One Elim
Past, Present, Future.
One Elim
Past, Present, Future.
Elim Grace has grown exponentially since it began in one family’s home over 50 years ago. Some of us have been here for decades, while others are new to the family. As we look to grow a big people, not a big church, we can see what the Lord has in store for Elim Grace by expanding our building.
Campaign Goal
$750,000
- Total Committed 0%
- Total Given 0%
Why Now?
We’re not just raising money to increase square footage. We want more chairs in the sanctuary to seat those who will worship our God together. An upgraded event space will enable us to invite more people from the community in for events like Fall Fest. We need greater classroom space so more children can learn about their loving Father on Sundays.
Above all, it’s an opportunity to come together as one Elim—past, present, and future. As Pastor Jonathan has shared, we are the generation past generations prayed for and faithfully entrusted a calling from God to. The last capital campaign’s theme was “walk in love, build in faith”. We have the opportunity to continue that vision. Our present-day family is growing in faith and service to this community. In the future, others will walk through the doors of this expanded building, all because God has blessed us with a body of believers committed to each other and the city of Oswego.
Our Goal
The prophet Jeremiah once wrote a letter to the Jewish exiles in Babylon, speaking on hope for the future:
““Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.
This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:5-11
““Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” Yes, this is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says: “Do not let the prophets and diviners among you deceive you. Do not listen to the dreams you encourage them to have. They are prophesying lies to you in my name. I have not sent them,” declares the Lord.
This is what the Lord says: “When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:5-11
The theme this letter evokes is one of hope. The current generation of exiles may not live to return to Jerusalem, but they are given reason for hope in the future that some of them and their descendants will. Today, Elim Grace can focus on hope for the future as we start a capital campaign to build this expansion.
Our goal is to raise $750,000 in additional funding for this new building. We trust in the Lord that He has a plan to prosper us and give us hope for the future in the midst of this endeavor.
What Part Can I Play?
The last sentence from that section of Jeremiah is the key to everything with this campaign:
“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Our journey toward a new building goes nowhere without us seeking the Lord ourselves. We seek Him in prayer over this campaign. We seek him with gratitude for the work of past generations. We seek Him to increase our faith in what He has planned for Elim’s future.
Only then can we consider our individual roles in this campaign. Seek the Lord with all your heart first, then ask Him what He has for you. Here are the areas of greatest need:
Pray
that God would guide the pastors, elders, and campaign team toward achieving our goal
Share
about the campaign with others who are connected to the body of Christ in Oswego
Give
to help us reach our goal of $750,000
Questions You May Have:
Questions You May Have:
Why is $750,000 the goal for the campaign?
The elders spent a lot of time discussing the plans for the building, our ministry needs, and the loan debt that we believe Elim Grace can afford. We also received input from INJOY Stewardship Solutions, our capital campaign partner. Based on these factors, we believe raising $750,000 for the expansion requires faithful and sacrificial giving without being overly ambitious.
What will the expansion look like?
The current building will be expanded into the guest parking lot and adjacent green space. The new areas will include a larger lobby, multiple offices, upper-floor storage areas, a 420-seat sanctuary, more classrooms, and updates to the current spaces.
Click here to see the expansion plan
How will this building affect Elim Grace’s ministries?
More space means more versatility. An updated event space in the center of Oswego means we can minister to the city and its people. The additional classrooms will provide more space for Elim Kids and other ministries. The larger sanctuary will help accommodate more people, especially on Sunday mornings. With the extra square footage, we can serve the needs of the community and organizations like the Family Resource Center, Desens House, and Oswego County Opportunities.
Why is INJOY Stewardship Solutions involved in the campaign?
INJOY Stewardship Solutions is a faith-based organization that focuses on supporting churches through capital campaigns. We felt that the people of INJOY have had such an impact on many building campaigns in the past, and Elim Grace can benefit from that expertise to reach our goal of $750,000.
What dates should I know about for this campaign?
Here are some dates you should mark on your calendars as we pursue our financial goal for the expansion:
9/15/24 – Public Launch of the Campaign
10/6/24 – Commitment Event
10/20/24 – Celebration/Reveal
Why is $750,000 the goal for the campaign?
The elders spent a lot of time discussing the plans for the building, our ministry needs, and the loan debt that we believe Elim Grace can afford. We also received input from INJOY Stewardship Solutions, our capital campaign partner. Based on these factors, we believe raising $750,000 for the expansion requires faithful and sacrificial giving without being overly ambitious.
What will the expansion look like?
The current building will be expanded into the guest parking lot and adjacent green space. The new areas will include a larger lobby, multiple offices, upper-floor storage areas, a 420-seat sanctuary, more classrooms, and updates to the current spaces.
Click here to see the expansion plan
How will this building affect Elim Grace’s ministries?
More space means more versatility. An updated event space in the center of Oswego means we can minister to the city and its people. The additional classrooms will provide more space for Elim Kids and other ministries. The larger sanctuary will help accommodate more people, especially on Sunday mornings. With the extra square footage, we can serve the needs of the community and organizations like the Family Resource Center, Desens House, and Oswego County Opportunities.
Why is INJOY Stewardship Solutions involved in the campaign?
INJOY Stewardship Solutions is a faith-based organization that focuses on supporting churches through capital campaigns. We felt that the people of INJOY have had such an impact on many building campaigns in the past, and Elim Grace can benefit from that expertise to reach our goal of $750,000.
What dates should I know about for this campaign?
Here are some dates you should mark on your calendars as we pursue our financial goal for the expansion:
9/15/24 – Public Launch of the Campaign
10/6/24 – Commitment Event
10/13/24 – Celebration/Reveal