount we plan to raise in our campaign, we believe God is calling us to step out in faith and get started. Out goal for the 3-‐year Home for Good campaign is $250,000. Should I re-‐direct my regular giving toward Home for Good when it begins? No, your gift should be above and beyond your regular offering. How much should I give? That’s between you and God, but we are asking everyone to make a significant sacrifice. It’s not about equal gifts; it’s about equal sacrifice. The size of everyone’s gifts will be different, but the size of the sacrifice should be the same for all of us.