Capital Campaign Report

The Capital Campaign Committee (“CCC”) is now finalizing its process of vetting campaign consultants. This has taken longer than expected because of the high quality of the five candidate firms interviewed. Comparing their proposals, measuring their capabilities, and checking their references has taken a lot of time.

In March, we narrowed the field to three consulting firms. We then had one follow-up interview, which created an additional pause in the process. The CCC expects to forward its final recommendation to the Vestry at its May meeting.

When hired, the consultant will work with the CCC, Vestry, clergy and office staff to do a considerable amount of work to answer the question: “How successful would a Capital Campaign be?” As previously reported, the consultant will be able to predict the answer to that question with a high degree of accuracy.

The current goal of the Strategic Plan is to expand the Parish House, add classrooms, modernize our kitchen, improve meeting areas, and add staff offices, a museum and bookshop. Plans for installing additional Fairfax County utilities (sewer and more water lines for fire-suppression), parking lots and driveways will be brought into the mix as well.

Because these general objectives need to be made more specific, the CCC will next be interviewing the ministry leaders of our congregation, including clergy and staff, soliciting their input for space and design needs. Simultaneously, we will be interviewing architects, one of whom will be recommended to the Vestry for retention.

Once hired, the architect will then produce some initial "concept drawings" from the input we have collected. Importantly, the architect will also place price tags on these drawings. Both the drawings and cost estimates will be highly publicized to the congregation. While these will almost certainly be further refined from your comments, initially they will serve as a basis upon which our consultant can receive independent congregational feedback and make projections about potential contributions to the building campaign.

From these interviews and surveys, the consultant will make a recommendation to the vestry as to the projected amount we can expect to raise, as well as timing options for the formal launch of a campaign, should those numbers be encouraging.

It is not unreasonable to ask: couldn't we do this ourselves?

Experience has suggested otherwise. Our last major renovation was done without a consultant—but the results were less than satisfactory. Contributions did not materialize, and Pohick ended up having to borrow heavily to complete the project. Because of the high interest rates of the 1980s (something we thankfully do not have to face presently), it took a lot of time and effort to pay off the debt.

In view of that experience, as well as the recommendation of many with whom we have talked, we have decided that we need to listen more closely to the congregation to determine how able and willing you are to commit your time, talent and treasure to this specific effort. More than that, we want to hear your frank concerns and suggestions so that we can incorporate them into our planning. A professional consultant can best help us in this important task.

That's where we are at the present. We ask for your prayers as we continue in the work with which we have been charged. More information will follow in the weeks and month ahead.

John Springer and Don Binder

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