Campaign Prayer
Savior Jesus, we are always guided by Your Word of promise and hope! We read that “Whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God!”
(1 Cor. 10:31b) We humbly ask that You Bless whatever our efforts are in ministry and open our hearts to be generous in our love for You. May we give freely with true generosity.
Holy Spirit, help us to carry out Your plan for our “Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory” campaign. May Your goodness, O Lord, be with us and may You continue to bless the work of our hands and hearts. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
OUR HISTORY
If you have a connection with Divine Redeemer Lutheran Church and School, it has shaped your family and life through a connection with Jesus. Our church and school work together to bring people to Jesus and have grown together over the past half-century in Lake Country. Starting in 1972 in a bank basement, we moved due to the growing number of children learning about Jesus. The same growth pattern repeated in 1974 on Hill Street, leading to another move to a larger campus. Today, our school educates over 400 students annually. However, our Early Childhood Development Center is at full capacity, and we are using unconventional spaces like former kitchens and newly built classrooms to accommodate the growth.
OUR CHALLENGE
Once again, we face a challenge: no more room to accommodate God’s blessings. No hallway, kitchen, or attic remains for classrooms, yet we receive numerous inquiries (over 45 since last summer) from parents seeking to connect their children to Jesus. Conflicting with Jesus’ call to let the little children come to Him, we have to turn those families away due to lack of space. They join a waitlist, which dwindles as they find care elsewhere, and few of those other centers focus on Jesus. Every child turned away is a missed opportunity, and these constraints affect our school and church family. Most of our baptisms (61%) and new members (60%) come from students and families connected with our school. Imagine how much more growth we could see by giving the ECDC its own space and repurposing its current spaces to foster spiritual growth, youth ministry, Bible study groups and community outreach.
MATTHEW 19:14
Join our Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory Capital Campaign to address this critical need. Respondents to our Readiness Assessment overwhelmingly agreed that now is the time. Divine Redeemer has a history of adapting facilities to accommodate God’s blessings in Lake Country. We have the exciting opportunity to continue that history and magnify God’s glory!
Meeting this need requires great faith and radical generosity. The new spaces will enable impactful ministry efforts and leave a legacy for future generations. This is step one in addressing our community’s early childhood development needs. It is a blessing to know our community’s needs and fulfill them for the sake of the Gospel with Jesus!
“Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.’”
GOAL #1: A NEW EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT CENTER | $6 MILLION
The main objective of the campaign is to secure funds for the construction of a new ECDC, aiming to greatly enhance our capacity. Currently, we have reached our maximum capacity with 91 full-time students but, with the proposed 23,000-square foot building, we will have the potential to accommodate up to 226 full-time students!
Other exciting features of the building include:
• A spacious multi-purpose room accommodating numerous Bible studies and ministry meetings.
• Installation of water and sewer infrastructure, facilitating future growth and expanding restroom capacity.
• A prominent cross in the multipurpose room, serving as a powerful reminder of our purpose: Jesus, THE Divine Redeemer!
GOAL #2:
RENOVATION OF CURRENT ECDC SPACES FOR NEW CLASSROOMS AND MINISTRY SPACES | $500,000
Upon construction of the new ECDC, the classrooms below Fellowship Hall will be renovated. While some space will be used for classrooms and storage, a significant portion will be dedicated to Bible studies and other church ministries. This expansion provides ample room for various ministries to thrive, accommodating the needs of our congregation and community. It is a remarkable step forward in fostering spiritual growth and enhancing the impact of our ministries.
TOTAL COST: $6.5 MILLION
SUPPLEMENTAL GOAL
The Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory Capital Campaign’s goals constitute the first phase of our campus Master Plan. Any funds raised in excess of our Phase 1 needs will be earmarked for use in future phases of our campus expansion.
The Impact
Our unwavering commitment to Jesus at Divine Redeemer is reflected in this campaign. Inspired by His example, we understand the profound importance of giving. Through our participation, we have a unique opportunity to encounter Jesus and express our gratitude for the abundant blessings bestowed upon us. This act of gratitude multiplies our blessings and amplifies the impact of God’s kingdom. Your contribution to the campaign holds great power. It not only supports Divine Redeemer’s mission in Lake Country but also fosters a deeper connection with the Lord, as your sacrificial and prayerful act of stewardship brings you closer to Him.
Discerning Your Gift
“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
2 CORINTHIANS 9:7
At Divine Redeemer, we often speak of financial support in terms of three horizons: today, tomorrow and eternity. Today giving is our weekly giving; tomorrow giving is for the Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory Capital Campaign and eternity giving is for our Endowment Fund.
As you consider your gift to the campaign, please pray the campaign prayer, reflect on the blessings God has bestowed upon you and then, as the Lord so moves you, respond as a grateful steward.
“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
LUKE 6:38
METHODS OF GIVING
Checks and Cash | Gifts made by cash, check or credit card are convenient and provide an immediate benefit to Divine Redeemer. Credit card and ACH payments can be set up online at drlc.org/pledge. Make sure to indicate that your payment is for the Capital Campaign in the memo line of any checks.
Company Matching Gifts | Many companies match charitable gifts of current or retired employees and spouses. Please inquire with your employer to see if your campaign gift qualifies for a match.
Gifts of Securities – Stocks, Bonds and Mutual Funds | Charitable gifts of appreciated stocks, bonds, or mutual funds held for at least one year offer tax advantages. You receive a tax deduction for the full market value, without paying capital gains tax. Selling depreciated stock allows deductions for both the charitable gift and capital loss. For more information on utilizing stocks, bonds, or mutual funds, contact the Divine Redeemer office.
Donor Advised Funds | The Internal Revenue Service allows your donoradvised fund to make a grant in support of a non-binding commitment, including the Forward in Our Story, All for His Glory Capital Campaign.
Planned Gifts | Planned Gifts provide opportunities to make a meaningful commitment to the campaign now as part of your financial and estate planning. Such gifts can allow donors to accomplish charitable giving goals and take advantage of tax laws. Opportunities may include:
• Bequests from a will or a living trust
• Life insurance
• Real estate
• Designating Divine Redeemer as a beneficiary (for example, brokerage transfer on death agreement, retirement account or life insurance beneficiaries)
• Various trust options (for example, a charitable lead trust)
Gifts in Kind |
In some cases, households may determine that the best way for them to support a significant fundraising campaign for a building project is to provide materials and/or labor to assist in construction, known as a gift in kind. If you are interested in giving to the campaign through one of these methods, please contact the church office.
For questions or assistance setting up your pledge, please contact Renee Kandler at renee.kandler@drlc.org or Gail Arnold at gail.arnold@drlc.org/262-367-8400.
A Matter of Urgency
Our hope and prayer are to have the new ECDC building completed in time to welcome students for the 2024-25 school year. To accomplish this urgent goal, we need to secure $1.3 million in funding as soon as possible so that we can begin construction. Therefore, we encourage families to consider a 10-20% initial payment toward their total pledge, the balance of which can be paid over a three-year period.
BUDGETING YOUR GIFT
The following chart serves as a guide as you prayerfully consider your level of support. Please keep in mind that pledges are non-binding commitments made in good faith. To maximize the impact of your gift, you can fulfill your pledge over three years.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Is my pledge binding? Will it be confidential? Pledges are not legally binding but are meant to be commitments made in good faith. All commitments will be kept confidential.
What if I need to make a change to my pledge?
We understand that changes in your circumstances can impact your ability to fulfill a pledge. All we ask is that you inform Gail Arnold at the office of any changes to your pledge. Changes, like the pledges themselves, will be kept confidential.
Is my gift tax deductible?
Yes, payments made on a pledge to the campaign are tax deductible for the year in which they are made. If you have specific questions regarding tax deductibility, please contact your attorney or tax advisor.
Is this a good time to conduct a capital campaign?
There is never a perfect time to launch a capital campaign. However, at Divine Redeemer, our needs are pressing, and the Readiness Assessment confirms that our congregation believes it is the opportune moment for this campaign. There is a strong willingness to contribute time, talent, and treasure towards its success. Participating in God’s mission at Divine Redeemer is a remarkable blessing.
Executive Pastor
Seth Flick
Associate Pastor
Adam Wolfe
School Principal
Janet Bahr
ECDC Director
Ally Spors
Communications Director
Stephanie Cutler
General Chairs
Rob and Chelsea Chandler
Jeff and Karen Lippert
Honorary Chairs
Jim and Mary Baker
Dick and Leslie Barkow
Christopher and Angela Batterman
Mark and Amy Bronner
Jeff and Christa Cardenas
Jerry and Donna Gerndt
John and Laura Wilkins
Campaign Cabinet
Ron and Stacy Bader
David Bahr
Andrew Byrne
Tracy Holt
Mike Johnson
Daniel Kuehner
Michael and Kathy Oldenburg
Andrew and Sara Portale
Randi Reynolds
Dr. Ken Saydel
John and Barb Uttech
Development Counsel
Fellowship Development, a Division of the Steier Group