The idea of a capital campaign was first raised over a year ago by then Board of Business chair Maureen Killoran, and was one of the first questions considered by the Financial Sustainability and Stewardship Committee that was formed at the 2022 winter congregational meeting. We had an assessment of our buildings and campus in Spring 2022 and now have a very active Buildings and Grounds committee. Council Exec and the BoB and others have also discussed the need for a capital campaign in recent months. Finally, the FSSC presented its final report to the Church Council at its November meeting, and the report was accepted, with the expectation that the congregation could move forward with the recommendations in any way they saw fit.

The recommendation regarding a capital campaign began as follows: “We recommend a multi-stage capital campaign. The first stage would be the solicitation of cash contributions (rather than pledges) to address the most urgent immediate needs and to fund the next stage of the campaign. This stage should begin as soon as the campaign is approved by the congregation. The second stage would be the solicitation of pledges of support over a period of perhaps, three years. For this stage of the campaign to be successful, we believe it should be preceded by a well-crafted visioning process.”

In response to these recommendations, in January Bromleigh gathered a group together to help guide the congregation in articulating our dreams for the future, how infrastructure and other needs might help us achieve those dreams, and to propose a capital campaign to help meet those needs. This group has been calling itself the “Capital Campaign Visioning Task Force”, among other names! Bromleigh McCleneghan and Bill Zegel updated the congregation at the January 2023 congregational meeting.

The Task Force has been meeting weekly, and has undertaken a number of activities to help guide the congregation through a process of input, conversation, and discernment. Actions have included:

• Sponsored a Sunday seminar by Daniel Webster entitled “Money, Mission, Me: A Spiritual Approach” in which Daniel laid out the case for money as spiritual “mini-me”. You can view the seminar recording on YouTube.
• Organized a Sunday chalk talk service and follow up survey to allow the congregation to express their dreams for the future, barriers to achieving those dreams, and ways to overcome those barriers. A summary of the chalk talk input can be viewed here.
• Invited UCC staffer Jill White to give a seminar on the potential role of consultants in planning and carrying out capital campaigns. You can view the seminar recording on YouTube.
• Distributed a congregational survey to receive input on proposed projects, and to solicit ideas for additional projects that haven’t been envisioned yet. If you haven’t taken the survey yet, you can do so here until the end of April. 

In May, the task force will evaluate input from the survey, and conduct one or more listening sessions with the congregation to discuss the results of the survey and receive additional input. Based on input from this process, the task force will present a proposal at the spring congregational meeting (on May 21) regarding a capital campaign. Thanks to everyone for your engaged and inspired input and discussion over the past few months!