On Sunday, February 5, First Baptist members gathered after worship for a potluck and quarterly congregational meeting. Congregation leaders provided updates on church finances, sanctuary renovations, construction of the new community building, the Give It Forward capital campaign, and mission efforts in recent months.
With gratitude for the generosity of former FBC members and friends, our congregation voted to pay $276,000 for costs related to renovations and repairs in the sanctuary building, including two new elevators and a refurbished fellowship hall, using the church’s designated funds. These funds were made up of memorial gifts given over several years, and included a substantial memorial fund in honor of long-time First Baptist member David L. Hunter. The Hunter Fund was to be used for renovation of the choir rehearsal room and the bride’s room, each of which was completed in the renovation process.
The investment in renovations to the sanctuary is separate from the Give It Forward capital campaign to construct the community building on O Street. Give It Forward co-chairs Lucy Plovnick and Bruce Salmon reported that pledges and contributions to the campaign are more than half way to the $1 million goal. The capital campaign team is full of optimism about reaching their goal, and they will be working toward that in the days ahead.
Associate Pastor Eric Mathis and Building Project Administrator Sarah Hodges-Austin provided updates on construction of the new community building—now projected to be completed in February 2024 because of supply issues. Dave Ryder, member of the Facilities Improvement Team and chair of the First Baptist Foundation, reported that all aspects of the construction project are on target, including finances.
At the end of the meeting, Pastors Julie and Eric shared about a question they informally asked the staff and all church teams in January. The question was, “What do you most hope for in 2023 when it comes to our church?” The answers fell into three broad areas: Construction, Congregation and Community. Pastors Eric and Julie said the responses showed a desire among our people to complete and celebrate construction projects, shift our focus to congregational growth, and deepen our mission in the DuPont Circle community. Pastor Julie shared that she, along with Pastor Eric, would be working with church leadership in the days ahead to mobilize our congregation to action in the areas of congregational growth and community mission. You can see a video summary of their presentation below.