REACHING

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN

Every Generation
AUGUST 2013 ISSUE 1

Dear 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.

First day of pre

Proposed floorplan

school, 1980

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 folks who 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 to everyone who is to come. Psalm 71:18

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & School 2013 Capital Campaign Collinsville, IL ~ www.goodshepherdcollinsville.org ~ 618/344 618/344-3151

REACHING Every Generation

AUGUST 2013 ISSUE 1

Case Study for the Generations

Good Shepherd values every soul within the body of Christ from the nine-day-olds brought to baptism 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 forsake me, 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 education 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 next generation! 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.

Chapel service, 2009

We believe that a newer integrated facility, specifically designed for the needs of early childhood, would elevate quality and increase 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 providing additional ministry space for all ages including: youth activities, receptions, congregational meals, and community activities. What do you want me to do?
Pre school, 2013

- 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?
Proposed expansion exterior view

Burke Latch, Campaign Director

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & School 2013 Capital Campaign Collinsville, IL ~ www.goodshepherdcollinsville.org ~ 618/344 618/344-3151

REACHING Every Generation

AUGUST 2013 ISSUE 1

A Generation Reaches Out

About 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 Current Early Childhood Center 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 daycare 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 congregation 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 with interconnected 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

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & School 2013 Capital Campaign Collinsville, IL ~ www.goodshepherdcollinsville.org ~ 618/344 618/344-3151

REACHING Every Generation

AUGUST 2013 ISSUE 1

Information You Can Use

Leadership Position Consultant ( Senior Pastor Campaign Director Campaign Coordinator Communications Dir. Video Director Awareness Director Vision Sunday Prayer Director Commitment Celebration Youth Director Friends of the Congregation Principal Name Karl Galik Michael Walther Burke Latch Pam Meister Lorri Ruckman Amanda Zika Ed & Chris Kovach Andrew Streuter Kathy Hanke Ken & Donna Kober Tom Westphal Katie Robinson Bob Mayhew 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

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???

Good Shepherd Lutheran Church & School 2013 Capital Campaign Collinsville, IL ~ www.goodshepherdcollinsville.org ~ 618/344 618/344-3151