Keeping Forever 
God’s Purposes in our Hearts

PRAYER FOR THE CAMPAIGN

Gracious and liberating God, in you, we live and move and have our being. As we discern your work for us at St. Stephen’s, let us move with open hearts and minds, navigating your mission for us through the ministering to all people that come from you. As we adapt our campus to be accessible to those we serve and reflect the ministries that we carry out by your will, we ask that you be present with us. Keep us faithful to your purposes for us and steadfast to our campaign. May we fulfill your will for us as a faithful community grounded in your Love. 

Teach us, in all things, to seek first your honor and glory. Guide us to perceive what is right and grant us the courage to pursue it. Bless the Campaign Committee leaders with your grace as they lead us forward and give us all patience, courage, and love for one another. 

All this we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen.

SCRIPTURE

They gave for the service of the house of God…the people rejoiced because they had given willingly; they gave freely… to keep forever God’s purposes and thoughts in our hearts…directing our hearts toward God. 

From 1 Chronicles 29, 
the building of the Temple by King David 

Welcome Letter

Dear Members and Friends of St. Stephen’s, 

Our mission, since we were founded in 1822, has been to serve as “a house of prayer for all people” in the city of Charleston and beyond. We have lived into this mission for over two hundred years in courageous ways and with a special focus on providing a spiritual home for those on the margins of society. We are now a vital and vibrant congregation made up of people who invest themselves every day in service of God and our neighbors in a myriad of ways. We are blessed by a growing number of people drawn by our inclusive identity and mission. Yet, the physical plant hinders our ability to serve those coming through our doors, grow our ministries, and be the beacon of God’s love we continue to be called to be in the 21st century. 

Over the last four years, our vestry has been supported by task forces and planning committees, and the whole congregation has been engaged from the choir, to the altar and flower guilds, to our growing staff to our mission and outreach ministries. Together, we have developed a new vision for our campus to further our mission. 

To truly be “a house of prayer for all people” for today and in the years to come, we must create a more welcoming, inclusive, and accommodating space that better leverages our campus for justice-oriented mission in downtown Charleston. We are looking forward to you joining us in this capital campaign to bring this to reality. 

This collective vision for St. Stephen’s can only be realized if we come together and give generously to this generational investment in our beloved church. In 1822, our three female founders, “the three Sarahs,” gave money for the construction of the original St. Stephen’s with a courageous and inspiring vision that has been transformational for generations of Charlestonians. 

Today, we invite you to give generously to help us continue to grow with courage and hope into the “house of prayer for all people” we are always called to be.

Mr. Herbert L. Drayton III
Campaign Chair

The Rev. Dr. Adam J. Shoemaker

The Rev. Dr. Adam J. Shoemaker 
Rector

INTRODUCTION

Since the founding of St. Stephen’s, we have looked to serve God’s purposes above our own interests or those of the prevailing culture. We have sought to give freely as we direct our hearts toward God. We have responded to God’s call to welcome the stranger, to look to the welfare of those who may feel out of place elsewhere. 

Giving to extend God’s love to “all people” is an act of love that arises from God’s continual reminder in the scriptures: Remember, you too were once strangers. Each of us, before coming here, was in need of a place to know we are beloved by God, and to return our praise to the one who loves us without conditions. Surely God has shown us such love in this place. 

Now, we have the opportunity to listen and respond to God’s call toward a future for St. Stephen’s that continues our rich legacy of openness and radical inclusion. As stewards of this house of prayer for all people, we seek to remove barriers that prevent us from fully sharing God’s love on our campus, and to dedicate this sacred space even more intentionally to our ministry in downtown Charleston. 

The tradition of giving “for the service of the house of God” (1 Chronicles 29:7) is as deeply embedded in our faith as the building of the tabernacle in the wilderness and the temple in Jerusalem. In this time honored tradition, you are invited to give willingly, to give freely, to rejoice through your giving in God’s purpose for St. Stephen’s.

Where am I among “all people”? 


Sometimes it is difficult to see ourselves as truly a part of “all people.” When we find a place of welcome and belonging like St. Stephen’s, there is a desire to preserve that deep sense of unconditional love we experience here, which often has been absent in other places of worship. Our history stands as witness, that by opening ourselves to broader fellowship, more expansive ministry, and sincere praise, we are following God into a future that God is already creating. Even when these choices have been challenging, 

St. Stephen’s has looked to God’s purpose and chosen life in the light of Christ’s example. We must place our trust in God, that by opening ourselves ever outward to welcome the stranger, we are “keeping God’s purpose in our hearts forever” — in this act of giving freely, you are seen by God as God’s own and you can trust God’s blessing will remain upon God’s house as fully as it has ever been.

Projects

How can our house of prayer for all people serve God’s purposes more fully? 

Opportunities for gathering, accessible to all  $604,050
Expanding our capacity for ministry $626,663
Third floor college chaplain apartment (stretch goal) $57,800
Custom fixtures and finishes at 54 Society Street (stretch goal) $57,200
Enhancing our experience of praise $32,000
Relocation loan fund for the rector $400,000
Honoring our sacred grounds (stretch goal) $95,000

FELLOWSHIP HALL

$604,050 

Opening new opportunities for gathering, accessible to all

A fully accessible gathering space, open to our beautiful memorial garden, with plenty of light and space to gather, will enhance our ability to spend time in community and grow in our faith, inviting those whose mobility requirements may have limited their access in the past. As we build connections with one another, we strengthen our bonds as the body of Christ and increase our effectiveness as witnesses to God’s presence in our neighborhood and in the world. This renovation will fulfill a long held desire to comfortably gather in full community. The flexibility of the space will easily accommodate gatherings after worship, as well as a range of events and activities that will allow us to extend hospitality in new and vibrant ways. 

  • Full accessibility, including an exterior ramp and ADA compliant facilities 

  • A more spacious, yet seamlessly integrated footprint for greater capacity 

  • Large windows to allow light and provide a sense of connection to our beautiful campus 

  • Flexible layout to accommodate many types of gathering 

54 SOCIETY STREET

Renovation costs 
Relocation loan for Rector

$626,663
$400,000

Expanding our capacity for ministry

Freeing the entire 54 Society Street facility for use as ministry space, we will be able to engage in more adult Christian education programming, Sunday School, and daily programming throughout the week. And, our clergy and staff will have a centralized place for collaborative work, easily accessible to visitors and community members. 

As part of this repurposing, the rector and his family will receive a loan fund to assist them in finding suitable housing off campus.

  • Full access to the building for ministry, programming, and administration 

    Unified work and meeting space for clergy and staff 

    A relocation fund for the rector and family to ensure appropriate housing, while freeing 54 Society Street for mission and ministry

  • In order to free up space at 54 Society Street to better facilitate our mission and ministry, the plan is to relocate the rector and his family to a home nearby, by establishing a relocation loan fund—a plan which they and our diocese fully welcome and support.

    The rector and his family are completely on board with this plan. They see the benefits of living in a neighborhood where their children could have a yard to play in and ride their bikes. A neighborhood with a good public school district that isn’t too far from St Stephen’s. And they are excited about the possibilities a renovation will open up for ministry at St. Stephen’s, including centralized office and meeting space, expanded programming, and potentially the housing of a college chaplain.

    We have learned that many dioceses have a practice of extending an interest-free loan for this type of relocation. Following this precedent, the proposed Rector’s Relocation Loan Fund will provide for a downpayment on a home (not the full cost of the home). This fund would be provided by St. Stephen’s directly rather than through a third party lender. The loan would be repaid when the rector moves to another church, retires or transitions from the position, so that it could be used for future rectors. Given that the capital campaign will be raising funds for this funding structure, no interest will be charged to St. Stephens or the rector. This fund is in alignment with both the Episcopal Church and other denominations wishing to provide equitable compensation to clergy who, without the owning of property, do not have the opportunity to gain equity. The specific terms of the loan would be expressed in a clear contract between the rector and vestry.

  • Third floor college chaplain apartment — $57,800

    Creating a third floor apartment above the renovated 54 Society Street space will allow us to collaborate with the diocese and possible community partners by housing a college chaplain with a mission dedicated to include outreach to LGBTQ+ students and students of color during their time in Charleston. This ministry is both a reflection of our commitment to reaching marginalized communities and an opportunity to foster a connection with the college that is virtually in our backyard. The diocese and possible community partners would cover the living expenses and provide spiritual support for the chaplain, while we provide housing.

    Custom fixtures and finishes at 54 Society Street — $57,200

    The stretch goal would allow us to tailor the spaces to better meet our needs, including custom build outs for dedicated work stations; ergonomic designs; beautiful durable, timeless materials and fixtures; conversion of the current family kitchen to a more suitable staff kitchen; attractive, open-shelving and rolling cabinets for greater utility and efficiency for the flower guild. Achieving the stretch goal would allow us to meet a request made during the Listening Phase: “Do it right and do it once.”

CHOIR LOFT 

$32,000 

Enhancing our experience of praise 

We are blessed with a sanctuary that allows us to serve God in worship and experience the unique characteristics that we cherish and have pledged to maintain. 

To further enhance our worship, and to accommodate our growing choir and music ministry, an expansion of the choir loft and repositioning to improve sight lines is required. 

As our choir has grown, the need for expanded seating has grown as well. It’s a happy dilemma, but the current configuration makes it difficult for the choir director to see everyone while seated at the organ. Repositioning the railing and freeing up space to adjust these sight lines will improve communication and enhance the musical experience for worshippers as well as musicians. 

  • Expanded seating capacity for a growing choir 

    Realignment to allow clear sight lines for musical director 

    Reinforced railings for greater safety

Memorial Garden

STRETCH GOAL $95,000 

Honoring our sacred grounds

When we have fully funded the projects in the fellowship hall, 54 Society Street and the choir loft, we will be able to commit additional resources to a landscaping project that will tie together the new footprint of our campus and further beautify our beloved memorial garden. 

  • Seamless integration of renovated spaces with the Memorial Garden 

  • Sustainable, native plants 

  • Enhancement of the beautiful exterior spaces of our campus 

Teach us, in all things, 
to seek first your honor and glory.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

  • They do not go to the same place. Each year, St. Stephen’s invites members of its community to give an annual pledge to fund the mission of the congregation. These funds pay for personnel, programs, outreach ministries, and the regular upkeep of the space. These funds typically come from an individual’s regular monthly income. Please consider an annual pledge and then determine your capital campaign pledge. A pledge to the capital campaign is used to fund specific one-time projects for the physical space. This gift is an extraordinary gift that would be above and beyond one’s annual gift. Individuals can give in a variety of ways and all gifts regardless of size are needed for the campaign to be successful.

  • Yes! All members are invited to include St. Stephen’s in their estate planning. However, given that the bulk of construction expenses will be incurred in the first year, we will need liquid funds to pay these expenditures. The vestry is happy to receive bequests with a “requested designation” (rather than a restriction).

  • The pay-in period is four years, beginning June 2023 and ending June 2027. Pledges can be paid weekly, monthly, quarterly and annually.

  • We would like to pay as many of the expenses on the front end of the capital improvements. If you are contemplating a gift schedule longer than four years, please speak with us first.

  • We know that life happens and we care about you. If something happens and you can’t fulfill your pledge over the next four years, please let the clergy know. We can make adjustments accordingly.

  • This fund covers any unforeseen issues or workarounds that the builders may encounter as they implement the architect’s design, as well as any additional work the leadership team authorizes to ensure the quality of the final result.

  • Planning fees cover the cost of the architect’s research, development, proposal process, and preparation of final plans. They also cover campaign costs related to communications, solicitation, and consulting support.