What is a Bold New Thing?

In 2005, after dozens of conversations with Middle family, the Middle Church Consistory launched Vision 2010, feeling, "...called by God to do a bold new thing on the earth." One goal of the vision and strategy is to resource the ministries--with well-trained staff, with the support, prayers and gifts of a generous congregation and with an appropriate site. Regarding staff, most of staff are supported by the generous Collegiate Church Corporation. Middle is responsible for the programming we do-our Gospel Choir; our children and youth ministry; our mission to the Gulf Coast and to Ghana; and our Celebrate Life Meal, Food Pantry, Butterfly (meals to the park) and our clothing ministry. Middle supports The Artist's Way, and our Teaching Church and caring ministries. While Collegiate supports our MIddle Church Choir and helped to purchase our organ, Middle supports our 11:15 worship and Jazz on High, you support our programming with your prayers, by volunteering and by giving your tithes and offerings. Collegiate also supports our facility. Built in 1891, ours is one of the oldest facilities, and in it we are doing some exciting and progressive ministry. The question has become: How can you do 21st Century ministry in a 19th Century facility? Even though our Collegiate partners are offering amazing support for our renovation project ($14.1 million of a $15.6 million project), we also need your help. Not only do we need to raise the $1.5 million dollar gap, we would like to raise an additional $1.5 million (about $300,000 per year) to endow the ministries and programs we need to do in the next five years or so. So, as part of the plan we made in 2005, we are engaging in A Bold New Thing Comprehensive Campaign. Comprehensive means that we have a $3 million goal, and that any and all of the gifts you give, any monies that come from foundations, and any pledges made in the three years to come count both toward our ministry program and toward the facility. Our hope is that everyone can come in the door just as they are; the person in the wheelchair who cannot attend an AA meeting, the person looking for healthy food for her family, or the lonely person who cannot attend worship and be in community with others because our Sanctuary is full. Help us welcome all who want to come in our door, and have an encounter with the transforming love of God and with our loving community.