Please help us Raise the Roof! Raise the Kids!
Your gift as part of the synod’s Mission Partner 100 will help us preserve Sarasota’s past and architectural heritage as well as Sarasota’s future—the children who attend our pre-school—and help St. Paul Lutheran Church of Sarasota continue as a caring community-centered church. The St. Paul Lutheran Church of Sarasota Education Building is one of three on our campus designed by internationally-renowned architect Victor Lundy. While safe, the roof leaks and its iconic historical beams need to be replaced due to weather and termite damage.
St. Paul has a legacy of world-renown historical architecture and community-focused mission. Since 1955, this congregation has been a vibrant and involved organization contributing to the health and vitality of the Sarasota community. Our voices praise God every Sunday morning in the Sanctuary; the Fellowship Hall houses a food pantry every Saturday morning and Community Meals, offering a free hot home-cooked meal every Tuesday evening. The Education building is home to the Peaceable Kingdom Early Childhood Learning Center, a year-round program of affordable pre-school education.
Our Early Childhood Learning Center is a congregational ministry serving working families seeking affordable early childhood education—not just daycare. From two partially-filled classrooms 10 years ago, we have a four-classroom school with a waiting list. The ECLC is a Christian pre-school incorporating daily prayer and weekly chapel. The school has received some of the highest ratings available for the last ten years.
Sarasota has a rich architectural history; home to many mid-century modern masterpieces second only to Palm Springs, California. Unfortunately, many Sarasota Modern buildings have already disappeared or are threatened due to the lack of recognition of their significance or outside pressure. The congregation wants to continue to preserve its buildings, for its worship and ministries, as well as for the City of Sarasota, Sarasota County, Florida, and the nation. Tourists visit our buildings almost every week from around the world. The St. Paul campus contributes to the architectural landscape of Sarasota and we are pursuing a listing in the National Register of Historic Places.
Our buildings are architectural gems, and for the last 60+ years, we have preserved them to the best of our ability. After 60 years, significant work is needed to keep the integrity of the design of the Education Building. While we have the will and passion to preserve it, we don’t have the financial resources on our own to preserve the soaring roofline. At the beginning of this process, we needed $665,000. With the assistance of the architectural firm Hall-Darling Design Studio and the Sarasota Alliance for Historical Preservation, we have raised over 71% (over $475,000) of the estimated expense from a Florida Department of State Historical Resources Grant, the architectural community, and St. Paul members’ gifts and pledges. We are grateful to be included in the synod’s Mission Partner 100 program and your gift will be used to help preserve Sarasota’s heritage as we look forward to St. Paul’s future—the children who attend the ECLC— and help St. Paul continue to be the caring community church that it is. Help us Raise the Roof! Raise the Kids!
Sincerely,
The Rev. Ashley B. Nicolls The Rev. Donald J. Hillerich, D.D., Pastor Emeritus
Mission Partner 100 (MP100) FAQs
What is MP100?
MP100 is a synod campaign that invites donors to support specific projects for congregations designated by the Office of the Bishop. MP100 recipients are often congregations that have a specific construction or facility need related to their ministry priorities and vision for mission. The vision of MP100 is that if a large group of donors contribute $100 each, the funding available for specific projects increases. MP100 is an example of how we can be ‘church together for the sake of the world’ as the Florida-Bahamas Synod.
How do I contribute?
You can send in a donation to the synod office designated for “MP100”. You can also designate your electronic gift for MP100 through the Give Now link.
How are recipients chosen?
Each year, MP100 recipients are chosen in consultation between the Directors for Evangelical Mission and the Bishop. The recipient (congregation) is invited to submit a brief description of the target project that is then shared with the donor list.
How do I get onto the donor list?
You may send a note to Yuliet Garcia, Administrative Assistant to the DEMs (yulietg@fbsynod.org), to request an MP100 letter. When you make a donation to MP100, you are automatically added to the list for following years.
Over the years, Mission Partners 100 program has been able to make a difference in our congregations and new developments of the Florida-Bahamas Synod. Over the last two years these congregations have benefitted from this wonderful program, and a total of $41,239.50 has been raised:
- Stephen Lutheran Church, Pompano Beach – New church sign.
- St. Paul Lutheran Church, Pensacola – New church sign.
- St. John’s Lutheran Church, Jacksonville – Repairing of the facilities & expansion of the food pantry.
- Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Tampa – Repair & renovation of main entrance and bathrooms.
- The Community, ELCA, Babcock Ranch – Worshipping community building.
Many Ways to Give
First, please give your prayer support, and then select which option works best for you.
Over the years Mission Partners 100 has expanded to include opportunities to give in addition to the central and primary $100 gift for those looking to empower mission development further in special circumstances called Mission Partners Plus.
Through Mission Partners Plus you can provide a second $100 gift:
- To the Mission Partner 100 current appeal!
- Other Developing Ministries
- For Multi-Cultural Development
Go to https://fbsynod.com/ and click “Give Now!”. Designate your gift to one of the 3 MP100 categories:
- MP100 Current Appeal (provides support for specific project identified)
- MP100 Multicultural Development (provides support for any multicultural development ministry)
- MP100 Mission Development (provides support for any mission development ministry)
SPREAD the word about MP100 in your congregation: Speakers are available to come to your congregation and tell the Mission Partners 100 story and invite individuals from your congregation to become partners. E-mail Yuliet Garcia at yulietg@fbsynod.org about your interest to schedule.
