Hamline
United Methodist
Church
Capital Campaign 2008-2011
Preserving
Our Past - Ensuring Our Future
Catch
the Spirit!
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Questions & Answers
1.What
is the financial goal of the campaign and how will it be achieved?
A
comprehensive campaign readiness study was conducted by Mark Davy &
Associates, a fund-raising consulting firm. The study indicated that
members have communicated their
willingness to commit at least $450,000 over three years for the capital
campaign with a faith goal of
$600,000. Further, this study concluded there was sufficient volunteer support
among members to carry out this effort.
2.Will all
of the initiatives be done at once, and if not, how is the project going to be
prioritized?
The projects
presented during the study will be completed separately pending on how
much funding we raise. The
following is the projected order in which projects will be done:
- Roof
- Tuck
pointing
-
Boilers
-
Electrical
- Air
conditioning
The
congregation will be kept informed about the initiatives and their
completion. The current campaign goal will not cover all the
initiatives. The church will most likely need to conduct additional
campaigns. This will be determined as we near the end of the three-year
pledge period.
3.What is
our current relationship with Hamline University and how do we fit into their
20-year plan?
Hamline Church
and Hamline University have a longstanding affiliation that includes partnering
for community activities, hosting events and sharing facilities. As a result of
recent discussions on the Campus Master Plan, our relationship is entering a
very promising period of increased communication and collaboration. At a
meeting between church and university leadership in April, 2008, President
Hanson repeatedly stressed the importance of the relationship between our
institutions and the university's strong desire for increased
collaboration. President Hanson noted that the position of the university
chaplain has been increased to full time and this additional time will be
dedicated, in part, to working with the church on new programming that
addresses the needs of students and faculty. The church intends to
reinforce this renewed spirit of cooperation and collaboration in a number of
ways.
During the
recent discussions on the Campus Master Plan, our church council identified a
number of specific steps that would promote cross representation and increase
opportunities for collaboration. The church proposed a number of options
to the university and university leadership has indicated a willingness to
explore these options. In addition, the Bishop has offered to facilitate a
meeting between our respective leaders in order to foster and enhance the
relationship. Finally, our incoming pastor, Patricia Hinker, as a
prior university trustee, has an established relationship with Hamline
University and is, therefore, in an ideal position to provide leadership in
these discussions.
4.Are there
any opportunities to raise funding outside of the congregation?
As the
campaign moves forward, Hamline UMC leadership will be pursuing various
opportunities for funding from outside sources. The first step
is to move forward with a campaign internally, which will exhibit our
congregation's commitment to others in the community.
5. Will a
campaign affect our weekly giving?
The capital
campaign will include a comprehensive education program to communicate the
benefits of the projects. Education generally results in an increase in
weekly giving as well as a pledge to the campaign. Because of this, we
will be conducting our annual stewardship campaign at the same time as the
capital campaign. The excitement generated by the campaign inspires
members to get more involved and invested in their congregation.
6.Considering
the economy, is this the right time to run a capital campaign?
There is never
an ideal time to conduct a campaign due to the constant ebb and flow of
economic indicators. However, once campaigns are completed, most
congregations would tell you they were happy the campaign went forward.
Repair and renovation costs generally increase every year and ninety-three
percent of those who participated in the study felt the renovation initiatives
were either very important or important.
7.When
does the campaign begin, how long will it last, and how will it be conducted?
Communication
began immediately, starting with this Q&A document. Selection of the
leadership, the development of an education program and home visits
followed. There was a campaign kick-off weekend in September, 2008.
Everyone in the congregation, as well as donors who are not members, was asked
to give. An attempt to contact every member through personal visits was
made.
There was no
hard-selling and all pledges remain confidential. We believe this
campaign will succeed because you see your gift as the means to ensure the
continued development of the nurturing faith community we have at Hamline
United Methodist Church. The actual campaign lasted one week and
gave members a three-year period to pay their pledges.
8.How much
will members be asked to give on average during the capital campaign?
There truly is
no such thing as an average gift. Each person needs to examine
her/his own personal situation and make an investment consistent with
each one's ability to give. In lieu of cash, individuals
sometimes offer gifts of stocks or bonds. Appreciated property will
also be considered. In giving today, we are simply repaying a debt to
those who came before us, while providing a faith home for those who will
follow.
Campaign
Leadership
This
campaign's success depends on substantial support from volunteers. The
individuals who have helped lead this extraordinary effort in the initial phase
include:
Rev. Pat
Hinker - Pastor
Alex
Elder - Home Visitor Recruitment
Barbara
Brokopp - Co-Chair
Laurie Erickson - Youth Programming
Scott
Waters - Co-Chair
Rev. Bob
Rollin - Prayer
Sara Zoff - PR/Education
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How to Volunteer
We feel the
campaign will succeed because of the enthusiasm of our members working
together to accomplish our objectives. Each one of us can immediately
participate with prayers. With the God-given skills and talents we have
in our members, we each have an opportunity to help in one or more areas.
If you're interested in working more closely with the campaign or know of
someone else who might be willing to do so, please call or email the church
office:
Hamline United Methodist Church
(651) 645-0667
humc@hamlinechurch.org
Capital Campaign Prayer
Gracious
God, as we move through this capital campaign, we look to you with faith to
lead us and inspire us. We want to preserve the legacy of our beautiful
place of worship as an expression of our gratitude for your constant support
and love to us. Free us to respond with generosity and joy.
From here we will continue to serve our community and reach out to the world
through the mission of your church through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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______________________________________________________________________________________
edited,
reformatted, (& revised Dec.
2008) for hamlinechurch.org