You know how the safety briefing before any flight instructs everyone to place the oxygen mask on themselves before attempting to help another passenger? We all understand the reason for this - you cannot be much help to others if you are not in a good position to help. This is where Saint John’s finds itself. We are on the brink of a three-year capital campaign to fund necessary work to our building. As a church, it is always difficult to spend money on ourselves, on our own building, when there are so many deserving projects in the community. However, it is important for us to pay attention to ourselves and to our building so we can be of help to others.

Among the many things I love about Saint John's is the presence of our church in the greater community. I am always happy to sponsor our teams participating in CROP Walk and the Mamma Jamma Ride. I love being chairperson of the Endowment Committee and reviewing wonderful projects to provide support for refugees or homeless students. And I am proud of this congregation’s steadfast work to support LGBTQ groups within the Methodist church and in the community. There are so many good works that have sprung from this church building, but there are even more to come.

As we travel on this journey together into the next 75 years, we must position ourselves to be in a place where Saint John’s can continue our community outreach. The upcoming capital campaign will fund refurbishing our heating and air conditioning system which will make our church more welcoming, especially on those 100-degree days! This project will also greatly reduce the chance that we will be faced with unexpected repair costs which can create a significant strain on our annual budget and limit our ability to fund outreach projects.

Additionally, the campaign will fund renovations of our office and classroom spaces to provide a more useful setting for staff and members to create a community where God’s love changes people and God’s people change the world. So, as you prayerfully consider your response to this capital campaign, remember that it is important for us to “place the oxygen mask on ourselves” so we can continue our wonderful community outreach.  

Grace and Peace,

Kerri Rowland