Before Christ Church was a physical space on a plot of land, Christ Church

was a group of people who responded to the work of the Holy Spirit. In December of 1846, a vestry was elected and resolutions adopted. However, land for the projected church building was not purchased until January of 1847. These first members of Christ Church stepped out in faith to proclaim the Gospel, to welcome others into relationship with Christ, and to form themselves in preparation for the ministry of their future parish. In this regard, Christ Church remains the same today. We are called to step forward in faith, to respond to the work of the Holy Spirit within us, and to prayerfully accept our roles in the ministry of this parish with the same energy and zeal that the first generation of parishioners demonstrated.

In the last year alone, we at Christ Church have witnessed exciting changes in our life together. A new service schedule was adopted in order to meet the needs of seating and parking space as attendance at Sunday worship services grew. Newcomers were welcomed and guided in finding their places in the ministry of our congregation. Our parish has engaged in new and creative ways in outreach and youth work, and the Rev’d Robert Odom has been invited to join our community at Christ Church to lead us in carrying out our ministry with young people. In addition, Christ Episcopal School and Christwood continue to develop their ministries with each other and with the larger community as extensions of our mission. This particular relationship is a powerful example of what it means to minister “from generation to generation.” As we continue to grow, we must seek the tools needed in order to expand the mission and ministry of Christ Church.

This winter’s “Re-vision” process helped to clear a path to understanding the needs of our growing congregation. In small groups, members of our congregation met in each other’s homes to discuss who we are as a parish and our parish goals and to think about possibilities for implementation. As the “Re-vision” groups prayerfully walked through the process, they discovered that fellowship and ministry to each other are the driving forces behind our overall ministry to the community at large. Therefore, the issue of space has surfaced as a key need. Inadequate fellowship space limits how and how often we minister to each other. The challenge of remaining an intimate faith community in which all ages can connect with each other is a hurdle we must clear in order to move forward. Space dictates and limits our mission, and we must ask ourselves: What opportunities are we missing? More space opens the possibilities for new ministry as the future unfolds and welcomes a growing Covington community into our family at Christ Church. Along with the need for space comes the need to manage that space and the need to seek out additional support staff in order to coordinate our ministry efforts as we grow.

Our Capital Campaign, “From Generation to Generation,” was born out of the challenges we face as we seek to grow in grace and in joy, in faith and in love. Through its participation in the Capital Campaign, Christ Church plans to:

1. Create space for small ministry groups, for a dedicated nursery and for teen groups. Additional property will be purchased near the Church and facilities will be refurbished.

2. Bring the generations together. An Intergenerational Coordinator will be hired to incorporate our parishioners and newcomers into the ministries of Christ Church and to help to create new ministries, allowing all of us at Christ Church to dedicate our time, talent, and treasure.

3. Engage in outreach beyond the walls of Christ Church. Capital outreach projects, targeted at our community and abroad, will extend our opportunities to share the Gospel with those who are seeking.

These goals, estimated to represent an investment of $1,200,000, will contribute significantly to the lives of persons of every generation at Christ Church. While the intensive period of our Capital Campaign is now, the life of the campaign at Christ Church spans three years. Christ Church seeks to approach expansion in a prudent fiscal manner. Therefore, no funds will be tapped from the current annual operating budget. Each household at Christ Church must prayerfully consider what sacrifice it will make in sustaining our annual budget as well as supporting our capital program, “From Generation to Generation.”

In an effort to address local and regional capital needs, Christ Church has partnered with the diocese in its campaign to “Grow the Vision.” Prayerfully consider the letter from the Bishop, which accompanies this mailing. The Bishop reminds us that we are called “to be one vibrant church that reaches out to share the love and grace of our Lord with all…as we partner to reach our world for Christ.” Our goals as a parish parallel those of our diocesan campaign: expansion and outreach. Our ministry is to expand the mission and ministry of the church in Covington, throughout Louisiana, and beyond.

The life we share here at Christ Church is one we have from God. The first step in our capital campaign is prayer, the foundation upon which “From Generation to Generation” will be built. We must seek God’s will through prayer, accepting the sacrifice to which we are called.