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June 30, 2026
Dear Members and Friends of First Congregational Church,
We are excited to share some wonderful news! At the June 21 Congregational Meeting, the congregation voted overwhelmingly to move forward with a $4 million Capital Campaign beginning in August 2026. The campaign's primary purpose is to establish the Legacy Endowment Fund, creating a lasting source of support for the ministries and mission of First Congregational Church for generations to come. The congregation also approved dedicating 3% of the funds raised to a Mission/Social Justice initiative that will be developed through a collaborative church process. We will engage Fellowship Development to guide the campaign, with its fees paid from campaign proceeds.
This decision follows a very encouraging planning study (see the summary here),
which confirmed that our congregation is enthusiastic about investing in the future
of our church and our ministry together.
This campaign is about much more than raising money. It is an opportunity to strengthen our church, deepen our relationships, and celebrate what God is doing through First Congregational Church. We are highly encouraged by the many members who communicated their willingness to volunteer their time, talents, and gifts to the campaign, and we know many more will join them in the months ahead. Our congregation has a remarkable history of generosity—through our three previous capital campaigns between 2001 and 2016, we raised nearly $8.9 million to support our mission. That history gives us every reason to believe we can achieve this goal together.
We expect the campaign to commence in mid-August with the preparation phase, followed by a “quiet phase” and then the public phase wrapping up the campaign in mid-December. Over the coming months, you'll hear more about the Legacy Endowment, the Mission/Social Justice initiative, and many opportunities to learn, ask questions, and become involved. The proposed geothermal expansion project will remain on hold until the engineering study is completed. If the Board of Management determines the project is practical and financially sound, it will be brought back to the congregation for consideration in August.
Above all, we ask for your prayers. Every capital campaign is ultimately an act of faith and trust—faith that God continues to call this congregation to vibrant ministry, and trust that, together, we can faithfully prepare First Congregational Church to serve generations yet
to come. We look forward to sharing this exciting journey with all of you.
With gratitude,
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