reaching every generation

7/27/2019 Reaching Every Generation

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REACHINGEACHINGEACHINGEvery Generationvery Generationvery Generation

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN AUGUST 2013 ISSUE 1

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & School 2013 Capital Campaignood Shepherd Lutheran Church & School 2013 Capital Campaignood Shepherd Lutheran Church & School 2013 Capital CampaignCollinsville, IL ~ www.goodshepherdcollinsville.org ~ 618/344Collinsville, IL ~ www.goodshepherdcollinsville.org ~ 618/344Collinsville, IL ~ www.goodshepherdcollinsville.org ~ 618/344---315131513151

Dear Friends in Christ!ear Friends in Christ!ear Friends in Christ!Its been more than thirty years since our congregation prayerfully committed to expanding our

ministry through Christian education. And today, we open our doors and welcome near 400

children in pre school through 8th grade to our campus.

Our day school actually began with the pre school meeting in

the old church basement. It later moved to the old Seventh Day

Adventist Church at Chapel Court to make room for the rest of

the school. But Chapel Court was

never viewed as a permanent

location for the preschool.

Last May, seventy plus members

voted to begin construction

drawings for a new Early Childhood

Center. They also voted to begin a

stewardship campaign this fall.

Thats what this letter is all about.

Building is never just about bricks and mortar. The real building that counts is the building of faith.

This last Sunday we heard the words of Hebrews chapter twelve that urge us to look to Jesus the

Author and Finisher of our faith (12.2). The outward buildings of any church are just a reflection of

the inner building of faith.

As we consider this building program we turn to Jesus and to all of Gods word for our faith and for

our strength to serve Him in many ways. One way will be to pray for and to support this building

program as God leads you.

We have put together a team of leaders to help get this started. Burke Latch will serve as our

Chairman and Pam Meister as our Coordinator. In addition to these, we have several other folkswho have stepped forward to lead the campaign (see page 3).

Together we want to help the congregation see the importance of the Early Childhood Center, but

even more important than that...to seek Gods help and guidance to fulfill this wonderful goal for all

Christians: O God, do not forsake me, until I declare your strength to this generation, your power toeveryone who is to come. Psalm 71:18

Firstdayofpreschool,1980

Proposed floorplan


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REACHINGEACHINGEACHINGEvery Generationvery Generationvery Generation AUGUST 2013 ISSUE 1


Case Study for the Generationsase Study for the Generationsase Study for the GenerationsGood Shepherd values every soul within the body of Christ from the nine-day-olds brought to bap-

tism to the ninety year olds praying for them and who love and cherish them. Our oldest members

would certainly agree with the words of Psalm 71:18 as mentioned beforeO God, do not forsakeme, until I declare your strength to this generation, your power to everyone who is to come. Psalm

71:18.

We offer Jesus invitation: Let the little children come to Me.

Matthew 19:14 This has been the goal of our Christian educa-

tion program from the very beginning, and we have been

able to offer quality education for children from preschool to

eighth grade. This campaign brings this quality to the nextgeneration!

Our current preschool and daycare has been located off

campus in an old church building for the last 26 years. This

structure has served us well, but it limits the quality we want to

provide.

We believe that a newer integrated facility, specifically designed

for the needs of early childhood, would elevate quality and in-

crease enrollment in both preschool and kindergarten through

eighth grade.

In addition to the preschool and daycare facility, a multi-purpose

room would also enhance the school and congregation by provid-

ing additional ministry space for all ages including: youth activities,

receptions, congregational meals, and community activities.

What do you want me to do?

- Pray that God would lead us to bless every

generation for generations to come

- Invest your talents in the capital campaign

process- Prayerfully give a sacrificial, over-and-above gift to

bless every generation for generations to come

Wont you join us?

Burke Latch, Campaign Director

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Chapel service, 2009

Pre school, 2013

Proposed expansion exterior view


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A Generation Reaches OutGeneration Reaches OutGeneration Reaches OutAbout eight years ago, the Master Plan committee asked

the Board of Christian Day School to identify a vision for a

new Early Childhood Center. The current facility was

starting to fail and the leaders of the church and school

recognized it was time to begin planning for the future of

our early childhood ministry. In fact, I can even remember

pulling a team of volunteers together after one of the many heavy periods of rain that caused the

lower level to flood. Several of us donned buckets and mops and then paint cans and rollers for

about a week trying to get the facility back into a healthy, teachable environment. This was only

one of many occasions the staff, church leaders and volunteers scrambled and relocated the day-

care services to a temporary location while repairs were being made.

Knowing these kinds of challenges all too well, an Early Childhood Center committee was activated

and conducted a thorough assessment of our current situation and potential future state including

user studies, demographic analysis, enrollment trends and peer site visits. The committee presented

their findings to the Master Planning group highlighting four objectives: How could Good Shepherd

continue to 1) grow our Christian ministry and fulfill the schools mission, 2) improve the childrens

learning environment, 3) meet future needs of families in our church and in the community, and 4)

retain and transition children into the Day School. The study was compelling but you know what?

God had other plans for our congregation at that time including the calling of an Associate Pastor

and Youth Director. (His timing, not ours, right?) So the work was put on hold and our congregation

moved forward according to Gods will with the facilities we had and enduring repair.

Fast forward to 2011 and leading up to this past spring, a renewed effort and interest in our early

childhood program rekindled the desire to improve our physical buildings but to also interconnect

our ministries onto one campus. This effort requires a significant amount of capital and a leadership

team has been established to create awareness and provide information that will guide our congre-

gation through the campaign process this fall.

This newsletter is the first of three you will receive during the campaign and I close it with our vision

and mission statement. Please read them both very carefully and prayerfully consider how you can

be a part of the generation that reached out and helped make it happen at Good Shepherd

Our vision lives in reaching every generation for generations to come withinterconnected ministries in the Word of God.

Our mission is to raise initial capital for a facility expansion that will integrate

our early childhood center into the main campus and expand our reach into

the community.

Lorri Ruckman, Communication Director

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Current Early Childhood Center


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Key Dates to Remember:

Campaign Launch9/6

Awareness ForumsSeptember/October

Home-Based Informational Meetings10/9-10/13

Vision Sunday11/3

Commitment Celebration11/10

Campaign Final Results12/1

Leadership Position Name

Consultant Karl Galik

Senior Pastor Michael Walther

Campaign Director Burke Latch

Campaign Coordinator Pam Meister

Communications Dir. Lorri Ruckman

Video Director Amanda Zika

Awareness Director Ed & Chris Kovach

Vision Sunday Andrew Streuter

Prayer Director Kathy Hanke

Commitment Celebration Ken & Donna Kober

Youth Director Tom Westphal

Friends of the Congrega-

tion

Katie Robinson

Principal Bob Mayhew



Coming up in the next newsletter

Through the Eyes of a Pre Schooler by XXX

ECC Director

Sacrificial Giving and What it Means to Me

Pam Meister, Campaign Coordinator

What to Expect at the AWARENESS FORUMS

Other???

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Information You Can Usenformation You Can Usenformation You Can Use

reaching every generation

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