Joe's Journal
October 3, 2008

Friends,

It’s been a tumultuous week to say the least. Financial markets have suffered dramatic declines. Unemployment has risen to over 6%, the highest in years. Locally, the Dallas Independent School District is cutting 1,100 jobs. Given these realities, it’s not exactly the best time to launch a capital campaign. Some have wondered whether or not we should postpone this effort.

(cont.) The last campaign I was involved in was at Alpharetta Presbyterian Church, launched on October 1, 2001, nineteen days after 9/11. I remember on September 13, our leadership met and decided we could not go forward with the campaign. We called a Session meeting for the next week to recommend postponement. On Sunday, September 16, we had over 1,500 people come to worship. Our congregation was about 800 members at the time.  At the Session meeting the next week, we put forth the idea of postponing the campaign. One of our elders then spoke: “Were you all here on Sunday?” he said. “There were over 1,500 people here. They came to hear a word from God about this troubled world. This terrorist attack was perpetrated by religious fundamentalist in the name of God. Our capital campaign is about building education space for youth and children. I can’t think of a more important thing to do in times like these than educate our children about the love of God revealed in Christ Jesus. We’re not having this campaign because we think people have a bunch of money to give. We’re having this campaign because we need to develop our ministry. Our potential for success might have changed, but the need has not. How can we not try?” The vote was unanimous to move forward. 

As we face these troubled times, many people are hurting. Throughout our history this church has responded to reach out to hurting people. Recent events will no doubt increase the pains people face, placing an even greater call on our church to minister to those in need.  The Open Heart—Open Arms campaign is about investing in our facility to establish the platform for our ministry for years to come. If anything, the need for our ministry has not diminished, it has increased. 

We did not decide to conduct this campaign because we thought our members had a bunch of money to give. Rather, this campaign represents the culmination of over five years of prayer and discernment that has brought us to this place. While our potential for success will no doubt be affected by the current financial situation, the need for vital ministry is now even greater. 

And so, we will try. We will go forward. God will provide what we need. It might not be what we want, or even what we hope for, but it will be what we need to accomplish what God is calling us to do in God’s time for getting it done. 

Ultimately we know our well being is not defined by capital campaign totals, nor by the Dow Jones Industrial Average or the balance in our 401K plans, but rather by love; the love we share with friends and family, the love we live through the ministry of our congregation, and the love we know in Christ Jesus our Lord. Not even $700 billion can buy that!

I hope to see you Sunday as we gather to celebrate the love of God for the world on this World Communion Sunday.

In Christ,
Joe