During worship on February 24, we officially celebrated the culmination of This Time, This Place: The Campaign for Bryn Mawr Presbyterian Church. The feasibility study leading up to the campaign suggested we could raise $15 million. Early leadership gifts inspired the Session to adopt a stretch goal of $17.5 million. To date, we have received gifts and pledges from 437 households, representing over 700 members, totaling $19.5 million!
In his remarks for the Ministry Moment, Paul Bergsteinsson shared, “The message I bring is a joyful one. This historic capital campaign was built around very careful studies of our church properties, their condition and use. These studies affirmed our understanding of renovation needs. They also showed ways the campus can be markedly improved reimagined so as to increase hospitality, accessibility and safety while providing better spaces for people of all ages to meet and congregate. The campaign began last year, gaining a full head of steam in the fall. It asked for giving over five years giving in addition to regular annual stewardship. The campaign communicated with you in many different ways. Dedicated volunteers worked hard. We held many meetings to present the campaign in a personal way…. On behalf of campaign co-chairs, Janet Haas and George McFarland, I want to thank everyone who listened to the campaign story, who thought and prayed over it, and who pledged, with gifts of all sizes. And we sincerely thank all campaign volunteers. Your dedication, bright spirits and endurance were indispensable…. These campaign results are both gratifying and humbling. I believe they show that this church has a place in our hearts, and that we believe in its mission.”
I add my gratitude to Paul’s heartfelt and joyful announcement he offered in worship. By the deep generosity of this congregation we are making tangible steps forward to make our church campus more hospitable, more accessible and better suited to our mission needs. We are addressing deferred maintenance needs, and we are preparing for a future full of hope and possibility.
Thank you for making these commitments over and above your annual stewardship pledges and gifts. Thank you for catching the vision of the multi-year assessment of the Property Vision Team and the current Renovations Committee. And thank you, ahead of time, for a spirit of cooperation, collaboration and flexibility as we prepare to move the children’s preschool education program from the Education Building to the Ministries Center this summer in order to begin renovating the Education Building this fall. We will continue to keep the congregation informed as work progresses, and as ministries get uprooted and moved for a season of renovation.
God is doing a new thing through this exciting chapter in the history of this congregation. Thanks to each of you who has made a financial and prayerful contribution to realize the vision of this historic and exciting initiative.
