Our Foundation
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Throughout our more than 155 years of ministry in the Roanoke Valley, the congregation of First Presbyterian Church has grown in love and faith, bringing the word of God to generations. The second part of our Renovation Committee's mission statement reads:
It is the purpose of the Master Plan to renovate and expand the facility in a manner that will balance respect for the historic beauty of First Presbyterian Church along with greater utility to meet the growing spiritual needs of current and future generations. Essential ministries such as Worship, Christian Education, Fellowship, and Outreach will be considered throughout the planning process, and a responsible stewardship of resources will govern the direction and scope of the project.
The planned renovations and additions will allow provide spaces to meet the ever-changing needs of our church family and community. We will continue Building on His Cornerstone and answering God's call.
Our Plan
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Several years ago, a group of members of the Session of First Presbyterian Church, Roanoke, VA, formed the Renovation Committee. The first part of their mission statement reads:
The Master Plan for the facilities of First Presbyterian Church will seek to bring honor and glory to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. To that end, we affirm that God's will for these facilities must first be discerned through thoughtful and prayerful consideration and that the congregation must be fully invested in any future decisions.
The Session approved a recommendation to hire Tise-Kiester Architects. Phil Kiester developed a survey to assess the wants and needs of the congregation. Using the results of the survey, Kiester drew plans for renovations and additions to First Presbyterian Church.
The total estimated cost of Phase I of this project is $2.3 million. We hope that the members of our congregation will prayerfully consider how they may take part in turning the architect's renderings into a reality and investing in our future.
Building on His Cornerstone
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A three-year capital stewardship campaign, called Building on His Cornerstone, has begun to raise funds for our building project. By encouraging each person to prayerfully seek God's will in his or her own life, and inviting three year pledges above and beyond regular giving to the church's annual operating budget, our Building on His Cornerstone will raise funds needed to begin renovations and additions to our existing structure. Only a sacrificial sense of giving can help to lay such a foundation for the future. Gifts will always differ in proportion to each person's resources, but we can share an equal sense of calling, commitment, and sacrifice. Together, with God's grace working in and through God's people, we can meet real costs with real commitments. Together, led by God's will, we can go farther by faith than we ever dreamed!
Faith, Prayer, and Sacrifice
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Pray Without Ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17) Seeking God's will is the foundation for Building on His Cornerstone. Pray for our church, its members, and its ministries. Pray that God will open your heart and mind to take decisive steps in your own journey of faith.
Get Involved (James 2:17, 18) Seeking Christian fellowship and personal Bible study is central to deepening our relationships with Christ, which leads to faith-based action.
Share Your Faith (Matthew 17:20) Take this opportunity for worship and study to deepen your faith. Seek the will of your Father through the word of God. Learn from the faith of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. What an exciting time for our congregation as we are Building on His Cornerstone together!
Make Your Pledge Decision (Malachiah 3:10)Turn your prayers and faith into action. Make a prayerful decision that honors God and His will.
Faithfully and joyfully commit your sacrificial gift to God.
Our Goals
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Our goal is to extend the ministries, witness, and outreach of First Presbyterian Church.
Our goal is to provide facilities that meed the needs of our congregation, both now and for future generations.
Our goal is to look for God's guidance and direction, seeking the ways in which God wants to work through each of us.
Our Financial Challenge
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What is our financial challenge?
INDIVIDUALLY, the challenge is for each of us to find the unique ways we can help to achieve our goal for our church. For some, it means a weekly or monthly offering beyond our current support for the church. For others, it means gifting tangible assets to the church (stock, bonds, property, etc.). For still others, it means transforming time, talent, or ability into a financial gift to invest in the future of the church.
TOGETHER we want to go beyond what is expected and remember that it is not equal gifts, but equal sacrifice that bind us together in unity in Jesus Christ.
