The Need

THE MISSION OF ST. PAUL'S calls us to glorify and serve Jesus Christ: To offer inspiring worship, caring service, and an accepting community. Over the past few years, we have engaged in a deliberate and thoughtful journey about the ability of St. Paul’s physical plant to support our mission now and into the future. Over and over, the consensus was, “We love our space, and we want to take care of it.”

We are grateful for the countless hands who have made the upkeep of this building a passion. We give thanks for faithful lay leadership that has explored options for addressing significant issues threatening health, safety and the long-term stability of our buildings. As Manhattan continues to grow, our long-term focus will continue to empower us to invite, welcome and connect new Episcopalians.

In faith, our congregation has approved moving forward to address the most critical issues, with initial work paid out of the Operating Endowment. The Honoring Our Past, Preparing for Our Future capital campaign will raise $634,000 to repay our endowment and complete additional work prioritized by our congregation.

ENDOWMENT REPAYMENT: $404,400

Water damage from deteriorated roofs and drainage systems threatens the stability of our buildings and presents an unwelcoming and unhealthy atmosphere. Bats visit our worship space regularly.

The endowment was tapped to repair damage and correct the root causes. These funds will now be repaid. Projects have included: repair termite damage on the Encore Shop stairs; replace the roof on the sanctuary and Encore Shop; replace the fascia, soffit, and gutters on the entire building; new exterior doors; replace sanctuary ceiling and remove attic fan; remove cellar door and fix grading to right of door; bell tower and steeple renovation; concrete work: sidewalk and alley retaining walls; stained glass preservation; replace windows in library and chapel; repair Encore Shop porch ceiling, new floor, new front door; second floor ceiling and insulation renovation; paint sanctuary; repair and replace flooring in the Common Room and hallways; renovate Common Room entrance and stairway.

INSPIRING WORSHIP: $44,000

Our historic worship space continues to be a gem of Manhattan church architecture. With some upgrades, we will be able to increase the aesthetic beauty of our space while also incorporating technology to help spread our message beyond our walls. Through the campaign, we will repoint the sanctuary’s masonry and add video and audio recording
and streaming capabilities to our sound system.

ACCEPTING COMMUNITY: $113,500
Many of us attend St. Paul’s because we feel accepted and loved because we are each a child of God. As we continue to grow into our identity as an accepting community, we can do a variety of things to make our church a welcoming place for all people. Through the campaign, we will replace our windows, renovate the main restrooms, and update fire suppression system.

CARING SERVICE: $15,000
Our worship fuels our service and we do a lot! For this capital campaign, we will honor the ministry of the Encore Shop by updating and polishing the interior of that historic building, creating a safer and more comfortable atmosphere for guests and volunteers.

TOTAL GOAL: $634,000
The total goal includes the above campaign projects as well as all campaign expenses and anticipated pledge attrition.