Great Response To Matching Challenge For Accessibility and Renovation!

A HUGE thank you to all who newly pledged, increased or extended pledges, or made donations to help meet our first $50,000 matching challenge, long before our June 21 deadline. We met the matching challenge by April 18, bringing total pledges up to $757,459, including the match. In less than two months we have increased pledges by more than $200,000, a major accomplishment and strong indication of the excitement and depth of support in our congregation for renovations to make our building accessible to all.

We have met our second $50,000 matching challenge! Is there a third $50,000 matching challenge out there to follow when we complete the second?

We have sent a letter of intent to Kfoury Construction Group but have not yet signed a contract. The congregation council has engaged a lawyer who specializes in construction contracts and who is currently reviewing a draft contract for us. Also, we have nearly completed the forms and financial information packets for two potential lenders -- ELCA Mission Investment Fund and SunTrust Bank -- and hope to submit those applications on or around April 28. Once we get a positive response from potential lenders and advice from our lawyer we will be in a position to sign a contract. Special thanks to our financial gurus -- John Shutt, Chris Vierling, Jim Heinemeier -- for pulling together the information for the financial institutions and to Mike Olson for following through with the institutions.

We believe this amazing progress calls for a congregational celebration and invite you to a pot luck luncheon -- with a special secret treat -- after worship on Sunday, June 20. Details will follow (though not about the secret treat, which we hope will be a surprise!). We're also thinking about a special "farewell" to our "old" social hall. Please save the date. It is still our hope that financing and the contract will fall into place in time for demolition to begin on or around June 21 in order to ensure that the worst noise and dust will be over by the time the Meridian Public Charter School returns at the end of August.

Fred Bowell and Carol Capps
co-chairs, Task Force on Accessibility and Renovation

A special thank you to Salome and Ardelle Burton, who got TWO dozen of their friends -- none of them members of Augustana -- to make contributions during April to our Accessibility and Renovation Fund in honor of Ardelle. The matching grant doubled their value!

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The Augustanan
Newsletter
June 2004

This Issue:

Pastor's Message
Ask the Pastor
New Endowment Fund
Accessibility Update
Vespers Service
Getting to Know Us
Council Highlights
Moms and Pops
Around Augustana
Stewardship Message
Committee Schedule
Calendar

Return to:

The Augustanan Home

Augustana Lutheran Church

Augustana Lutheran Church
2100 New Hampshire Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20009-6507

Church Office Hours:
Monday-Friday, 9:00am-4:00pm