West Updates Blog
Pictured here is the Gepford Family (Bill, Melissa & Finn)
Over the past 33 years, we have seen God at work through the generations. The investments of those who came before us planted seeds that have grown and flourished. Now, it’s our turn to make bold commitments and invest in current and future generations.
Adam Hamilton, Senior Pastor
West
Dear Friends,
It’s an exciting time to be at Resurrection West – and while we celebrate the ways God is at work transforming lives in our church and community, we can only imagine what God has in store for the future. Resurrection West is just getting started! We are poised to set the standard for kids and youth ministry while creating a space where all can grow closer to God.
This brochure outlines our plans and dreams for the future and what we believe will be needed to reach current and future generations. My family is all in here – and I am asking you to join us. We have been praying about what this means for us for some time. We have reconsidered some of our priorities so that we can give the largest single gift we have ever made – anywhere.
And we think it is worth it.
I am asking you to join me and my family in making a genuine financial sacrifice. Accomplishing our goals will require sacrificial giving from each of us – and yet I am consistently in awe of what we can accomplish as a Church when we all do our part.
Please take a look at the dreams and plans outlined in this brochure. Join me in praying for God’s direction as we move forward with these plans, for the success of this campaign, and for discerning our personal commitments and support. It’s an exciting time to be at Resurrection West!
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Bill
The Plan
Create a Vibrant Dedicated Student Space
Currently, our teenagers have no dedicated space to meet in. Our campaign focuses on creating a vibrant, welcoming space for youth, sending a clear message to this generation that they are important, and we have a place just for them. Using unfinished space in our lower level, we can finish what we started, creating a visible entry that makes it easier and more comfortable for youth to enter for the first time. Once in the space, they will encounter an engaging mix of games, food, fellowship and worship that allows youth to grow in their faith with one another in a place that feels both welcoming and sacred, while also connecting intergenerationally with their small group leaders and adult mentors.
In the Words of Our Students
Our students prayed over this future space and wrote those hopes and prayers down (click the images to expand).
Click here to see a special message from Pastor Adam
Click here to Pastor Bill share the specific plans for Resurrection West.
Reaching Every Generation
Radical hospitality to all generations – children, students, and adults – is a priority at Resurrection West. The campaign also includes plans to accommodate growing needs for adult discipleship space and permanent walls for children’s classrooms. Those plans allow for a more centralized check-in on the lower level, adding to the feeling of safety a parent has when dropping off their children. These renovations will ensure that all generations will have vibrant spaces to grow in their faith during simultaneous times.
The renovations to our children’s spaces will create a welcoming, centralized check-in and kid-friendly classrooms. We will replace the mobile partition walls with permanent walls and ceilings to improve acoustics – and to help kids grow in their faith.
Our plans include the creation of adult discipleship spaces so all generations can grow in their faith simultaneously.
By completing the unfinished space in our lower level, we are providing adequate space for youth to meet for worship, fellowship, bible studies and small groups.
Resurrection History
In 1990, a group of visionaries shared a dream that they could build a Christian community where non-religious and nominally religious people of all ages would become deeply committed Christians. Launching Resurrection in a funeral home, they laid a foundation for generations to come. They had no idea the number of lives that would be transformed or the impact the church would have on the community, but they trusted God and dreamed big.
Resurrection has always been about people whose lives can be transformed when they follow Jesus, and who in turn can change the world. But, as we’ve grown and expanded, we’ve recognized that facilities and resources are important tools for ministry. Today, as a thriving church with six physical locations and a growing online presence, we are committed to ensuring that our buildings and programs continue to welcome and care for our community – from those yet to be born, to teens and young adults, to our oldest adults.
Resurrection West Story
Groundbreaking
In August 2006, Resurrection West began meeting in a temporary space at Prairie Trail Junior High School until land at K-10 and K-7 was chosen to build a permanent space. And, in 2010, this growing congregation made plans to build their first Sanctuary on this beautiful property in the “Putting Down Roots” campaign. Through worship, Bible study, children and youth ministry, this congregation grew to 450 families during this period.
Branching Out
In August 2006, Resurrection West began meeting in a temporary space at Prairie Trail Junior High School until land at K-10 and K-7 was chosen to build a permanent space. And, in 2010, this growing congregation made plans to build their first Sanctuary on this beautiful property in the “Putting Down Roots” campaign. Through worship, Bible study, children and youth ministry, this congregation grew to 450 families during this period.
For Every Season
Our “For Every Season” campaign launched to expand the sanctuary to ensure a seat for all in every season, to improve parking lot efficiency, and to create a new soothing room, welcoming young families as our weekend worship attendance grew to nearly 1,000.
Generation to Generation
Resurrection West is dedicated to raising future generations for years to come. In 2023, we hosted our largest Easter service to date by welcoming 2,192 people through our doors. We have launched the Resurrection Giving Garden, hosted our largest MLK serve day, served internationally together, and continue to see ministry grow.
The Miller Family
For our family, it’s exciting to continue to watch the church grow so that we can continue to grow in community and in our faith. Our hope is that others feel the same way that we did when they walk in the doors; that they feel the warmth, they feel welcome, and they feel like this is where they’re supposed to be. Where their child is safe, where their child is loved, and
where their child will grow.
Pay Down Debt and Expand Ministry
One of the goals of this campaign is to pay down some of our debt from previous building projects. A portion of our annual ministry budget goes to debt service. By reducing this debt and the associated interest, more funds will be directly available for programming, missions, and outreach.
A Vision for 2030
In 2019 our congregation helped shape, and then approved, a set of visions for the year 2030. Creating the right tools for ministry with new and remodeled spaces and reducing our debt will allow us to more effectively live into these visions:
- Closing the Spiritual Gap by helping our congregation and community grow in their faith
- Closing the Generational Gap by reaching future generations for Christ
- Closing the Kindness and Justice Gap by helping our city and world look more like the Kingdom of God
- Closing the Opportunity Gap through efforts focused on education with an emphasis on PreK education and by addressing poverty
Together We Can Ensure a Vital Ministry for Resurrection West for Generations to Come
Campaign Need $3 Million
We can clearly see how God has used our sacrificial gifts to help Resurrection West establish itself as a beacon of light in the community. Our leaders have prayerfully considered this campaign with faith in the future of our church, knowing that the size of our congregation and the size of our ministry budget pave the way for us to meet this realistic need of $3 million. But it will take sacrifice, and it will take everyone’s help and participation.
How will we get there?
Capital campaigns are an investment in the future and the legacy we leave behind. You are invited to consider the goals of the campaign, the ministry impact of the building and paying off debt, and then pray, inviting God to guide you to consider a sacrificial gift that can be given over a period of four tax years, a gift over and above your annual giving to the church.
Generation to Generation is a time of spiritual growth – for our church and for each of us individually. You have the opportunity to be part of something that will have a tremendous impact on the mission and ministry of the church. We need your commitment as we continue this incredible journey of transforming lives, renewing churches and changing the world. We hope you will join us in praying about making a sacrificial gift to ensure our congregation has a vital future caring for all our generations.
The Beveridge Family
We don’t know what the future holds with careers and future income potential, but we’ve always found that if we lean in and do what makes us feel a little uncomfortable by giving generously, we’ve gotten back way more than we ever expected. So, for this campaign,
we leaned in and made a commitment
that we feel like is a stretch but doable. And we’ll be proud later that we did it.
Campaign Timeline & Resources
Two Commitments. One Purpose.
Annual Ministry Fund
Your commitment to the Annual Ministry Fund makes possible all the mission and ministry at Resurrection. Your generosity and commitment to join us in closing the gap between where the world is and where it could be is the lifeblood of the church.
Generation to Generation
This capital campaign commitment, over and above your regular offering, will make possible creating and improving facilities to help us in passing on the faith from generation to generation.
Determine your commitment.
The success of the campaign will require a commitment from us all to complete the building designs and achieve our goals. A sacrificial gift is an opportunity to take a bold step in your spiritual journey, make a sacrificial gift to invest in God’s work, and experience the joy of knowing that you will be sharing Jesus with current and future generations.
Give as a Family
Family Resources
Parents, this is an opportunity to discuss giving with your children. Our children’s ministry team has designed activities and a Talk & Tunes resource with these conversations in mind. Share with your children how you make giving decisions. Talk about the difference you want to make, and work as a family to find other ways to make an impact. Download printable versions of these resources by clicking the buttons below.
Qualified Charitable Distribution Information
If you have an IRA, consider contributing through a Qualified Charitable Distribution. A QCD is a direct transfer of funds from an IRA custodian, payable to a qualified charity like Resurrection. These gifts expand the impact of your giving, because instead of paying taxes on the money, every dollar goes directly to mission and ministry. Seek advice from a financial advisor to determine the best way to maximize this opportunity. For more information visit cor.org/waystogive or click the button below.
Spiritual Discernment Resources
Begin with prayer.
Pray for this campaign, specifically that God will give our leaders wisdom and touch the hearts of our congregation.
Pray for personal discernment as you consider how God is calling you to invest in a church for generations today and tomorrow.
Pray this simple prayer daily:
God, you have called us to tell coming generations of your glorious deeds. Grant us vision to know the plans you have for your church, and give us the conviction, courage and boldness to pursue them. Amen.
Spiritual Discernment Guide
Our sacrificial gifts to the church, above and beyond our annual ministry fund gift or tithe, over the next three years towards the Generation to Generation capital campaign will provide resources that will impact thousands and thousands of lives for generations to come. Making a sacrificial gift is something that requires prayerful discernment, and it will take each of us to make the goals of this campaign a reality. As you embark on this spiritual journey, this devotional is designed to help you prayerfully seek God’s calling as you consider what He is asking you to sacrifice to be a part of ensuring spaces for all generations at Resurrection, today and into the future.
Stories of Generational Impact
Marissa Denton
Robert Johnson
Matt Bisel
Liam Davidson
LaDonna Williams
Bill Gepford
Frequently Asked Questions
While our plans for the Generation to Generation campaign involve converting our existing storage room (room 027) into a Youth space, we believe that we will still have enough space on-site for the tables, chairs, etc that are used on a weekly basis. We believe that rest of the items in the storage room can be stored offsite (the missions center, etc), or donated to make space for ministry.
Yes – though the proposed plans (finishing our existing building and clearing debt) would be a necessary first step before expanding outside of our existing walls. This does not commit to (or against) our previously expressed long-term plans. The pandemic has changed church trends and building needs, and so we have structured a campaign that will prepare us for the broadest number of possible futures. This campaign allows us to prepare for whatever comes next (whether it is that plan or another one), while gaining clarity on post-pandemic needs and building stronger foundations.
We project this building campaign will cost $3 million, which our consultants tell us is within the reasonable range for a church our size – that would provide for the new youth space, a reconfiguring of much of the lower level, debt reduction, and key sanctuary upgrades. If we come in above expectation, our building committee will prioritize upgrades in our Sanctuary and Youth room. If we come in under projections, our building committee will guide us through the process of expansion or cutting, with the top priority as finishing out 027 into a youth space. Children’s ministry spaces and debt reduction will come next.
The campaign commitment period begins October 1, 2023 and ends December 31, 2026 making it possible for you to utilize 4 tax years to contribute to your commitment.
