Project Details
“Our Heritage; Our Future” campaign brings together our congregation to work together for a common purpose. To ensure our heritage, New Mckendree will construct a ramp to make our High Street facility accessible to all persons. And, to move into the future to which God is calling, we must reduce debt that makes answering that call difficult.

For the size of our congregation, the amount of debt is manageable. ($1.35 million on August 31, 2012) However, debt always ties us to our past and does not move us forward into the future God has planned. By paying down debt New McKendree can begin to dream God's larger dream for our future.

Currently the mortgage of $109,956 a year is being paid out of our annual budget. Beyond the cost of the High Street ramp, campaign giftss will be added on top of our existing mortgage payment to pay down the principal. Imagine the possibilities for ministry and the resulting impact here in the Jackson area when we are able to invest that money in ministry rather than debt service.

Our Goals
Our desire is to reduce and eventually eliminate our debt as quickly as possible so that we can focus our ministry and outreach into the Jackson area. Today, part of our capacity for ministry is being eclipsed by servicing our debt.

• First Step Goal: $550,000
  Reaching this goal will enable New McKendree to construct the High Street ramp and pay an approximate $450,000 additionally on our debt over three years, saving in excess of $311,000 in interest over the life of our loan.
• Challenge Goal: $625,000
  Our Challenge goal will result in a savings of over $344,000 in interest.
• Miracle Goal: $700,000
  Reaching this goal will be the outgrowth of an amazing work of God among us as everyone gives as they are able! We would be paying approximately an additional $600,000 over three years, and saving in excess of $414,000 in interest.

2013 Estimate of Giving
Our stewardship focus this fall includes two different parts. On Commitment Sunday, December 2, there will be two pledge cards, one for our usual fall Estimate of Giving toward the 2013 annual ministry budget; and a separate card for the three-year pledges to the "Our Heritage…Our Future" capital campaign. As you plan and pray, consider how God is calling you to make a difference at New McKendree through both your annual giving and your capital campaign gifts.

Helpful Links
Follow Pastor Dave's Campaign Blog - Over the next several weeks, Pastor Dave will write and publish to the "Our Heritage, Our Future" campaign blog. Each post will be a devotion which is coordinated with where we are in our journey. Read it at home or on-the-go with the mobile version.

Frequently Asked Questions - There are many questions that come up in conversations around a capital campaign. The campaign team is listening and compiling this list of FAQs to help answer those that are most common.

Architect Illustrations- Click here to view the Architect Illustrations of the future ramp at the High Street campus.

Our History
New McKendree United Methodist Church has a rich history. John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist Movement, sent Francis Asbury to “undergird” the ministry of Methodists in America. Asbury later became one of the first Bishops of the Methodist Church in America.

Asbury was a mentor to many young preachers but he took special interest in a young William McKendree. Asbury invited McKendree to join him in his travels around America. Later McKendree is became a Bishop and was sent to organize the movement of the Methodist Church in the Kentucky region. McKendree took well to the frontier spirit and began appointing preachers to go to the region of Southeast Missouri. By 1806 the first worship services were held on the property of Old McKendree Chapel and Methodism had its foothold in the area. Just prior to the Civil War those who attended worship at McKendree Chapel split to form Centenary United Methodist in Cape Girardeau and New McKendree United Methodist Church.

That spirit of sending forth missionaries to start new congregations didn't end with that split. In the time since the 1840's many area churches, such as Zion United Methodist in Gordonville, have as their heritage the sending spirit as New McKendree was instrumental in their formation. Today New McKendree's heritage can be seen in the sending spirit that started South Campus.

Our Heritage ~ Our Future - Images from past and present