Baker Memorial UMC Overwhelmingly Votes to Support a Capital Campaign

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
October 8, 2018

Saint Charles, IL – The findings of a Feasibility Study, that included 16 Focus Group Meetings, validated to the Board of Trustees, the Church Council and the Capital Campaign Committee that now is the time to proceed with a Capital Campaign. The Board of Trustees and the Church Council recommended to the congregation that the church proceed immediately into a Capital Campaign. A written ballot vote of the congregation overwhelmingly approved the recommendations of JD Klote & Associates to proceed with a Capital Campaign under the direction of a Steering Committee. The Campaign will begin immediately with a goal of raising $4 Million.

Pastor Mary Zajac led the business meeting and afterward commented that she felt like the response from the congregation was “VERY” strong. Excited and encouraged by the congregation’s show of support she said, “now the real work begins.”  The church’s overall vision is to update the interior of their 64-year-old building and possibly add a drive-through entrance.

This historic church was established 181 years ago. In 1954, Edward Baker gifted the congregation its current facility and dedicated it to his parents.  In recent years the church has concentrated on funding the many maintenance needs of the 64-year-old building. This will be the first Capital Campaign that will address a comprehensive overall interior design and update for the building. It is important to note that the congregation is dedicated to keeping the historical look of the church’s exterior as well as the sanctuary, and to update the looks of the interior with a design that will compliment the traditional architecture. Their goal is to create a warm, welcoming atmosphere that appropriately reflects the spiritual atmosphere within the church.

The campaign will be directed by James D. Klote & Associates, Inc. JDK&A, a full-time, on-site capital stewardship consulting firm based in Falls Church, Virginia, recently ranked the #1 church consulting firm in the United States by Volkart, a market research firm in Minnesota. Greg Holt is the consultant assigned to Baker United Memorial Methodist Church.

With offices in Falls Church, Virginia; Dallas, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; Los Angeles, California; and Toronto, Ontario, Canada, James D. Klote & Associates is the largest full-time, on-site stewardship consulting firm in North America.  For additional information, please contact the firm at www.jdklote.com or (800)-360-2315.