Aldersgate Abilene Reflect 75 
Capital Campaign

"Shaping the Future 
Building on Our Past"

Simplified Accountability Structure Town Hall Presentation

Below is the recorded SAS Town Hall Presentation. The slideshow presentation is directly beneath it.

Capital Campaign
Town Hall Presentation

Below is the recorded Capital Campaign Town Hall presentation. The slideshow presentation is directly beneath it.

Welcome to 
Aldersgate Abilene

AAMC will celebrate its 75th Anniversary in 2025.  For nearly 75 years, the AAMC faith community has willingly sacrificed in order to minister in the name of Jesus Christ.  We don’t want this to stop.  In fact, we want to expand our reach as we enter into the next 75 years of ministry.

On this page, you will find information about how our leadership is discerning where God is leading us in addressing our church needs and repairs. At this time, our goal is to share information and get your feedback. If there is anything you find here that you would like to learn more about, please feel free to reach out to Pastor Dustin. Please keep our leadership in your prayers as we listen to God together for our future.

Our Story

Beloved, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.—Philippians 3:13-14

For almost 75 years, Aldersgate Methodist Church has been a beacon of light shining the Truth of Jesus Christ into the community.  Initially planted as a church to reach McMurry College, Aldersgate has refined its missional focus intentionally built on four cornerstones encompassing four mission fields. The four cornerstones we are called into are the official church ministries, mission trips, our mission fields, and our online ministry.  These cornerstones define our calling from God and help us fulfill our mission statement to make deeply devoted disciples of Jesus Christ.
Past
Over the past 75 years, Aldersgate built a sanctuary, a fellowship hall, office space, and a Sunday school wing.  Those who came before us began a Mother’s Day Out program that has morphed into a full-blown childcare center.  This transition to a childcare center enabled us to incorporate a weekly chapel service, Christian based curriculum, music class, and Spanish class.  Not only have we grown our childcare ministry, but we have also purchased property on the south side of the church for future expansion.  These building projects came with significant costs, but they also brought extensive growth opportunities for our ministries.  Our current facility is the realization of the dreams and prayers of our founders.
Present
Despite the best-laid plans of generations before us, when COVID hit, our leadership quickly realized we needed to catch up to the times.  Not only did we lack the technology to livestream our worship services, but we also faced the reality that our campus has significant sacculated deferred maintenance and renovation needs to support our ministry priorities.  

Our leadership has determined that for Aldersgate to continue in an effective life-changing ministry for another 75 years, we must move now to address our pressing capital needs.

Aldersgate is blessed to have only a small amount of debt resulting from replacing several HVAC units two years ago.  Paying off this debt returns the annual debt service to funding ministry.

Over the last five years we have worked diligently to create balanced budgets and replenish our reserves.
Future
Since Aldersgate is intent upon meeting its mission of making disciples, we too have had to make this shift. We will continue to emphasize not only in-person gatherings, but also our online presence. Expanding our hybrid model means that Aldersgate embraces being a community of faith and a church for the unchurched with a physical and a digital campus.

Our leadership understands that in order to meet the ministry needs of the 21st Century, we must continue to improve our online presence.  While we average 70 live-views on Sunday morning, this commitment to and investment in a hybrid ministry approach creates both the means and method to embrace a mission field far larger than we ever dreamed possible.

No longer hindered by distance or time, we will engage even more people across the United States and internationally as we meet our mission of raising up deeply devoted disciples of Jesus Christ.

Not equal gifts, but equal sacrifice.

Ways to Get Involved

Pray

Begin praying our campaign prayer today:  Lord, what do you want to do through me?

Pledge

Opportunities to pledge to the campaign will be coming later this Fall.

Subscribe

Subscribe to our church-wide communications for updates.

Campaign Overview

Our leadership has determined that for Aldersgate to continue in an effective life-changing ministry for another 75 years, we must move now to address our pressing capital needs.

  • Roof - $450,000
  • Internal Damage from Leaks - $200,000
  • Sanctuary Improvements - $320,000
  • Digital Teaching Space - $80,000
  • Safety Cameras and Lighting - $25,000
  • Digital Sign - $40,000
  • Kitchen Renovation - $60,000
  • Choir Room Renovation - $15,000
  • Office Updates - $30,000
  • HVAC Debt - $30,000
  • Landscaping - $20,000
01. What is Reflect 75?
AAMC will celebrate its 75th Anniversary in 2025.  For nearly 75 years, the AAMC faith community has willingly sacrificed in order to minister in the name of Jesus Christ.  We don’t want this to stop.  In fact, we want to expand our reach as we enter into the next 75 years of ministry.  AAMC leadership believes God is calling us to consider two Parallel Visions that will continue to propel us forward in the desire to spread the Gospel of Christ.  These Parallel Visions are a Simplified Accountability Structure (SAS) and updating our physical campus.
02. Who is exploring the Parallel Visions?
Each of the Parallel Visions (SAS and physical campus updates) are being explored by our Executive Team.  This team is composed of the chairs of the Church Council, the Personnel Committee, the Trustees, and the Finance Committee as well as an at large Church Council member, our Lay Leader and Treasurer.  Pastor Dustin and our Church Administrator, Samantha Spencer, also serve on the Team.
03. What are the Parallel Visions I've heard about?
In January 2024, Pastor Dustin gave a State of the Church address where he celebrated the ministries of 2023 as well as cast a grand vision of our future.  In that address, he laid out the Parallel Visions.  Our leadership is now charged with exploring these Parallel Visions.
04. Are both visions definitely happening?
In January 2024, Pastor Dustin gave a State of the Church address where he celebrated the ministries of 2023 as well as cast a grand vision of our future.  In that address, he laid out the Parallel Visions.  Our leadership is now charged with exploring these Parallel Visions.
05. Are both visions happening at the same time?
We are working towards both at the same time.  If God calls us to move forward with both, the SAS will likely start sooner than the Capital Campaign/Renovations.  Physical plant renovations will require architectural designs, building permits, financing, and more.  It is possible that this could be a multi-year project.
06. Why is Aldersgate Abilene pursuing two significant visions at the same time?
The Bible emphasizes that as followers of Jesus Christ, we are to walk by faith and not by sight.  AAMC leadership knows that there is no way that we could accomplish either of these two visions by ourselves, let alone both simultaneously.  That’s why we are in a discernment phase. We want to walk by faith while allowing God time to move us in the right direction.  We are spending a great deal of time discussing both visions while also covering them in prayer.  We have yet to hear the Lord call us to abandon one or both visions.  We recognize that what we are pursuing is difficult.  Yet we also know that faith is never promised to be an easy pursuit.  If God does lead us into implementing both visions, there is no question that God alone will receive all of the glory!
07. How will the Aldersgate leadership give updates regarding Reflect75?
AAMC leadership will give periodic updates in services as needed.  Some updates will be found in this document as it is updated.  In addition, we will utilize various forms of communication when an update is given.
08. As part of this faith community, what can we be praying for?
Pray that everyone at AAMC will listen carefully to the Holy Spirit.  Specifically ask God that the leadership and the church at large have these three things: clarity, conviction, and unity.  Clarity from the Lord in what He is asking us to do.  Conviction to do it.  Unity in carrying it out.
09. What's the Current Timeline on the Current Projects?
See Project Timelines


Please refer to the image above for the current timeline as of 4/23/24.

01. How was the decision made to pursue a capital campaign?
In January of 2024, Pastor Dustin laid out two visions for Aldersgate. One of them was a capital campaign.He knew how desperately the church needed a new roof and he knew how expensive it would be. In their first meeting of 2024, the Church Council heard a presentation from Daniel Dennison from Horizon Stewardship about capital campaigns.At that meeting, they voted unanimously to retain Horizon in order to help us achieve our property improvement goals. We urgently need to completely re-do the entire flat roof so no further leaking will occur and so we can repair all of the damage the leaks have caused.  In addition, there is a growing list of other repairs and improvements that need to be made to our campus so that we can continue to do mission and ministry not only in Abilene, but across the globe as well.
02. What does Horizon Stewardship do and how much are we paying them?
Daniel Dennison our consultant from Horizon Stewardship comes alongside the Aldersgate Leadership to guide the campaign in order to help us reach our goal. His main job is to conduct feasibility studies, donor identification and campaign plans.  He also provides a capital campaign roadmap, timeline and strategy.Horizon Stewardship does all of this from a biblical worldview of cultivating a culture of generosity as presented by Jesus in the New Testament. We contracted with Horizon Stewardship for $45,000.
03. How were the various projects we are trying to fund decided?
In preparation for the campaign, Pastor Dustin asked the Trustees in 2023 to conduct a building audit. Members of the Trustees toured the entire facility and made a list of needed repairs and improvements.Aldersgate staff also compiled a list of the most common requests made by congregation members.
04. What kind of roof are we doing and what kind of warranty does it come with?
The roof over the Sunday school wing and Aldersgate Academy is a flat roof. Due to deferred maintenance, the current roof has become impossible to repair. After careful study, the Trustees decided to replace our current bitumen roof with a thermoplastic polyolefin membrane (TPO). This material works extremely well in warmer climates like Abilene. On average, TPO roofs have a lifespan of 20-30 years. Depending on which TPO option Aldersgate chooses, the warranty can be either 10 or 20 years.
05. What is the cost of doing nothing?
Doing nothing means continued problems with leaking in our building as well as the resulting damage to our property.In addition, Aldersgate made a commitment in 2020 to improve our online presence in order to meet our mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ. If we choose not to invest in these improvements, we will not be as effective in meeting our mission.
06. What will the timing of the various projects be?
The roof is the most important project. The leadership would like to begin this project in the first quarter of 2025. The other projects will begin after we have raised enough money to completely pay for the roof replacement.
07. What if we don't raise enough money? Will we take on any debt?
The leadership has decided that if we don't raise enough money for the roof, that we will take out a loan. However, a loan will not be taken for any of the other projects.
08. What if we raise more than we need?
Aldersgate has a Permanent Endowment Fund (PEF) that allows us to pull money for unexpected facility needs. The leadership has committed to put any excess money into this fund in order to continue to make repairs to our infrastructure.
09. How will a capital campaign impact giving to the budget?
Typically a capital campaign helps the church budget.Everyone is asked not to reduce their budgeted giving in order to give to the campaign.Oftentimes, people discover that they don't miss the extra money they are donating to the church.Once the campaign is finished, many people choose to continue giving the increased amount to the church.


Please refer to the image above for the current timeline as of 4/23/24.


Please refer to the image above for the current timeline as of 4/23/24.

01. What is a Simplified Accountability Structure (SAS)?
At its simplest, an SAS is consolidating the four administrative committees (Trustees, Finance, SPRC, and Church Council) into a single Leadership Board consisting of nine people with three year terms.  The new board is nominated by the Nominations committee and by the members at the yearly Church Conference.
02. Is there really a need for Aldersgate to change administrative structure?
While this certainly appears to be the case, in reality what this structure does is bring more accountability to those who are making important decisions for Aldersgate.   Currently, there is very little accountability for any member of the leadership.  When “everyone” is in charge, no one is actually held responsible.  In an SAS, each member of the Leadership Board is held accountable by one another, by the pastor, and by the wider congregation.
03. What are the anticipated purposes and benefits of the SAS?
The purposes and benefits include the following:
  • Removes bottlenecks in the decision-making process (I.e. time, energy, resources, multiple committees/layers, silos, disjointed focus and priorities, etc)
  • Systems, procedures, and policies in place that are flexible and adaptable
  • More people released and available for ministry
  • Leadership Board responsible for church’s faithfulness to AAMC mission (To Raise Up Deeply Devoted Disciples of Jesus Christ)
  • Leadership Board aligns church resources to the mission and vision
  • Guiding Principles in place for efficiency and permission-giving within healthy boundaries
  • Leaders are held accountable at all levels
  • Leadership Board is responsible for focusing on the areas of stewardship, strategic alignment, generative future-focus, and accountable leadership
  • Missional focus, priority, and alignment are non- negotiables
04. What does the SAS look like compared to what the current structure is now?
In January 2024, Pastor Dustin gave a State of the Church address where he celebrated the ministries of 2023 as well as cast a grand vision of our future.  In that address, he laid out the Parallel Visions.  Our leadership is now charged with exploring these Parallel Visions.

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