What a pleasure it has been to have the consultant in our midst these past few months. He has done an excellent job shepherding us through our Capital Campaign. I am sure you are aware of the financial results which by all measures are impressive.
Perhaps more important, the process has brought us closer together as a parish family: no small task with a congregation like ours. We have folks attending any of the four services available on Sunday mornings, each a mini-congregation in itself.
We are by no means finished with our campaign. We plan to give every family the opportunity to pledge. While the majority of those whom we believed would make substantial pledges have been visited, there are some who have not yet pledged. There are quite a few families, many with children, who still need to be contracted and will contribute something.
Thank you for sending us the consultant. He has done an outstanding job and has endeared himself to many of us. We will miss him when he leaves next week.
Best wishes to you and yours for a peaceful, joy-filled Christmas, and blessings throughout 2017.
Senior Warden
Old Donation Episcopal Church
Virginia Beach, Virginia
703-399-0518
info@jdklote.com 



Carmel Lutheran Church kicked off its ‘Hearts Compelled To Share’ capital campaign in record style. As of January 25th just 73 families of the more than 900 in the church had already committed $3.75 million dollars. That total represents not only the best kickoff to a campaign at CLC, it also represents the best campaign in total even though only 8% of the congregation has pledged so far.
The previous best campaign was just four years ago when CLC collected a total of about $3 million in pledges from over 425 donors.
"Jim Klote, president of James D. Klote and Associates, a capital stewardship consulting firm based in Fall Church, VA, appears on the big screen during his "All Things New" presentation at this year's Annual Conference session. Klote and Associates will conduct free stewardship education workshops for churches in all 18 districts of the conference this fall.
Participants listen attentively during the church stewardship workshop at Wright's Chapel UMC.The Virginia Conference sponsored series of stewardship workshops in each district is winding down, with two more district gatherings remaining in November.
