Q & A

 Interpreting that Jesus encourages us to give to others, how does giving to the capital campaign support that mission of service to others?

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Prioritizing the well-being of the sanctuary is like the airplane safety instruction about oxygen masks: secure your own mask first before helping others.

In this case, the capital campaign allows the sanctuary to secure its mask. Once secure, the sanctuary then helps all of those in its space to secure their own masks. Our worship space gives its people sustenance or “oxygen” to go back out into the world providing support and service to others.

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So, while giving to others is a core principle, supporting the church through the capital campaign allows the church to become even more effective in carrying out that mission. It's an investment that fuels Plymouth's ability to serve the congregation and the wider community.

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How will individual congregants’ input be gathered and considered as the facilities refurbishment plans are finalized? Is the design pictured a final design?

The design that is pictured is a computer generated drawing based on the Facilities Master Plan Steering Committee's work. It is not based on a set in stone architectural drawing. There are questions from the congregation about sight lines as a result of lowering the current height of the chancel as well as other design questions. Once the capital campaign is complete, the architect will work with the congregation to finalize the design plan.

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How is it possible that the organ could need so much work when it always sounds so beautiful?

The organ is 54 years old, which is past the ordinary life of an organ. The console (what you see played on Sundays) was not replaced in 1970 and is over 60 years old. Kim Manz, Minister of Music and Fine Arts, is both a musician and a technician in his ability to work around the issues that continue to arise with the organ.

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How will the organ replacement and sanctuary renovation be coordinated? Construction will take how long? How will Sunday worship be done?

The timeline for the sanctuary project is tentative, and until an organ company is selected, it is even more difficult to provide this information. The organ company selection is in process and work is being done to move this forward every day. When the campaign is complete in May, the work with the architecture firm will begin, and an organ company will be selected such that it might be possible to select a construction company in the fall and begin construction by the Spring of 2025. The aspirational goal is for the project to be complete by Easter 2026.

While the sanctuary is under construction, the congregation will worship in the Mayflower Room.

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If only one: Capital Campaign or Endowment?

Dick Orchard, former chair of the Endowment Committee and current member of the Annual Appeal and Fundraising Committee, shared at the Stakeholder Breakfast that contributions over the next 3 years should be made to the Capital Campaign and that the endowment will be there when the campaign is over.

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What if the campaign does not produce $3.2 million? What if it produces more?

The amount raised by the campaign will be assessed by both the organ company and the architects to determine the best use of the funds available based on the goals of the project.