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Journey in faith, Worship with joy, Serve with love

Immanuel Lutheran Church
Amherst, Massachusetts
2010 - 2013

"For everything there is a season, a time for every matter under heaven"
~ Ecclesiastes 3:1~

Journey in Faith:
It is time. It is the season of our renewal. We are Immanuel Rising from the past and moving toward our fiftieth anniversary of ministry.

Worship with Joy:
Rooted and grounded in the mission and values of our Word and Sacrament ministry, we now enter into an important chapter of our life together. We begin again to live into the future together. We begin again to give into the future together. This is a crucial time for our congregation.

Serve with Love:
It is a time which serves as an historical marker of our discipleship and faithfulness. It is time to come together and rise up to meet the challenge presented. We thank and praise God for all the blessings poured into our life and for all the leaders who have answered the call to bring us this far by faith. We commit again to sharing those gifts and to serving God's children.

Interim Pastor Randall K. Wilburn

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God's Love Compels Action

THE MORNING THE LIGHT BULB EXPLODED in our worship service, we knew it was time to take action. Deferred maintenance had taken its toll on our original building and the addition was beginning to show its age.

UNDER THE LEADERSHIP AND GUIDANCE OF OUR CHURCH COUNCIL, the congregation voted to approve debt of approximately $150,000 to replace the leaking roofs in the sanctuary and the connecting lounge, reinforce the concrete in the tower, replace the old skylights and re-shingle the south side of the connecting lounge. Then the congregation began to refurbish the first floor, replacing old and stained carpet and brightening up the space with a fresh coat of paint. Worn carpet on the stairs leading to the Youth and Sunday School rooms was replaced with a safer and more practical flooring.

IT IS TIME TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE. Repairing and maintaining the building is necessary to support our expanding ministry, but equally important is the establishment of a VISION MISSION FUND, which will seed new initiatives in ministry and outreach and allow us to respond to emerging needs as we answer God's call to serve others. The congregation has put together a guiding vision for Immanuel that will lead us into our next 50 years of ministry; this vision mission fund will help us achieve those goals as we journey in faith, worship with joy, and serve with love.

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What are the numbers?

Here are the costs as we implement our vision.

WE WILL SHAPE OUR FUTURE by making an investment NOW. The expenses listed above are what is needed to get our physical plant restored for continuing service as well as to establish a Mission Fund for the exciting prospect of re-energizing and expanding our ministry. Immanuel has a deep history of responding to the call to serve through local and global mission. Throughout the years many innovative ministries have been born and were very effective.

NOW WE ARE PREPARED to move forward with renewed engagement in our mission. Our proposed VISION MISSION FUND will allow us to remain faithful to our past mission values while building a vibrant future for Immanuel. We need to have funds available for proposed new initiatives and to support the leadership of our new pastor. With these resources set aside we can be responsive to future needs and our call to serve. God has many surprises for us as we celebrate Immanuel Rising.

More Numbers!

Here is how we can reach our goal.

AS WE GATHER AT CHRIST'S TABLE to share in God's call to journey, worship and serve, we all are asked to consider prayerfully what part we can play financially in helping Immanuel reach our campaign goal. The chart above shows how we can achieve this goal through individual pledges over the next three years. For example, if 5 people were to pledge $7,500 to the campaign, this would bring Immanuel $37,500 closer to our goal. Please keep in mind that the capital campaign is separate from our annual pledging or individual offerings toward the ongoing budget of the church.

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A Message from our Congregation Council

Thanks to the blessings of the Lord, Immanuel Lutheran is entering a wonderful new chapter in its history. We have a new Vision for our future. We look forward to welcoming a new pastor soon. Our physical facilities are being repaired and renovated, enabling us to focus on the pursuit of God's mission for us. These are exciting times. Immanuel is Rising.

Immanuel's past has benefited from extraordinary gifts of time, talent and financial resources. A "Confirming the Covenant" campaign in the late 1970's allowed the congregation to take over costs for the grounds and sanctuary building, started with an initial gift from the Synod. A second capital campaign in the early 1990's enabled the building of the parish hall. Now, as we begin the second decade of the 21st century, and look toward our fiftieth anniversary as Immanuel Lutheran Church of Amherst, we must reinvest in our ministries and buildings to move ahead. God's Love Compels Action.

Capital campaigns provide the resources for major expenditures on facilities and new initiatives that are not possible through the annual operating budget. They come infrequently. Now is our time, providing us with an opportunity to help Immanuel move into the future with strength and enthusiasm. May prayerful guidance with the Lord lead each of us to a gift appropriate for our means. Whatever the amount, together let us Journey in Faith, Worship with Joy, and Serve with Love.

We are, IMMANUEL RISING.

Yours in Christ,

Immanuel Congregation Council, 2010

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"You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:14-16

The Capital Campaign Committee:

Ronald D. Archer
D. Anthony Butterfield
Julie Brigham Grette
Liz Krueger Larson
Robert Weaver
Rev. Randall K. Wilburn
Tom Zoeller

Immanuel Lutheran Church
Amherst, Massachusetts, 01002
www.immanuel-amherst.org
413-549-0322

Our appreciation to Sharon Archer Oslin for our logo design
"Immanuel Rising"