From the Senior Warden
Now as you excel in everything — in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in utmost eagerness, and in our love for you — so we want you to excel also in this generous undertaking. For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich. And in this matter I am giving my advice: it is appropriate for you who began last year not only to do something but even to desire to do something — now finish doing it, so that your eagerness may be matched by completing it according to your means. 2 Corinthians 8:7, 9-11
Every skillful one to whom the LORD has given skill and understanding to know how to do any work in the construction of the sanctuary shall work in accordance with all that the LORD has commanded. They said to Moses, “The people are bringing much more than enough for doing the work that the LORD has commanded us to do.” Exodus, 36: 1 and 5
Dear friends,
Our parish is in the midst of the projects phase of the Renewing the Gift Capital Campaign. Thanks be to God! This letter has been mailed, but if you missed it, here is an update on the status of the campaign projects.
A word about process. To responsibly discern “the work that the Lord has commanded” regarding the projects in the campaign, the Vestry recruited many of you to participate on committees to make recommendations regarding the details and costs of each project. Your work on those committees has been rigorous, thorough, and often time consuming. And all your work has made possible the Vestry’s responsible decisions about the expenditure of campaign funds.
Some of the campaign projects are nearly complete; on others, the vestry has made final decisions and implementation is pending; on still others, there is more work to be done in the committees before recommendations can be made for a final Vestry decision.
First, the completed projects: we have a new church sign; stained glass windows —reconditioned and weather tight — have been installed; insulation of our buildings is complete and has made our 200-year-old structures significantly more energy efficient. The clear glass window renovations should be complete in the fall of 2024.
As of June 2024, the vestry has made final decisions on the scope and funding of two other campaign projects, with implementation pending later in 2024 and 2025: solar panels, and the capital campaign tithe.
After an extensive discussion regarding all the options, the Vestry unanimously decided to fund an expansive array of solar panels on the roofs of our buildings, providing us with energy for decades to come. The net income from these panels will add funds to our yearly budget for Christian ministry, will allow us to install heat pumps in the future -- when our furnaces become due for replacement, will embody our baptismal promise to be responsible stewards of the earth, and will act as a witness to the community. Because work on the roof will need to be done prior to placement of the panels, this project will probably be complete in 2025.
The Vestry decided to award six organizations with funds from our Mission Tithe. These organizations are: the Diocese of New Hampshire Capital Campaign; Merrimack Valley Daycare; Crisis Center of New Hampshire; The Community Action Program of Belknap and Merrimack Counties; Concord Coalition to End Homelessness; and Waypoint. We intend that these awards will be relational between St. Andrew’s and the recipients. We have requested that a representative from each of these organizations come to our church to share their mission with our congregation, so that this giving can be part of our parish’s spiritual growth and prayer life. Sessions will be scheduled in late 2024 and into 2025.
Finally, our ongoing preparations:
The Front Landscape and Accessibility Committee, tasked with designing a more welcoming, accessible, unified, and aesthetically pleasing entry to our church, has engaged a landscape architect, with plans pending. They have also completed an updated property survey. Because of the likely cost of this project, implementation may need to be accomplished in a phased fashion. Work will not start before 2025.
Our Altar Space Accessibility and Redesign Committee has been active and is currently obtaining quotes. Work will start in 2025. Our replacement organ has been identified and secured by a deposit; placement of the instrument will occur after completion of the alter space renovation, again in late 2025.
We are faithfully repaying the 10-year loan we took with the Episcopal Diocese of NH for repair of the Nave ceiling. The favorable terms of the loan make monthly repayment the most efficient financial option for us presently. As of June 2024, the balance on the $100,000 loan is $69,682.66.
Finally, we plan on dedicating funds towards a building endowment as a way of providing for our future maintenance and repair.
Some of these projects will come in at or under budget, and some will cost more than originally hoped for. It is not the devil, but instead God’s Spirit, that is in the details. As the Vestry has received each passionate and caring committee recommendation, we see that it really is possible for all this work to be prayer; as Saint Paul says, a generous undertaking and the becoming rich of St. Andrew’s. Taking the work of all these projects together, the Vestry is being very careful to discern the best allocation of Campaign funds, hopeful that in that same Spirit we will indeed have, as the ancient scribes wrote, Much more than enough.
It has been an honor — and a lot of fun — to work on these projects with you all!
May God bless and keep you and make his face to shine upon you.
Fred Briccetti, Senior Warden
