Beyond Hospitality

OUR STORY

Annual Stewardship & Capital Campaign

For nearly 150 years, Matthews United Methodist (MUMC) has been a community of people committed to Jesus Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, united in the love of God, and called to make that love real to others.

In the Gathering Space of our Sanctuary, carved in granite, are these words of vision: "to become an all-inclusive Christian community which lifts high the Cross and shares the love of Jesus."

To realize this vision and welcome ALL in the name of Jesus Christ, we need to go beyond hospitality to make our worship space accessible to ALL who want to accept that invitation and participate.

During the last thirty-plus years on our current campus, our Sanctuary has become the place where our congregation worships with abandon, experiences the word of God, celebrates weddings, mourns our faithful departed and is moved by sacred music. It is "a most holy place," as referenced in Ezekiel 41:1-4, and certainly one of the most important centers of ministry in all of Matthews.

For our Sanctuary to continue to serve at its best for another thirty-plus years, it needs some extra attention. In October of 2022 the church's Administrative Council created a Building Committee to investigate and prioritize capital improvements that had been discussed by both the Council and our Board of Trustees.

This Committee talked to our architect about our reverence and passion for this space and the diverse roles it plays in the life of MUMC. We also discussed its limitations - the aging infrastructure, an inflexible and inaccessible floor plan, the challenge of hearing the spoken word with clarity, and an organ at the end of its useful life.

And then prayerfully, with an eye toward preserving and honoring our Sanctuary's architectural roots, we looked to create a more usable and energy-efficient space. We have developed a comprehensive plan for renovation that will modernize the Sanctuary while keeping it as a place of reverence, beauty and wonder.

Based on positive results from our Feasibility Study, we recognize that YOU, our dedicated congregation, have the heart to address these critical repairs and improvements so that we may ALL experience God together.

We hope to secure the necessary funding through commitments to a capital campaign over and above your general giving that will enable us to start this project in early 2025.

We ask for your support of this historic effort on behalf of the church we so deeply love.

OUR GOALS

ACCESSIBILITY

We want MUMC to be welcoming and accessible for everyone. As stated in Isaiah 40:4 "...making the rough places smooth," or in other words, removing barriers, will make it easier for our friends with disabilities to experience worship and fellowship in our church. This is part of our vision to be an "all-inclusive Christian community." Adding automatic door openers to the Sanctuary entrances and our handicap accessible bathrooms will provide easier access. Replacing the Chancel Area floor with a smooth surface and providing a better way for people with disabilities to navigate that space will allow more participants to lead services and make it safer for everyone.

HVAC SYSTEM

In the Sanctuary, our 31-year-old HVAC system is well past its life expectancy and needs to be replaced. Multiple "patchwork" repairs have been done over time to keep it running, but the probability of total failure is extremely high if we do nothing. A new system would include an estimated 30% savings on energy bills and better control the humidity, thereby reducing the frequency of piano tunings required and preventing potential damage to other moisture-sensitive areas.

SOUND & LIGHTING

Several updates to our Sanctuary's sound and lighting systems will greatly enhance the worship experience for both in-person and online attendees. New LED screens positioned lower than the current projection walls will provide easier sight lines, better clarity and more dynamic content for everyone. An upgraded high-fidelity sound system that is also hearing-aid compatible will provide more consistent coverage throughout the space. Brighter, more efficient lighting will improve visibility and significantly reduce utility costs.

MUSIC & WORSHIP

Music ministry has always been an integral part of our worship experience and community outreach at MUMC. Our incredibly talented choir members and other musicians bring God's word to life in such inspiring ways. Some very important modifications to our Chancel space will further enhance our musical worship elements and provide access for greater participation in them. Increasing the Chancel area and size of the choir loft will allow people and instruments to be repositioned for better acoustics, as well as enable handbell choirs and larger orchestras to perform directly in front of the congregation. Reducing the number of stairs, widening them, and adding handrails will provide safer access to all. In addition, the organ that has served us well for 25 years, but requires costly upkeep, needs to be replaced. A newer model with updated technology and vastly improved sound will provide the reliability we need to conduct services and save a great deal on repairs.

CAPTIONING

We at MUMC embrace God's gift of diversity and rejoice in a loving, diverse community united in Christ. Providing closed captioning on personal devices, as well as live-streaming services, and translated captions for bi-lingual services as needed, will improve our congregation's worship experience and increase our opportunities for outreach.

OUR CAMPAIGN

Each year in the fall, congregants of our community make faithful pledges in support of the forthcoming year's annual budget. Pledges and gifts in support of our annual operating fund are transformed into a multitude of ministries carried out by you, our pastors, and our faithful staff. This annual, faithful generosity focus is not to be neglected during this season; it is to be maximized as we go forth into God's future together, beyond hospitality. This is first priority for our giving.

Addressing all these important facility issues will require a successful capital campaign. We need to raise a minimum of $2 million to cover these projects that will elevate our worship experience, create a more accessible, pleasant environment for all, and expand our hospitality within the walls of our church and beyond to the community we serve.

Therefore, this fall we invite you to joyfully participate by making two financial commitments, one in the form of your Annual Pledge to the General Operating Fund (for 2025) and the other in the form of a 3-year Beyond Hospitality Pledge to the Capital Campaign (through December 2027). With your faithful commitments, we can live into our mission and vision. We can go "Beyond Hospitality... Experiencing God Together."

Resources

Renderings of Sanctuary Renovations