We have much to celebrate. We realize, however, that we celebrate around the proverbial elephant in the room and that is the nearly 3 million dollar debt left on the building of the Life Center. Unless we are aggressive in eliminating that debt, the increasing debt burden will greatly hamper our ministries for many years to come.

We began to ask, what would happen if we could pay off the debt in ten years, rather than the anticipated twenty years? The first thing we discovered was that if we could do that, then we would save one million dollars in interest payments for ministry and outreach over the life of the loan. The second thing we discovered was this could be possible if we could pay an additional $78,000 on the principal of the loan every year for ten years. Now that may seem like a large amount, but it is surprisingly close to the amount that persons paid into the Reach Beyond Fund in 2014. If all of us who have been contributing to Reach Beyond will simply continue that level of giving, $78,000 is not such a daunting figure after all.

We established what will be referred to as the Balloon Fund and are looking for 130 persons, families, classes, groups who will commit to giving an additional fifty dollars a month in 2015 to the Balloon Fund. Every time our giving reaches the level of $600, a balloon will be purchased (biodegradable, of course) which represents a piece of the Life Center. Throughout the year, we will release these balloons as a celebration of how St. Luke is soaring in 2015. On February 15, we will have a great celebration in our morning worship services and following the 11:10 service an Open House in the Life Center. As some generous gifts have already been received for the Balloon Fund, we will culminate the celebration with our first balloon release. It will be an exciting day in the church. You won’t want to miss it. Come plan to soar with us in 2015 and beyond.