Grace Community Church was entering a milestone year. It was their 25th anniversary. They were especially hungry to see their children and youth encounter the kind of transformation that equips them to go the distance with Jesus.
For this reason, they entered into their capital stewardship campaign called Transforming the Next Generation. Their desire was to construct an addition to the current facility to serve their youth and children and to build a ministry in that space that will change the world.
The key pieces of the project include creating a large wing dedicated to children and youth ministry. An enlarged atrium in front of the worship center was also added to their plan to host larger church-wide events for their congregation and surrounding community. The new gathering space will expand the kitchen. A new self-serve coffee bar will include space for seating to facilitate community.
They partnered with Impact Stewardship and Master’s Plan Church Design and Construction to help them determine how much money they could raise and develop a plan to accommodate their needs based on a workable budget. Click here to read the Church Executive Magazine article for a more in-depth account of the project coordination from the church’s perspective.
Pastor Rod MacIlvaine said it was very important for GCC to enlist a stewardship consultant who meshed with its four core values: honor, hospitality, courage and celebration. “Having people with you who clearly exude a warm and infectious walk with Christ is a big deal, and [Impact Stewardship] and [Master’s Plan] do that. The technical proficiency is there; that goes without saying. But knowing their hearts makes me feel like we’re on the same page.” The program was the first large capital campaign for him. He was pleased with the smooth process and how unifying it was for the church.
Ultimately, they were able to reach their target goal of $2 million for Transforming The Next Generation. Their plan is to follow up this successful program in three years with an additional $1.5 million campaign and be debt free by the end of the project.
