Dear Friends in Christ, 

On September 20, we had the opportunity to provide an update on the 3-year Free to Grow Capital Campaign between worship services. Many of you attended the update and were enthusiastic to hear of our progress.   

As a quick reminder, we identified a couple of specific opportunities regarding ministry if we were able to meet our goal(s) to pay down ($1.7 million) or pay off ($2.5 million) our mortgage. Those goals include: 

Pastoral Leadership 

• A second full-time pastor and other pastoral resources to provide capacity and leadership to the congregation. 

St Mark Kids Ministry 

• We have improved programs and a growing number of participants. 

• The need is to bolster the limited staffing that our budget has allowed in the past.

• Good leadership, but not enough hours and other resources to accomplish all that we can.

Here is the update shared recently: (numbers as of August 31) 

• Pledged $2,182,633, squarely between the base goal and our aspirational goal. 

• Received $1,337,722. 

• Number of Households participating 197. 

• Current mortgage balance $1,224,977. 

• In October, 2025 we were paying $295 a day in interest. Now we're paying $138 a day.   

• Over $57,000 per year in savings. 

• Current mortgage rate will reset in March, 2027. Refinance options will be underway shortly. 

Here is how we have leveraged our Free to Grow mortgage principal commitment:

• Hiring Interim Pastor Ryan Arnold to help with Neighborhood Fridge leadership for 5 months.

• Hiring Intern Pastor Sam in October. 

• Retaining Pastor Eliezer on staff once we bring Intern Pastor Sam on board. 

• Covering the costs associated with the pastoral staff search.

• Adding a second week of Theater Camp for preschoolers this past summer and adding 8:30 Pre-K programming this fall, to enhance our Kids ministry. 

• Caring for some unexpected building repairs (DC sump pump and furnace replacements) without tapping into our savings. 

• Bolstering our contingency savings for future emergency needs. 

• Providing additional funding to the ELCA Synod for its mission support. 

For those who have committed to and/or paid some or all of your Free To Grow commitment, thank you for your support! If you would like to commit additional dollars toward the capital campaign, there will be an opportunity to update your plans with the fall stewardship campaign. We are only $317,000 from completely paying off our mortgage. Please prayerfully consider how you can help close this gap. 

Yours in Christ, 

Dean Vandersee and Brian Worth

Free to Grow Capital Campaign Co-chairs