August 5, 2007 Update

• Help us preserve our history. We need volunteers now for a Church Archive Team to help with all aspects of planning and facilitating the archival storage of our church’s historical, financial, and administrative records. If you are interested in or experienced with historic preservation, please contact Tom Kirwin (tkirwin@dallasuu.org) to review the draft charter for the team. Let’s keep our story intact for those who will follow!

• Capital Campaign: Chart and Compass 2010 was created out of our strong consensus about what we hope to accomplish together as a church, and we need pledges from all of our members and friends to realize those dreams. We have far to go to reach our $9-million goal, and critical decisions are imminent. Please pledge what you can, now. Every gift is important. Send it in, bring it to the office, or drop it in the collection plate. We are very grateful to the 326 members and friends who have already pledged more than $5,745,369 to fund our aspirations.

• Zoning: The hearing on our rezoning request goes before the City of University Park Planning and Zoning Commission on August 20. This is the first step toward official City approval of our new development plans; we expect our request to be on the City Council agenda in September.

• Facilities: The Facilities Master-Plan Team is interviewing general contractors. Bringing one into the process soon will allow us to work with the best possible cost estimates and make decisions during the design phase which will ensure the best construction at the lowest cost down the road. Short-term facilities improvements have been tabled pending reconciliation of Chart and Compass 2010 costs with the Capital Campaign’s final tally. Comments on the master plan are welcome. Please submit them to Tom Kirwin (tkirwin@dallasuu.org) for distribution to the Facilities Team.

• Videos on dallasuu.org: As a reminder about what we have undertaken together and why, view Dr. Laurel Hallman reading her beautiful letter “Launching Chart and Compass 2010,” and her “We Are All Temporary” talk from the Capital Campaign inaugural event. We ask your patience, as download times may vary with connection speed. It’s worth the wait!

• Publicity and Branding: The team recently introduced creative elements of its proposed campaign to the church staff and is now preparing materials for the internal launch on Ingathering Sunday. The strategic timing of a phased public-awareness campaign remains in the planning stage.

~ Ellen Magnis and Mike Birrer Leadership Team Co-Chairs
~ Fritz Kuehn Leadership Team Communications