PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
October 25, 2020
Lynchburg, VA – Beneath the setting overcast sky on October 25, 2020, over 120 people turned out to “Celebrate God’s Grace” at an outdoor Kick-off Event for the “Rooted & Reaching” Capital Projects Campaign at First Presbyterian Church (FPCLY). The evening reached its sizzling peak with the announcement that $1,350,000 had already been pledged during the Advance Phase from less than 15% of its membership – “almost no one anticipated even raising one million dollars during the entire campaign from 100% of the membership”, said Kathryn Pumphrey the Campaign Chair, especially during this covid-19 virus pandemic.
“Rooted & Reaching” will support First Presbyterian Church’s Benevolence, Ministry Support, and Facility Improvements. As the afternoon wound down, the tent, live music, a magician, hot apple cider, balloons, goody bags with FPC masks, and even a donut truck added to the late afternoon’s fun and fellowship in the Rose Garden. Additional goals of “Rooted & Reaching” Campaign include replacing the steeple, renovating the organ, and building the endowment.
This wonderful experience provided fruitful conversation between church family members through the eating, drinking, worshiping, and accepting the call to give towards our future efforts. This time under the tent will go down as a turning point in the history of the church all for the sake of lost people meeting and following Jesus. Many attendees stated, “we were pleasantly surprised by the pledged amount announcement.”
James D. Klote & Associates is a full-time, on-site capital stewardship consulting firm with offices in Falls Church, Virginia as well as Chicago, Toronto and Los Angeles. Klote & Associates was also recently ranked the #1 church stewardship consulting firm in the United States by Volkart May, a market research firm in Minnesota.