A Message from Capital Campaign Co-chair Barney Forsythe
Dear Brother and Sisters in Christ,
As a follow-on to the strategic visioning process in 2023, in 2025 our diocesan leaders initiated a study to determine the feasibility of conducting a capital campaign to raise funds in support of the strategic vision. With the diocesan vision to be a Beloved Community in mind, the feasibility study sought input from across the diocese regarding potential projects in three areas, which represented the diocesan mission statement: spreading Christ’s love, seeking justice, and walking humbly with our God. We were supported in this effort by a team of fundraising professionals from Vandersall Collective, a faith-based development firm.
The response to the feasibility study was broad-based and enthusiastically positive. We achieved a remarkable response rate of 46 percent that resulted in input from more than 500 members of the diocese. We learned that a capital campaign was both possible and timely, with 92 percent in favor of a campaign at this time. The study results led us to set a campaign goal of $3.7 million.
Several areas emerged as priorities for this campaign that support the strategic vision for the diocese:
- Providing basic repairs for safety to certain buildings,
- Supporting needed improvements and code upgrades to selected facilities.
- Planting new churches and seeding new church buildings in high growth areas of the diocese, and
- Supporting outreach to youth.
In addition, respondents told us that the allocation of funds should make a difference; we should target funds from the campaign to a smaller set of projects to make a strategic impact rather than spread funds more broadly across lots of projects. Finally, the results told us that we should strive to select projects and distribute funds across all our deaneries. We recognize that there are needs beyond these priorities, and we foresee future campaigns focusing on those needs. In addition, funds generated from this campaign will free up other diocesan funding sources, such as the grant program, to support other needs.
The Capital Campaign Committee and our diocesan leadership are now in the process of discerning specific projects that represent the priorities and considerations identified in the feasibility study. These projects will form the basis for the campaign that we expect to conduct this year.
It is a blessing for me to serve with other faithful colleagues on the Capital Campaign Committee. This is an exciting time to be in The Episcopal Diocese of South Carolina and to experience the Holy Spirit at work in this part of God’s creation.
Barney Forsythe, Diocesan Campaign Co-chair