ANNOUNCING OUR CAPITAL STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN

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1 ANNOUNCING OUR CAPITAL STEWARDSHIP CAMPAIGN Equal sacrifice, not equal gifts First Baptist Church is launching a new capital stewardship campaign to move forward on construction of our new worship center. The Time Is Now is the name we have chosen for this campaign. This name acknowledges a tremendous opportunity we have to magnify Christ and minister to this region by completing our new worship center, and utilizing those facilities for ministry and outreach. This is an opportunity to make an investment that will make a difference in our lives, in our community, and in eternity. Those of us who first envisioned relocating our Church facilities knew ours was much more than just a step of faith or even a leap of faith it would be a journey of faith. Our The Time Is Now capital campaign is an important step in that journey. The Time Is Now officially began July 24th, when our campaign steering team was enlisted and equipped to lead this capital campaign effort. The first major step in the campaign is the Spiritual Emphasis that begins next week. The goal of The Time Is Now is to pay for our new worship center as soon as possible, allowing us to save many dollars in interest. Those saved dollars can then be used to strengthen and expand the ministry to which God has called us. All who give in this campaign will be investing, but not just in the future of our Church; we will be investing in the Kingdom of God. The Time Is Now capital campaign concludes on October 14th, our campaign Celebration Sunday, a time of rejoicing for all that God has led us to provide through The Time Is Now, and all He promises to accomplish in the ministry of First Baptist Church for the future.

2 Elevation Drawing or Architectural Illustration of the Building FROM VISION TO REALITY Pictured here is a rendering of our new Church facilities. This building will be a wonderful working tool for all aspects of our ministry. Generous giving by many members and friends through the years have made our present facilities possible. This beautiful new building is a testimony that God is faithful. And God has blessed our ministry in countless ways in the past. May He also find us faithful in the great plans He has for the future of First Baptist Church. MEET OUR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN CONSULTANT John Hessel is founder and CEO of John Hessel & Associates, a capital stewardship consulting firm that was established in John lives in South St. Louis County, with Brenda, his wife of 45 years. John has been in the ministry of capital stewardship since For 11 years, he worked for the Southern Baptist Convention. John has led over 250 successful capital stewardship campaigns in churches all across the Midwest. Our Church has selected John Hessel to direct this capital stewardship campaign. John is a native of Alton, Illinois, and a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has pastored churches in Oklahoma, Texas, Illinois, and Missouri. He has a pastor s heart and a passion for assisting churches to fulfill their vision for their ministry through his ministry of guiding capital stewardship campaigns.

3 John is currently serving as pastor of First Baptist Church of Oakville, in South St. Louis County. He is also a Trustee of Missouri Baptist University in West St. Louis County, and he has served in several other denominational positions on both the state and national level. He has taught both university and seminary classes, and has written numerous articles for national publications. In his free time, John enjoys golf and traveling with his wife. VISION BANQUET TO BE SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30 TH You will have the opportunity to meet our consultant if you participate to any degree in the capital stewardship campaign. He will make numerous trips to our Church during the course of the campaign, conducting training meetings and assuring that our The Time Is Now campaign functions as intended. With a heart for ministry, he is concerned that our campaign experience will be both a spiritual blessing and a financial victory. Be sure to make plans to attend our Celebration Banquet Sunday September 30 th (watch future newsletters for exact time). The banquet will be held at the VFW for all Church families. Preschool and younger children will be cared for at the church, having age appropriate food. The Banquet will focus on the ministry we share at First Baptist Church, celebrating our past, and the promise of an exciting future. Please circle this banquet date on your calendar. Make sure that every member of your family is aware of the date and reserves it to participate in this important occasion. WITH THANKSGIVING... What we may not see clearly is that for the past several years, many families of our church have been giving sacrificially to make this worship center possible, through previous capital campaigns and most recently Building By Faith. Without the generous response of all of you who contribute(d), this facility and all the wonderful ministries it will enable us to provide to our church family and this community would still be just a dream.

4 The three-year giving period of Building By Faith concludes this September, and our new campaign, The Time Is Now, has begun. As we take this next step in our journey of faith, we want to pause to say THANK YOU to all who have given sacrificially, because they believe in this ministry. In this new three year campaign, some will continue faithfully to give. Others may give more or less, according to their circumstances. Still others may step up alongside you and begin to give in this campaign for the very first time. Whatever the response, we will always be grateful to those of you who led the way, who had the vision, the courage, and the generosity of sacrificial giving in the previous campaign to help us along on this journey. SPECIAL PRAYER MINISTRY TO BEGIN Soon, you will begin to hear about the most important part of our The Time Is Now capital campaign a ministry of prayer that begins August 19th. The objective of this spiritual emphasis is three-fold: first, to call our church family to prayer, seeking God s help and blessing on our capital campaign effort; second, to create a spiritual atmosphere of prayer over the next several weeks, and third, to unite our Church family in a 28-day personal prayer and devotional emphasis, through the month of September. Leading this ministry of prayer is Rob Wallace, Spiritual Emphasis Director for the Time Is Now campaign. A team of prayer warriors is being enlisted to help implement this prayer emphasis which will include an intercessory prayer outreach. Our goal is to reach out to every church family in this special prayer ministry. In Colossians 4:2, Paul urges, Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving. As we covenant together to pray for the continued growth of our church, let us heed this Call to Prayer with expectant faith that God has blessings in store for us.

5 MEET THE STEERING TEAM Our The Time Is Now campaign is being directed by a steering team of volunteers. These people are giving sacrificially of their time in order for the church to achieve a great victory. Please pray for them each day. Please be responsive when they ask you to assist with their work. Wally Holt, our Pastor, is the inspirational and spiritual leader of the program. Judy Hurt, Campaign Director, is the team leader and serves as the steering team chairperson. Leann Walters, Campaign Secretary, provides essential support services for steering team members and campaign workers. Annetta Holt, Promotion Director, will help design and produce attractive campaign promotional and printed materials. Rob Wallace, Spiritual Emphasis Director, will build and direct the intercessory prayer ministry team, and will plan other special spiritual emphases of the campaign, including a 30-day Devotional emphasis. A. J. & Marilyn Bourn, Advance Commitment Directors, will coordinate the effort to enlist the support of leadership families in our church to make their commitments before the September 30th Vision Banquet. Angie Green, Commitment Director, will build and direct the commitment response team that will contact church families about their commitment after the September 30th vision banquet. Paula Black, Fellowship Director, arranges for refreshments and meals for several campaign meetings. Betty Ingledue, Banquet Director, is directing all banquet and children's party preparations for the vision banquet on September 30th. Judy Hurt will also function as the Follow up Director, encouraging continuing commitment and the involvement of new church families in our capital stewardship campaign during the three year giving period that begins November 4th.

6 THE TIME IS NOW CAMPAIGN DATES AND EVENTS IMPORTANT CAMPAIGN DATES August 19 th Spiritual Emphasis Sunday September 2 nd 28 Day Devotional Emphasis begins September 2 nd Announcement Sunday September 4 th Campaign Brochure mailed September 11 th Special Newsletter Mailings begin September 18 th Advance Commitment Event September 30 th Vision Banquet October 1 st October 13th Commitment Response October 14th Celebration Sunday Service November 4th First Fruits Sunday (Three year Giving Period begins) I HAVE A QUESTION! What is our The Time Is Now capital campaign? It is a six week effort to challenge our congregation to give sacrificially to provide additional funds to continue and complete construction on our new worship center. Campaign gifts are to be in addition to any present support of our Church's budget and missions. The communication phase of the campaign begins September 4 th and climaxes with a banquet, September 30 th. Families are encouraged to seek God's leadership as they determine a three-year, weekly or monthly, commitment for their giving. Though people involved in campaign leadership will make their commitment decisions prior to the Vision banquet, most families will be invited to make their commitments during the week that follows the banquet. Do you have a question? There are no secrets about any aspect of the Time Is Now campaign. If you have a question, don t hesitate to ask any member of the steering team. They will answer your question or direct you to someone with the answer for you. A campaign manual is also available in the church office for all to view.