"I believe Faith Christian is in a position to continue growth at a reasonable rate. We are very fortunate to have such a school in this community. To have a quality education facility that exists in a Christian environment is what I want for my grandchildren and the community at large. My experience with the faculty and administration has been outstanding. I look forward to a long and pleasant relationship with this school."
Bill Branch
Bill Branch
A Message from our Capital Campaign Chair, Tim Lilley
To God be the Glory! Great things He has truly done for Faith Christian School, having raised over $5.9 million dollars since the inception of the capital campaign. How the Lord does provide! So many people have been a part of this, with many giving, giving, & giving over the years with their children graduating before they could even reap the harvest of a brand new school - I know you agree with me when I say "Blessed are these folks!".
The Lord’s provision is evident as I consider the history of FCS. In 1996, several families gathered and prayed, seeking the Lord’s direction for developing a school of academic excellence committed to a classical curriculum, which also incorporated a Christian, biblical worldview. No small vision indeed! In 1997, FCS opened its doors to forty-seven students in grades 6-11, leasing space from Virginia Heights Baptist Church. With steady growth and limited opportunities for expanding further at Virginia Heights, the Lord led FCS to move our campus in 2003 to Cave Spring Baptist Church, providing larger classrooms, a gymnasium, a cafeteria, and room to add a grammar school.
In 2004, the grammar school opened with eighty-four students in grades K-5 along with 106 students in the middle and upper divisions. By 2006, enrollment continued to grow, requiring a second campus at St. John Lutheran Church. With classes on two campuses, a waiting list for several grades, and an expiring lease, we knew that God was moving us forward to build and complete our own home on Buck Mountain Road.
Prayerfully, we moved forward. We are blessed to have moved into our new facility in August 2007! I am grateful for each of you who have invested your time, energy, and financial resources to make this possible,many of you whose students never attended class in our new facility as they graduated before the building was complete.
Believing God was moving us toward our permanent home on Buck Mountain Road, we began our “Forward in Faith” Capital Campaign in 2002. By 2005 we raised sufficient capital to begin construction in two phases.The first phase completed the shell building, allowing us to stop construction if further funds were not raised. By God’s provision, however, we were able to continue with the second phase that completed our building. During the time from initial bids to the start of construction, materials and labor costs increased significantly, some items with double-digit increases. Our final cost of construction totaled $7.9 million. . We recognize our families’ desires and our need to more fully equip our facility with additional parking and other items such as stage curtains, bleachers, and acoustic materials in the Gymnasium and Great Room. Estimates for these items total approximately $300,000, bringing our new capital campaign goal to $8.2 million. Because of God’s faithfulness in providing generous families and friends in the FCS community, we have raised $5.7 million in cash.
I ask that your family pray for God’s provision as we continue to raise the remaining funds for the completion of the Capital Campaign. My challenge to our FCS family is made according to 2 Corinthians 8:11-12, “Now finish the work, so that your eager willingness to do it may be matched by your completion of it, according to your means. For if the willingness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has, not according to what he does not have.” In the spirit of this challenge, we are renaming our campaign “Finish in Faith” as we seek to raise the remaining amount to “Finish in Faith”!
However, with all of this said the Capital Campaign Committee needs your continued support until all of us working as a team are able to pay off Capital debt. Taking on this task as a family, as a united force, in a timely manner is an important work for the sake of continued fiscal stability to our kids' school. Please keep praying & providing and I know God will continue to reward our faithfulness and our works. If you are currently paying on a pledge, please consider an increase in your gift. Our Board of Directors is committed to the completion of the Capital Campaign. The Board will be working alongside the Capital Campaign Committee to contact families to ask for your support to Finish in Faith. I ask that you take the time to meet with the individual who calls you. Should you prefer to speak directly with Jay Whitmore, Director of Development, regarding your pledge, please call him at 540-769-5200.
