for Ourselves
gregation see how invested the community is in the parish,” said Reverend Julie Wakelee-Lynch, rector of St. Alban’ s.
A wave of interest in community partnerships has washed over St. Alban’ s since the launch of its public campaign. From new requests to host events to offers from current partners to donate event proceeds to the campaign,“ St. Alban’ s Serves” is resonating with neighbors.
Following the launch, the parish introduced its Third Sunday Concert Series. The monthly chamber music series, featuring a diverse, rotating group of performers, has been both a financial victory and a community breakthrough for the parish, offering one of the few venues for live music in Albany.
St. Alban’ s next step is to establish a separate, 501( c)( 3) nonprofit organization to support event programming and partnerships. Reverend Wakelee-Lynch hopes that the campaign and the church’ s new nonprofit will continue to strengthen ties between the church and residents of Albany.“ We’ re not just here for ourselves but for the broader community,” she notes, echoing the inclusive spirit of St. Alban’ s, the congregation’ s greatest asset.
The success of St. Alban’ s is a familiar story with congregations assisted by Partners’ Capital Campaign Consulting
Each of these campaigns are marked by a powerful new message— that historic, sacred places have the power and potential to serve the larger community. According to Partners’ new Economic Halo Effect research, 87 percent of the beneficiaries of community events and programs housed in sacred places are not members of the congregation.
Members of the Berkeley High School Orchestra perform at an event celebrating the launch of St. Alban’ s Serves.
Partners’ community-based capital campaign model is based on a rigorous feasibility study process that includes independent research and one-on-one conversations with current and former congregation members, elected and appointed government officials, local businesses, and foundation representatives. By reaching“ beyond the pews,” Partners helps congregations diversify funding and identify new strategies for individual capital campaigns, while building community leaders into the fundraising process from the beginning. To date, campaigns managed by
An Albany High School choral group performs at celebration event.
Partners have had a
Services( CCCS) work. Partners’ CCCS projects are geographically and demographically diverse, with successful campaigns total goal for these campaigns has come from the wider
median campaign goal of $ 935,000; on average, 63 % of the ranging from rural Vermont to Indianapolis to California. community.
Photos: Rev. Julie Wakelee-Lynch and Marcia Hickman SACRED PLACES • AUTUMN / WINTER 2017-18 • 19