Clearly, you are a God who works behind the scenes,
God of Israel, Savior God.

~ Isaiah 45:15 (The Message translation)

Beneath the Hood, Behind the Scenes

During our recent Summer Bible Camp, the church facility was vibrant! Snowflakes, winter scenes, the Magi! Christmas in July was everywhere that you looked. The staff and volunteers transformed our spaces, and the children were captivated by the displays. Beneath the décor, staff and volunteers worked hard, and the infrastructure hummed along. While the temperatures outside inched up to 100 degrees, measures had been put in place to keep the building cool. The “beneath the hood” tasks keep the air conditioning functioning. For this, we thank our Facilities Director, Rick Beaird, for his close attention and delicate handling of our current, outdated HVAC system!

To date, we have received over 75% of our $1,875,000 Echoing God's Call capital campaign goal. This generous upfront giving ensures we will not need to borrow money as we begin the project. The contract with the engineering firm was signed, and a design team is working on the construction documents, which we will expect to take until the end of August.

So what’s ahead? Through the end of August, construction documents will be reviewed by a Trustees sub-committee who will report back to the Board of Trustees. Beginning in September, permits will be submitted, and construction bid solicitations will begin. In these beginning stages, we don’t see the construction, but we know that, “beneath the hood,” work is happening.

In our biblical witness, there are many occasions when God is at work behind the scenes. Though Abraham and Sarah remained childless into their old age, God's plan for them was waiting to be known. When Joseph was betrayed by his brothers and imprisoned, God's plan for him was waiting to be known. When the angel Gabriel revealed that Mary would have a child, God's plan was waiting to be known. In each of these examples, it would be easy to lose hope if all we knew was the beginning or the middle of the story, but through faith, the resolution proved to be anything but hopeless! 

While the objectives of our capital campaign (HVAC and renovated classroom and office spaces) don't carry the same weight as the stories of Abraham, Sarah, Joseph, or Mary, it's clear that even in this campaign, God has been busy working behind the scenes. The abundance and generosity demonstrated by our church, and the discernment of our leadership, are evidence of this. What a gift to know that, "beneath the hood," God's plans for our church are waiting to be known. 

Capital Campaign Updates 

To stay up-to-date on news about progress during the construction phase or to learn more about the campaign objectives,  please click here:  stjohnsaustin.org/giving/capital-campaign/. To submit a pledge, click the button below.