120 families or individuals have given gifts that have filled up more than 75% of the hole in our foundation! And many other people have promised generous gifts. If we are able to make those gifts a reality in the next few days I believe that we will make our goal of 100% participation and receive enough money to fix our wall!
Jack Quigley, a newer parishioner, sent this note. I thought you'd enjoy reading his reflections on our movement to "Fix the Hole"
With peeling paint and a battered exterior, our 129 year old Victorian hasn't been looking too pretty lately. But my wife Julie and I had to focus our money on keeping the structure sound.
We were finally getting ready to paint the house when we saw new cracks in a wall. Then, came the words every homeowner dreads: "It's getting ready to fall down." The paint had to wait a while for our old house- First, we had to keep the wall standing.
Earlier this year, I was asked to be part of the next phase of the All Saints' Capital Campaign. I saw an artist's rendering of what the church would look like all painted and pretty. I figured we were settling into a two or three year plan to raise the money to beautify this Ravenswood jewel. Julie and I were willing to help but figured there was no big rush.
Then we heard the news about the hole in the All Saints' foundation.
The north wall will fall in if this large hole is not repaired this year. The whole sanctuary could come crashing down with it.
Our reaction was the same as it is with our old house on Leland: The paint can wait. The Church must stand.
For generations, All Saints' has been home to hundreds of families looking for something more in their lives- more meaning, more acceptance, more understanding, more community, more support, more of a relationship with God, or quite simply, more to eat.
Julie and I came through the doors in 2009 and we found that All Saints' gave us a spiritual home and more sense of community than we'd had in years. And All Saints' has helped give our daughter Ana a good foundation for the future.
We weren't here for the last few capital campaigns. We didn't help build the church school wing where so many great experiences have unfolded for our child and hundreds of others. We didn't invest in the sprinkler system, the fixes to the bell tower or the stained glass windows.
But we are so very grateful that so many others did.
Julie and I decided to dig deep now so we could help provide the money by June 15 to fix the big hole in the foundation and keep the church standing. And the matching funds this month mean that every dollar is going twice as far.
Whether it's the Blessing of the Animals, the Day of the Dead, the Palm Sunday Parade, the Christmas Pageant, or remembering those who are victims of violence in our schools or halfway around the world, All Saints' has helped fill a hole in my spiritual life.
I figured the least I can do is help fill the hole in All Saints.
Make your special contribution online today and your gift will be doubled.
Believe me-You'll never feel better about putting your money down a hole.
Jack and his wife Julie and their daughter Ana worship regularly at our 9:00 Eucharist.
No gift is too small, no gift is too large. At All Saints' what matters is 100% participation in this somewhat overwhelming venture!
Enjoy the Holiday weekend!
Blessings,
Bonnie
