The congregation of Christ the King Lutheran Church is growing in members and ministry. The new education building has provided venues for the growth of Sunday church school programs, Wednesday Night Alive, mid-week dinners, expanded youth programs, and extensive music programs. In just a few years this facility and these programs have become an integral part of our ministry.
As we focus our efforts on expanding our commitment to word and sacrament,
the liturgy and music of the Lutheran tradition, global mission and the lifelong
process of faith formation, we also need to pay attention to our role as stewards
of our facilities and what will be required as the congregation continues to
grow.
Our location, adjacent to Rice University and within the Rice Village, is a
blessing and a challenge. We are in a mature neighborhood where opportunities
for expansion are limited. That’s why Church Council asked the congregation
to approve acquiring the property at 5511 Chaucer from the estate of James Bowers.
It was an unusual opportunity to buy land near our existing campus. We are now
discussing with Rice’s administration the steps required to exchange the
Chaucer Drive tract for Rice-owned land immediately south of our campus –
part of the Baylor Family Practice lot – and exploring ways that we can
work with Rice to find a long-term solution to the congregation’s parking
issues.
While this transaction is important for the future of the congregation, it
is just one piece of a larger puzzle. We are starting a new long-range planning
process that is aimed at determining our physical requirements for the next
10 to 20 years, including the best use for the Melanchthon House property at
2352 Rice Boulevard.
Because we know that the latest property acquisition is just one step in the
growth of the congregation, and that our long-term debt has stretched our finances,
Church Council has determined that we should pay for this transaction without
adding to our long-term debt. The loan approved by the congregation at Part
Two of the Annual Meeting must be paid off within two years.
We must raise $700,000 over the next two years so we can continue our growth in ministry and in membership without any additional burden. We need $300,000 before we close the loan in a few weeks to repay members of the congregation and the Bridge to the Future fund – the bridge financing that enabled us to complete the transaction. Every dollar received in this appeal will be used to eliminate the new debt.
As a congregation, we are growing in our understanding of stewardship. In two earlier capital appeals, we have pledged a total of $3 million above our regular giving. At Consecration Sunday in November, many families pledged to increase their regular giving to the congregation and many more pledged for the first time. All told, pledges to support the church’s operations increased almost 60 percent above the 2006 pledges.
At Part One of the Annual Meeting, one leading member of the congregation challenged us to buy the Chaucer property without burdening the congregation with additional long-term debt. Instead of passing up the opportunity, which we have done in the past, this member suggested that 35 families could contribute $20,000 each – enough to cover the cost of the Chaucer property. We understand that $20,000 is beyond the reach of many families in our congregation – and that some families have the ability to give more. Thus far, several families have contributed, in aggregate, more than $190,000.
Christ the King Church has been graced by its past in ministry to the community. We must be ready to respond to God’s call to move into the future. Please consider what God is calling you to do as a member of this congregation.