Wheatland United Methodist Church is beginning Phase
II
Fall is here and the
leaves will soon be falling. Do you remember the red, yellow and
orange ‘leaves’ many members put on the tree at the front of the
sanctuary last fall? The leaves represented the churches’ "wish
list" for the future and an overwhelming majority desired the
following:
·New building to
house church office and Sunday school classes
·Landscaping
improvements
·Paint exterior
of the church and fellowship hall
·Pave the
parking lot
·Repair stained
glass windows
Here at Wheatland we
love our "old country church" dearly, but time has begun to take its
toll. The beautiful stained glass windows are cracked and missing
pieces. The windowsills are rotting away and need repair. The
septic system will not support our future needs and requires
upgrading. In addition, the church building needs painting and
exterior repair work needs to be done. And the list goes on and on.
We have successfully
completed Phase Iof our Capital Campaign that we
began in 2003: “God’s Plans, Our Hands...Show us the Way.”
Phase I made Wheatland more visible and available to the community,
by making access to the church easier and removing obstacles for a
clear view of Wheatland from Hampton Road.
We are now embarking
on Phase IIof our Capital Campaign “God’s Plans,
Our Hands...Planning for the Future.” Phase II focuses on
improving our infrastructure and maintaining and upgrading our
present facilities. This area of southeast Dallas County is growing
by leaps and bounds, and so is our church’s membership. With
an eye towards the future we are beginning preparation for Phase
III, which hopefully will be construction of a new education
building.
Therefore, it has been
determined that the goal of our new Capital Campaign is for $100,000
in pledges over the next 3 years, so that we can begin making these
wishes a reality.
Please prayerfully
consider what you are able to pledge, above your weekly tithing,
towards keeping Wheatland the beautiful and wonderfully unique place
it is!
Campaign Steering
Committee
Please
feel free to call any member of the Steering Committee with any
questions or suggestions regarding the proposed improvements to the
church.
Diana
West
Campaign Director
214-942-0124
Mai Smith
Administrative Coordinator
972-223-4478
Gene Hudson
Advance Commitment Director
972-298-0627
Cathy Gruebbel
Prayer Support Director
972-780-7857
Donna West
Home Visitation Director
214-942-9581
Laura Marceleno
Celebration Event Director
972-296-5619
Paul Foreman
Communications Co-Director
972-262-4930
Kathy Priester
Communications Co-Director
214-467-1072
Laura Fannin
Caller Director
214-337-1810
Ted Gruebbel
Ex-Officio as lay leader
972-780-7857
Pastor Kay Hord
Ex-Officio
972-533-8919
Gary Regan
Facilitator - UMC Pastor,
Former Superintendent, Former Texas Methodist Foundation
Capital Improvements Committee
Capital Improvements Chair
George Hord
Properties Committee Chair
Dot Casey
Committee Members
Janice Fannin
Jan Cavender
Dick Merz
Paul Foreman
K. D. Durham
Jim Daniels
Gene Hudson
2006 - GPOH Phase II Campaign
Fact Sheet
God’s Plans…
Our Hands
Preparing for
the Future
A timeline of following God’s plans:
1838 - Thomas Crutchfield holds prayer meeting in his
home
2003 – GPOH Phase I Campaign, new driveway & gazebo,
new sign, fenced playground
With an eye toward future growth
and the possibility of new construction in the years to
come, the Wheatland Church family has approved a
$100,000 expenditure. This is to be raised by a Capital
Stewardship Campaign to complete the projects proposed
by the Capital Improvements Committee. Before new
construction can begin there are several things that
need to be done in order to support this growth.
Therefore; this phase of the Campaign will focus on:
Getting the Infrastructure in Place
Maintaining Our Beautiful Church and Grounds
-
New water lines to the
church buildings
-
Repairing the stained glass
windows
-
Connect to the city sewer
system
-
Repairing the window frames
-
Improve the lighting in the
sanctuary
-
Replace rotted exterior
wood
-
Burying the power lines (this was more expensive than budgeted for in the past)
-
-
Paint the exterior of the
church
New landscaping around the
church
2006 - GPOH Phase II Campaign
Details
Stained Glass
Windows
The beautiful stained glass windows were installed in 1912
and have never had any repairs done to them. Some are
actually broken, allowing birds to worship in our building.
Others have leading that is missing and/or sagging.
The window frames around the windows are also sagging from
age and will need to be repaired.
Connect to City Sewer System
Over the last couple of years we have had some problems with
our septic tanks system. The city of Dallas sewer
lines run underneath the creek behind and South of the
church. As we look to the future with plans to build
an education building, we will need to be on the city sewer
system.
Improve the Water Pressure
When the restrooms are in high demand, such as when we have
funeral services or wedding services, the tanks fill very
slowly, creating problems for those wanting to use the
restroom. Also, we cannot water the lawn or plants and use
water anywhere at the same time.
Paint and Replace Rotten Wood on the Exterior of the
Sanctuary
Many areas of the sanctuary have peeling paint and rotted
wood. This needs to be scraped and/or replaced so that
the building can be painted, not only so that it will look
fresher and newer, but so that the building will continue to
endure the years.
Improve the Sanctuary Lighting
As
our congregation ages, the need for increased lighting
becomes more evident. As we have more evening
activities we need more lighting. It is difficult to
read our hymnals and bulletins on cloudy days and in the
evenings.
Improve the Landscaping around the Sanctuary
The shrubs and bushes that are presently around the
sanctuary are very old and too tall. The bushes hold
water against the windows and window frames as well as
scratch and brush against the beautiful windows. The
lantana at the front sidewalk grows over onto the sidewalk,
making it difficult to walk on the sidewalk.
Bury the Power Lines
To
enhance the beauty of our property, the power lines running
in front of the buildings need to be buried.
Question and Answers
How do we get started?
We already have.
We have received comprehensive quotes from professionals for the
recommended and approved improvements to our church. While
Phase II of the Capital Campaign is under way, and we begin to
receive financial commitments from friends and members, we are
requesting a loan from Texas Methodist Foundation to finance the
improvements. Payments on this loan will not be due until the
Campaign is completed and additional funds, over and above our
general budget, begin to be donated to the church as a result of the
campaign.
What is a Capital Campaign?
This is an
undertaking designed to generate enthusiasm, dedication, spiritual
support, and financial commitment to underwrite the cost of the
improvements to the church grounds and facility. We will be
asking for a three-year pledge above and beyond your regular giving
to Wheatland United Methodist Church.
Why are we doing this?
In order to fulfill
our mission to minister to this community, reach out and invite
others, we must be prepared for growth. We can't grow in our
current facility until we upgrade our infrastructure.
Can we afford to do this?
The church has no
debt, and has never had any debt. We are financially sound,
more so than many churches, with money in reserve, and the ability
to meet the continual financial needs of an aging church facility.
This is a big step for Wheatland, to step out in faith, secure a
loan, begin improvements to the church, with the belief that members
and friends will support this effort and make the necessary
financial donations to make this possible.
What about a loan?
A successful
campaign will enable us to spend more money on ministries to our
community rather than on interest payments to financial institutions
on long-term debt. Therefore, our goal is to raise the needed
funds to cover the costs for the improvements as quickly as
possible. Although we will be securing a three-year loan in
order to begin the improvements immediately, we expect to receive
donations to pay off this loan well ahead of schedule.
What kind of commitment will I be asked to make?
The first
commitment is to pray for the campaign leadership and for God's
direction. On November 26, 2006, you will be asked to make
a three-year commitment over and above your normal giving to the
church. Your decision is between you and God and will be
kept completely confidential. We ask that you pray for God to
help you decide what your commitment should be and to remember that
each of us is a steward of His money. It is not how much money
we have, but what we do with it that is important in God's eyes.
"Lord, what is sacrificial for me? Give me the
clarity to know what is worthy in your eyes. What
can I do without, that You can do with? Help me to
understand the concept of not equal gifts, but equal
sacrifice."
- Mark 12:38-44
What gifts other than cash are accepted?
We follow the
suggested guidelines of the Texas Methodist Foundation Stewardship
Services Basically, what this means is that under certain
limitations we can accept non-cash gifts such as stocks, bonds, real
estate, and jewelry. Any stocks or bonds given to the church
will be sold immediately and the giver will be credited with the
contribution at the value of the sale. Other non-cash items
such as jewelry and real estate require special consideration to
determine their marketability and gift value. Any questions
regarding gifts to the church may be addressed to Gene Hudson, our
Church Treasurer.
When are we planning to begin the improvements?
Immediately!
Contractors are in place to begin the work.
The following Scriptures are suggested for personal study:
When reading each
of these passages, ask yourself:
What do
these verses say?
What do
these verses mean?
What do
these verses mean to the Capital Campaign, my church, and me
today?
Your Role in the Campaign
Churches often face financial
challenges like the purchase of land, construction of new buildings,
renovation of existing buildings, and retiring debt. Helpful
guidelines for meeting these needs are found in Scripture where at
least two kinds of giving are identified in the Old and New
Testaments. First, there are tithes and
offerings to support the ministries for the church.
Second, there are special short-term offerings for specific
purposes over and above regular tithes and offerings.
Phase II Capital Campaign, "God's
Plans, Our HandsPreparing for the Future" is an organized effort
by Wheatland United Methodist Church to raise funds over and
aboveregular operating income during a specific period for
a major capital need. It is based on an established spiritual
and educational approach. Many churches have followed this
plan, over a long period of time, to meet extraordinary needs.
When a person becomes a member of a
local United Methodist congregation, a covenant is made to support
the church with prayers, presence, gifts, and service. This
Capital Campaign is an enabling opportunity for members to fulfill
that commitment
There are three objectives or goals
for the campaign:
1
The primary objective is a
spiritual one. First, every family related to the
church is urged to pray about God's continuing will for them
in their participation in the church's mission and ministry.
2
Second is a missional
objective. It is never the priority of a church simply
to build or renovate a building or to pay off a debt.
The purpose is to enhance ministries through the
improvements or the reallocation of financial resources.
This second purpose of a Capital Campaign is to expand and
strengthen ministries being planned and provided in the name
of Jesus Christ.
3
The third objective is
financial - to raise as much money as possible, over and
above regular giving. Meeting specific needs through a
Capital Campaign will minimize or eliminate long-term debt,
and this enables the church to meet its operation,
apportionment, and other financial obligations.
