JANUARY 2002: The session challenged the congregation to begin work on a multi-purpose building project, by bringing the fund up to $50,000 by Memorial Day. The congregation responded, and the goal was reached by the end of April.

JULY 2002: A Building Planning Committee was formed and began its work. Over the next year and a half, this committee:

• Asked congregation members for their thoughts about a new building
•  Used these ideas to come up with uses for the new building
• Conducted a survey of the church property
• Visited neighboring churches that recently had construction projects
• Interviewed architects and selected Roger Weaver to work with on a design
• Developed a building design concept to present to the session and congregation

SEPTEMBER 2003: The congregation observed a Day of Prayer and Abstaining to seek God’s guidance for the purpose and future of our church.

FALL 2003: Using money provided by the Presbytery, the session hired consultant Bruce Stevens (who is now co-executive for the Synod of the Trinity) to lead the congregation in a strategic planning process. This process included:

• A congregational study series on the Biblical Mission of the Church
• A demographic study of the community
• A “core values” process, to identify those key elements that make Old Union special, and to highlight the values that we hold
• The development of a strategic plan for the future of our church

DECEMBER 2003: The Building Planning Committee presented its building project proposal to the session.

FEBRUARY 2004: The session contracted with Church Financial Campaign Services (CFCS) to help organize a capital campaign for the building project.

APRIL 2004: The session held five small group meetings to introduce the building proposal to members of the congregation.

MAY 2, 2004: The congregation voted 70-17 to commit to the building proposal and a capital campaign.

AUGUST 2004: John Wray of CFCS presented an assessment of Old Union Church’s stewardship practices and perceptions, based on interviews with congregation members and a study of our records.

FALL 2004: The Fund Raising Committee began to work with John Wray to develop a capital campaign approach.

FALL 2004: The pastor led two study series: “Covenants of Stewardship,” to raise understanding and awareness of stewardship, and “Six Essential Elements of Church Financial Stewardship,” to learn about how churches can handle financial campaigns successfully. Results from these studies were then presented in sermons in January and February 2005.

MARCH 2005: An informational meeting was held to present the capital campaign, to recruit leaders, and to begin the campaign.

MAY 2005: The congregation held a Dedication Sunday to present to God their commitments for a three-year capital campaign.

DECEMBER 2005: The congregation voted 55-5 to purchase the adjacent Brush property.

SPRING 2006: The Building Planning Committee was re-activated in order to determine how the Brush property acquisition may change the building proposal. After meeting several times, the committee decided that this decision should wait until a financial projection for the project could be made.

MAY 2007: After receiving an estimate of how much money will be raised by the end of the capital campaign in May 2008, the session voted to reconstitute the Building Committee, in order to match the building proposal with the church’s financial realities.

MAY 2007: The Building Committee began work on a revised building plan.

SPRING 2008: The capital campaign will conclude, and hopefully construction can begin.