living our legacy

Living our Legacy

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Cor 9:8).

Building on the Past – Growing in the Present – Giving for the Future

First Presbyterian ChurchBonham, TEXAS

2012

First Presbyterian Church of Bonham, Texas was founded in 1872.

In 1885, the church moved into its first building, which was relocated twelve years later to its present site.

It began with faith…

Living our Legacy Our History


Over the decades, many changes have been made, including additions, renovations, and new liturgical elements.

An addition to church sanctuary building completed its present shape at the time of its move to the current site.


Our HistoryLiving our Legacy


Over time other changes took place:

• An organ was installed and then replaced with the current pipe organ

• Stained glass windows were incorporated into the north, west and south walls of the sanctuary

• A banister for the choir loft was constructed




Over time other changes took place:

• New pews and carpeting placed

• Lighting and central air conditioning installed

• Sound a video systems were installed




Yet the building the original founders worshiped in continues to serve as the house of worship for this congregation today, nearly 127 years later.It began with faith…



It continued with a dream…

In 2005 a group within the church began to envision what our church could be.

Project BackgroundLiving our Legacy



Lyle Novinski, a liturgical consultant with extensive experience in church design, was invited to review the current sanctuary and worship space. He provided the core ideas for transforming the sanctuary into a liturgically appropriate worship space that restores and maintains the church’s historical integrity.




This group connected with Partners for Sacred Places, an organization whose mission is to restore and preserve historical church buildings and worship spaces. Partners for Sacred Places consulted with the church and provided a grant to enable an architectural analysis of the building, with the proposed changes made by Mr. Novinski in view.




An engineering report was also completed by Tom Witherspoon, a professional consulting engineer. This provided needed analysis of the building’s foundation and structure.



In May, 2011, a survey was conducted of the congregation. One crucial element of this survey was to poll the congregation as to the desire for conducting a capital campaign, and, if so, what priorities would be included in the campaign.

The process begins …

Campaign BackgroundLiving our Legacy


The results of the survey showed nearly unanimous support for a capital campaign with the renovation of the sanctuary as the highest priority. The other priority receiving strong support was the development of mission and ministry opportunities for the church.




The Session of the church unanimously approved a capital campaign to be conducted to address these priorities, under the guidance of a Building Committee to oversee the work of the sanctuary renovation project, with the oversight of a licensed contractor to provide expertise and liability coverage.




Other aspects of the capital campaign to be considered and addressed a new church sign and a mission and ministry component.




The Session also approved the utilization of the Isbell Fund, a $50,000 gift to the church, as seed money for the campaign.




• Ensure the structure of the building is architecturally and structurally sound, repairing and supplementing any foundational and support elements

Priorities are defined …

Sanctuary PrioritiesLiving our Legacy


• Enhance the sanctuary to provide a liturgically optimal worship space while restoring and preserving the historical integrity of the building




• Integrate the technological needs of a modern worshiping congregation – including sound, video and other aspects




• A digital sign along Center Street to replace the current “changeable letter” sign, to better communicate church activities and messages to members and the community


Other ImprovementsLiving our Legacy


• Creation of a church mission fund to serve the community and the world in the sharing of the gospel of Jesus ChristPriorities are defined …

Mission and Ministry OpportunitiesLiving our Legacy


• Level, to the extent possible, the floor and reinforce the foundation, particularly around the organ chamberCentered around worship …

Sanctuary RenovationsLiving our Legacy


• Enlarge and lower the chancel space, extending along the north wall and providing steps for easy access to the chancel and choir loft

• Incorporate new sacramental elements

Centered around worship …



• Remove carpeting and restore original hardwood floors

• Reshape the entry-way vestibules

• Artistically frame the stained glass windows and banners

• Cover the stained glass windows for better protection and visibility




• Create a center aisle through the length of the sanctuary

• Remove the archway between two sections of the sanctuary

• Restructure the ceiling to improve support and liturgical form

• Redo lighting for improved visibility and easier maintenance




• Enlarge Fellowship Area by incorporating storage area

• Create a “cry room” or sound booth in north vestibuleCentered around worship …



The goal of the Living our Legacy campaign is to raise $400,000 over the course of 3 years.

This is a large task, but not an impossible one!

The goal…

What do we need?Living our Legacy


It will take all of us working together, in faith, to accomplish this.

And First Presbyterian Church of Bonham has a history, as part of its heart, the achieving of the goals it sets out to accomplish. It can be done!

But we need you!

The goal…

What do we need?Living our Legacy


2005Initial Envisioning

of Sanctuary Renovation -

Consultation with Lyle Novinski

2010Partners of Sacred

Places Grant Received

Architectural Report Conducted

2011Capital Campaign

Approved by Session

April 15, 2012Living our Legacy

Begins

May 6, 2012Living our Legacy

Celebration Sunday

Summer 2012Construction and

Project Work Begins

May, 2015Final Pledged Gifts

Received

The plan…

Living our Legacy


Your part…

Category Number of Gifts Total Gift Amount Monthly Amount Total per Category

Major (6) 3 $30,000 $900

3 $20,000 $550 $150,000

Leadership (14) 4 $15,000 $417

4 $10,000 $278

6 $7,000 $194 $142,000

Congregation (16) 5 $5,000 $139

11 $3,000 $83 $58,000

Campaign Total 35 $400,000

Isbell Fund 1 $50,000 $50,000

Living our Legacy


Your part…

Campaign Total 71 $435,000

Church (35) 35 $1000 $28 $35,000

Living our Legacy


Category Number of Gifts Total Gift Amount Monthly Amount Total per Category

Major (6) 3 $30,000 $900

3 $20,000 $550 $150,000

Leadership (14) 4 $15,000 $417

4 $10,000 $278

6 $7,000 $194 $142,000

Congregation (16) 5 $5,000 $139

11 $3,000 $83 $58,000

Isbell Fund 1 $50,000 $50,000

This campaign may seem like it is about raising money, renovating buildings, and enhancing the ministries and mission projects of the church.

But it is about much more than that…

It goes much deeper…

The outcome…

What it meansLiving our Legacy


It is about cultivating

• a deeper and more faithful discipleship

• a more profound and robust faith

• a greater practice of generosity

• a richer sense of stewardship

• a broader outreach to the world

• a more invested sense of community

The outcome…



In short, it is about living out our faith in Jesus Christ, trusting in the God who loves us and provides for our deepest needs.

It is about living out that faith in the community of the church, the Body of Christ. It is about allowing the Holy Spirit to unite, guide and empower us in the process.

The outcome…



The outcome will be that each of us will experience God’s love and grace, God’s provision and God’s power more deeply as we

• build on the past

• grow in the present

• give for the future.

The outcome…



Living our Legacy

“And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work” (2 Cor 9:8).


First Presbyterian ChurchBonham, TEXAS

2012

living our legacy

Documents

legacy building

church sanctuary building

present site

present shape

legacyour history building

church design

historical church buildings

faithour historyliving