Room For All
Making Room For All: St. Thomas Vision Campaign
Through a Strategic Planning Process, we developed a vision to increase the seating in the nave and improve accessibility at the same time. Generous lead gifts have put us halfway to our $3,000,000 goal. We need your help to complete the funding needed.
When the Nave and Chapel of St. Thomas were dedicated in 1972, the congregation knew they had built a space for more than themselves.
They did this for future members of St. Thomas. This did this for the wider community. They did this for us and for all who will come after us.
Our current Nave and Chapel are marvels.
- A modern look that stands the test of time.
- Glorious acoustics and beautiful windows, a feast for eyes and ears.
- Easy to enter - no steps to the front doors.
- Designed to expand – the beams and wood ceiling in the Nave continue in the attic.
- Previous generations at St. Thomas created a glorious space. Thousands of people have met God within these walls and gone out from these doors to serve.
St. Thomas is a place of extraordinary welcome.
But some do encounter barriers.
- It is a long walk from parking to the front door.
- To receive communion or serve at the altar in the Nave, you have to climb steps.
- To sing with the choir, you have to climb even more steps.
- The sound system in the Nave needs a thorough upgrade.
A generous gift from Clifford and Bobsie Swift in 2021 launched a Strategic Planning process in 2022 which led to a plan to address these issues. More generous gifts from the Walter Alan Richards Foundation and the estate of Joe Fischer put this dream within reach.
Now it is our turn to give a gift to the future, a gift that builds on all that has come before.
Cost
The total cost of all projects is estimated at $3 million.
Thanks to gifts already received, we are halfway there, but we need your help to
MAKE ROOM FOR ALL
AT ST. THOMAS
Timeline
October 2023 - Fundraising begins.
January 2024 - Submit funding plan to diocese for final approval.
Late January 2024 - Sign construction contracts.
April 2024 - Begin construction. Worship in the Chapel and in the All Saints Hall during construction.
Advent 2024 - Return to the remodeled Nave with new exterior parking.
Named Gifts
The following gifts may be given in honor or memory of someone. In addition to listing the names of all donors on one large plaque, individual name plates or plaques will acknowledge these gifts.
Reredos Screen - Given by Clifford and Bobsie Swift
Choir deck - Given by Joe Fischer
Sacristy - Given by the Walter Alan Richards Foundation
$150,000 - Remodeled Organ
$100,000 -…
Read More »Interior
The altar rail and kneeling step move to the front, allowing worshippers to stand, sit, or kneel at ground level for communion. We keep our current altar cushions, created for the space by Margaret Baird.
A stunning modern reredos screen, with a larger cross and the words of St. Thomas, highlights the altar and creates a visual barrier between the altar and the choir.
New altar…
Read More »Parking
Diagram: New handicapped parking by the Chapel. This location was selected for greater safety and to preserve green space and the current profile of the facility.
A design for a covered drop off behind the chapel is in process. We also hope to be able to add additional parking spaces near the shed, subject to approval by the city, due to stormwater drainage regulations. Stay tuned!
Additional Projects
We are still exploring the possibility of rooftop solar panels and options for replacing the roof on the Day School building. Those projects will be managed separately and will not be part of this campaign.
Making Room for All is a part of our Outreach, because these proposals will help St. Thomas welcome more people into our life of service and witness. In addition, $50,000 of funds raised will be given to the Outreach Council for a new initiative.
