OPEN YOUR HEART
2024 Lake Nokomis Capital Campaign
 
"Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God."
Romans 15:7
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**** CONSTRUCTION IS MOVING FORWARD! HOORAY! ****

The Campaign:
​$60,000 to make main floor fully
​accessible and hospitable​


We are planning to raise at least $60,000 to make sure we can cover all predicted and unforeseen building expenses.
 (The minimum needed to move forward is $50,000).

An ongoing development program:
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  •  First we raise $60,000 to make sure we complete the main floor renovation 
  • Any additional money raised, but not used in the renovation, will join the seed money we have put aside toward connecting the floors to make it possible for less mobile people to join us anywhere in the building!
 
See the pledge form for payment options.
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GOAL $60,000 
​RAISED SO FAR: $51,006
​Money in hand: $45,911
Thank you to:
​Terry, Joyce, Sue H, Butch & Sue G, Erik & Wendy, Kara & Andy, Jim B, Noreen, Kate, Dean & Kristen S, Lisa J, Warren & Marlys,
​Jim K & Barb B, Rachel, Gary & Linda, Kristen, Mike & Karen, Amy, Sig, Marilyn, Kay and Verlyn, Jim & Jennifer R.
Please prayerfully consider how you may be called to join in 
creating the welcoming future we want to see by making our building hospitable to all.
Lake Nokomis Presbyterian Church is committed to continue opening our hearts, our lives, and our building to the welcoming call of Christ
​to care for one another and be "a beacon of hope and a place of sanctuary" for our community.
In hospitality we live out the truth that we all belong to God and we all belong to each other,
​so we seek to be with and for all others as Christ is with and for us. 
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We are on a multi-phase journey to live into deeper hospitality and greater welcome
​through improvements to the church building.
  • Phase 0 - Discernment (2019-2020): In September 2019 we began a congregation-wide discernment process about our building. Is it part of our mission and calling? Are we willing to let it go if God is calling us in a different direction? If the building is part of our mission, how will it best serve God's purposes? And how are we being called to steward the space?  The whole church walked through the whole building, praying in each room, sharing stories of how the space was used and dreaming about what could be.  Every room was anointed and blessed, as we invited God to show us what the building is for. We began a season of questioning.  A couple months later, we had our answer. The theater group affirmed their love of our space, Hiawatha Academy thanked us for being their emergency gathering place.  Mandala Preschool approached us about putting a branch of their school in our building, and we began exploring what that might look like. (Just weeks after we'd discerned we were to widen the welcome of our building, and given  thanks for God's direction, in March of 2020 the Covid-19 pandemic ejected us from the space altogether). 
          See our reflections from the building blessing here.

  • ​Phase 1 (2021) We "opened a new door" by renovating the basement for use as a preschool, creating a lower-level accessible entrance and bathrooms. After nearly a year of preparation and groundwork, all the plans, financing, permits and processes were in place. Our fundraising quickly raised the $100,000 needed for the construction along with $17,000 extra for the main floor bathrooms (beginning of Phase 2!)  We broke ground in January of 2021, in the height of the pandemic lockdown, and watched the construction unfold over the next nine months through photo updates.  The preschool moved in and opened their doors in July 2021 as the final outdoor touches were added.  (For the next year, the preschool and theater group used our building, while we continued to meet mostly online, and then for Saturday services and funerals only. We returned full-time to our building Easter 2022). See Groundbreaking ceremony and construction photos of Phase 1!  

2022-2023 brought the post-pandemic return to Sundays in the sanctuary, 100th anniversary celebration, Swedish Death cleaning, and revamping & repurposing rooms!
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  • Phase 2 (2023-current) Now we will continue make the main floor more welcoming and accessible.  (The last time upgrades and changes were made to these spaces was 1981!) We have already completed the bathroom renovation to make our restrooms accessible and gender-neutral, with changing tables. Now we will make the Gathering Room fully accessible, revamp the storage and flow in the room, replace the two side doors with new doors opening to the hallway across from the sanctuary, and renovate the coat room/seating area to make it more useable and flexible.
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  • Phase 3 (future) will address the barrier of only stairs between floors.