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“In whom the whole structure is joined together and grows into a holy temple in the Lord.� E p h e s i a n s
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he Lord Jesus gave us our purpose and mission as a parish church when he said
to all who follow him in Matthew 28:19, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” God calls us to bring as many people as possible into a saving relationship with God in Jesus Christ, and to help transform them and us into disciples. The more than 130-year history of Church of the Incarnation is a remarkable record of faithful response to God’s call. Decade after decade, the people of
Incarnation have remained committed to serve God as a community of disciples evangelistically witnessing to the love of Jesus Christ through worship, mutual support, and care for the poor. One of the greatest tools for that mission is the physical space in which we worship and teach. For generations the people of Incarnation have stepped out in faith, committing their energies and financial resources to meet the needs of a growing parish for additional facilities, programs and services. Because of them, the beautifully designed buildings that reflect the heart of our Great Tradition will allow us to fulfill our mission from God.
The Present
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Today we worship together in seven services of Holy Communion each Sunday, at Morning Prayer, Holy Communion and Evening Prayer every Monday— Friday, and at a Holy Communion and Healing service every Wednesday at noon. More than 180 people have been baptized or confirmed in the past three years. Incarnation 101 classes designed to invite and educate new parishioners are seeing record attendance. Due to the generosity of spirit among you, our Outreach efforts have impacted more than 24,000 lives locally and almost 6,000 throughout the world. Presently, there are 13 individuals engaged in some form of discernment for a full-time ordained ministry from this parish alone. Our Church has grown by more than 30% since 2009, a remarkable testament against a backdrop of sharp decline in all mainline denominations.
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A beautifully designed courtyard
between the traditional church and the Welcome Center will connect the campuses and provide an inviting opportunity for fellowship, gatherings, and refreshments.
The Plan In early 2011, it was apparent that the size of our existing church buildings would severely limit our future growth, and therefore, limit our ability to carry out our mission. A diverse group of parish leaders worked alongside the Church’s Rector, clergy and staff members, and engaged in a strategic planning process to prayerfully assess the Church’s current needs, analyze worship and education attendance, and define existing facility capacities. Furthermore, with the help of outside consultants, computer modeling was utilized to analyze
data, project numbers, and needs over the next five, ten, and fifteen years. As a result of this process and in concrete response to our Church’s mission, a master plan was developed to meet the current and future needs of the parish. This plan was ambitious and forward-looking, taking into account the current needs and future demands upon the Church’s facilities. To carry out our mission and minister to the needs of both our current members and the generations to come, we needed more space for worship, fellowship, activities, and adult and children’s Christian education. It
was clear that modifications to existing facilities were needed as well as additional parking space and the expansion of our mission and outreach ministries. Parish visionaries, along with the financial backing of the Incarnation Foundation, secured the land just north of the church setting the stage to accommodate current needs of the parish and coming generations more fully. Parish leaders guided, developed, and revised two plans before recommending a move forward with a proposal exemplifying beautiful gothic tradition and addressing the growing needs of the church. Thus in 2012, we embarked on the expansion project, which we aptly named Lift High the Cross.
T HE P LA C E The centerpiece of the Lift High the Cross campaign would be three new buildings that would recall the enduring churches of medieval Europe. More than just a place of worship, the Gothic churches of the Old World were a primary means of teaching the Gospel, holy places to refresh and inspire, and wondrous expressions of the love for God and His work by men and women who had sacrificed to bring them into being. Already a landmark in Dallas, the new campus will stand for all who pass by it as a visible symbol of and witness to God’s saving presence in the world. 8
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Inspired by Gothic tradition, these carefully crafted buildings have been rising to our north under the watchful eye of the Rector, Vestry, a building committee, and capital campaign leadership. The additional worship, fellowship, and education facilities will be completed in the fall of 2015.
Reflecting the best
of the Anglican liturgical and architectural tradition, a new church will seat up to 450 in a setting that combines contemporary and traditional church design with the intimate atmosphere generations of Incarnation members have cherished. This space will answer to the core Uptown faithful longing for a holier setting that preserves the beauty and lines of the Great Tradition.
The Welcome Center will be our new
“front door” and the hub of our campus activities and, as such, will be inviting, informative, and inspiring as it will represent the first-touch for any visitor. It will contain an information center, café, lounge, and expanded gift shop. Every aspect of the building will display the highest level of hospitality, utility, and sophistication to reflect the prominence our parish represents.
A state-of-the-art education center
will serve our on-campus ministries to adults, children, and students. As we reach out to as many families as possible, we recognize the need to dedicate a level of excellence to our children’s facilities and the families we serve. This area will provide a secured access entry point utilizing the latest technologies to provide confidence in the safety of our children and their parents. During the week this space will accommodate our growing daily Bible study groups, prayer groups, and various ministry programs.
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Flexible spaces
will provide opportunities for adult ministries and allow for gatherings as well as offer Image: Adult Large Classroom and intimate rooms Executive Conferencefor sketches maintaining necessary confidences. Programming for all segments will be enhanced with first-rate multimedia capabilities.
Uniquely designed space nearly doubles the present space available for our youth to engage in a variety of gatherings for Bible study, group fellowship, quiet discussion, active play, performances, and musicfilled activities. It is equipped with full audio visual capabilities, presentation and sound controls, and dining facilities.
Answering God’s call to serve others in our community and across the
globe, the Church has designated newly acquired space adjacent to our expanding campus for mission and outreach ministries. This uniquely designed facility provides additional office, storage, and multi-use work space for these growing ministries and is a visible presence that conveys the magnitude and importance of their work to our parish and community. It will provide program opportunities during the day and on weekends as well as house Incarnation’s newest ministry serving children in transition due to neglect, abuse, or homelessness. This model program will provide myriad services focused on physical, educational, and emotional needs of this at-risk population in an effort to equip them with necessary life skills to live independently.
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T HE P R O G RESS I O N The Lift High the Cross capital campaign was incredibly successful thanks to the generosity of more than 700 of our parish households. It was a movement never seen before in our parish and one of the most successful campaigns an Episcopal church has experienced in recent years. In November of 2013, Church of the Incarnation celebrated an official groundbreaking on what was once Cambrick Street. It was a glorious day for all members of our parish, young and old, to memorialize this remarkable chapter of our Church’s rich history. Our historic campaign raised approximately $26.5 million in 2012, of which $1.5 million would support Incarnation’s calling to be a church committed to serving others and changing lives in our local and global communities. As a parish, we set forth to build on the foundation of our forefathers. Together, we answered God’s calling for our Church and to build the tools to do His work. The building committee, campaign leadership, and Vestry worked with architects and contractors to modify
the scope and design of the construction project in order to stay within budget without interfering with the functionality of the existing campus or potentially compromising the integrity, beauty, and aesthetic power of the original concept. The success of the original campaign, and investment in our future, allowed us the opportunity to explore possibilities of including final touches to our expansion project and wholly unify our campus. These opportunities include expansion of the church narthex and cloisters, renovation of Garret Hall, as well as upgrades to fire and security systems, as well as the technological infrastructure to provide integration between existing and new facilities. Since the proposed new facilities will be used for generations, inspiring parishioners and visitors alike with the splendor of its design and the quality of construction, parish leadership focused on the long-term objectives of the Lift High the Cross campaign. The result was a final project cost of $30 million.
Adding new facilities to old exposes existing needs
for renovations and upgrades. Some of the most pressing are where we have held traditional services since 1954. A sound investment in maintaining the beloved church of our forefathers will allow us to maintain its important role in the life of our parish. An expanded narthex will anchor a connecting hallway and covered cloisters providing easy access to all of our facilities and unrestricted flow for all members and guests.
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The Capstone To complete our expansion project, we have launched The Capstone of Lift High the Cross. When additional income is netted against additional costs and added to the $25 million originally available for construction, The Capstone will need to raise approximately $7 million. Of that total, $5 million will allow us to complete our expansion without any residual debt for the parish. The remaining $2 million will provide essential resources to sustain operating budget ministry, and programmatic growth as the parish continues to welcome an anticipated increase in overall church membership. All members of Church of the Incarnation are invited to participate in The Capstone of Lift High the Cross, including those who participated in the historic campaign, those who were not able to participate at that time, and those whom have joined Incarnation since the original Lift High the Cross campaign. In the coming months, you will hear more about The Capstone of our campaign. You will be asked to consider a sacrificial gift, building on the historic response of our parish when this project first began.
17 The blessings that began more than a century ago, continue with the construction of our new Gothic-style chapel and our expanded campus facilities. By being a part of Lift High the Cross, each parishioner of Church of the Incarnation has an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in the building of a great church that will serve you today and for generations to come. But more than that, your gift is a tangible expression of gratitude for God’s blessing in your life. That gift is a material expression of faith in the miraculous. It is a commitment to the Great Commission of Jesus Christ to “go out into the world and make disciples,” and your willingness to serve others and be served by others as a member of the Body of Christ. Thank you for your prayers and your consideration as you contemplate the special and sacred opportunity before you.
CHURCH of the INCARNATION 3966 McKinney Avenue Dallas, TX 75204 (214) 521-5101