Rev. Charles A. Summers

When we realized that it was time to step back and analyze many of the long term maintenance needs of the church, we decided to conduct a feasibility study to ensure that all members were engaged in the process and that all issues were addressed. We were fortunate to have had the counsel of James D. Klote & Associates to guide us through this process. We found that many members of the congregation felt as strongly about mission and outreach as they did in taking care of our own needs. Therefore, our campaign was tailored to encourage the congregation’s equal support of those two goals. We challenged ourselves to raise $1.5 million for deferred maintenance and $1.5 million for mission and outreach.

With the help of our full-time consultant, we were able to surpass the $3 million dollar mark!

Our consultant was not only very knowledgeable and professional, his commitment to the life of the church was obvious from the start. I can not overemphasize the blessing it was to have someone else responsible to set up the campaign calendar, prepare the rooms for meetings, and keep us all on track so that we could continue to perform our daily responsibilities. He met weekly with the steering committee, gave training to our visitors, kept all the campaign records, and helped us make key decisions as the campaign progressed. His experience and temperament were just the right fit for First Presbyterian.

I recommend without reservation James D. Klote & Associates, this plan of campaign, and the benefits of full-time consultation.