It was spring 1984 when I first attended “Rez” with my Mom and brother.  The church itself was small and simple, yet beautiful - set on top of a small hill with 15-25 people attending each Sunday.  The building was made of wood, there were wooden pews, a wooden railing in front to kneel at for prayer or communion and an amazing, huge wooden cross hanging behind the alter.  It was peaceful and safe.  As a high schooler, I remember the painful decision to leave the Episcopal diocese.  All the questions and concerns; we had to say good-bye to our little church where so many had first received the redemptive, healing balm of our Lord Jesus Christ upon their lives – where I’d first heard Him speak into my own heart.  We left with many tears, some good-byes to those who felt led to stay and fully dependent upon the Lord for our future.  We stood on God’s promise to never leave nor forsake us.

Through my own 24 years at Rez, I’ve been baptized, married and had our own children baptized.  I’ve seen conflict arise and I’ve witnessed Christ’s forgiveness flow through His people.  We have remained a community built on fasting and prayer.  Now here we are in 2008 with 600+ people attending on Sundays and the unbelievable prospect of purchasing land in which to once again, have our own sanctuary in which to worship our Lord and Savior - to “build something beautiful for God” – some place safe where we can walk in, breath deeply and feel the Holy Spirit flowing over us.  As I walk this unbelievably beautiful piece of property, reflecting on where we’ve come from, the saints who have walked, fasted and prayed before us and the children who will grow up and lead this church in the future; I’m reminded of Psalm 126 – When the Lord restored the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream.  Then our mouth was filled with laughter and our tongue with shouts of joy; then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us; we are glad.  Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negeb!  Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!  He who goes out weeping, bearing the seed for sowing, shall come home with shouts of joy, bringing his sheaves with him.

Leaning against the flagpole tonight, I sat and listened to the land alive. We all have walked the land in the quiet seasons of fall and winter when the crunch of leaves and snow chimes in the midst of chilled silence. Now, the land is in the pitch of mating season. The island is home to a mama goose on the nest, guarded by a protective papa. The banks of the pond are croaking and if you step close by the waters edge, many large toads plunk in to escape your evening shadow. At dusk, the dark evergreens host a symphony of chasing birds. The pink reflective light from the clouds above is broken by the scuttering of ducks coming in for a landing. The propagation of life is filling the land right now and as you walk upon it God’s presence is strongly underfoot. He is breathing life into all who return for mating time year after year, as well all of us who are witnesses to this miracle for the first time. Take in this moment to listen to the singing of creatures who call this land home today. Pray for all of us, that we would be faithful stewards of those who have come before us and those who will follow us. The Lord has given us this Spring to put our imaginations toward the new life that will come upon this land by listening to the songs of those who are singing today. May our song be as pure and in harmony with that which He has wrought in those varied shades of new green on a Spring evening.

“Your people shall all be righteous and shall forever possess the land, a shoot of my own planting, a work of my own hands to bring me glory. The few shall become ten thousand, the little nation great. I am the Lord; soon, in the fullness of time, I will bring this to pass.” Isaiah 60: 21,22.

For all sorts of reasons, the phrase that has been on my mind about the land and building is this: living there. I’ve desired for so long to see with my eyes, touch with my hands, become bodily and spiritually immersed in a living symbol of God among us. Of course, this happens in so many powerful ways now, without a permanent place. God’s Spirit is not held at bay by a lack of mystical stained glass or throaty pipe organs. In this time and place, though, I believe God has chosen beauty and a true sense of home as part of the healing ministries of our church. I was reminded of this the other day while reading The Age of Anxiety by W.H. Auden:

                           …He pines for some
Nameless Eden where he never was
But where in his wishes once again
On hallowed acres, without a stitch
Of achievement on, the children play

Among my friends, few have ever known church as home. In fact, few seem to feel at home anywhere at all in this world. We’re typically estranged from nature, from our bodies (as Stewart talked about in his recent series), from meaningful and lasting community, from our history, from our vocations, from the gospel, from the Holy Spirit. God has made Rez into a true home in order to bring us back to real life. As theologian F. D. Maurice describes it, the broader mission of the Anglican Communion is to hold together that which ought not to be separated. It is only the next step in this restorative process for our church to become more closely connected with the land, with the community, with a larger work of gospel mission in the world, by participating with God in making a beautiful and lasting symbol of the integral life to which He is raising us.

Nothing ministers more deeply to a hurting person than a sanctuary that is truly safe, a sanctuary that conveys the strength and presence of Christ in the beauty of its architecture. Where can a suffering man or woman go to find a sacred space still filled with the healing presence of Christ? As I participate in the Architectural Leadership Team, I can’t help but imagine the warmth of the natural light, the possibilities of an arched ceiling or ornamented windows, and the beauty of the altar and cross in a sanctuary filled with the transforming power of Christ.
 
I can only imagine and hope that a permanent building on a beautiful piece of land would fully release the gifts of the healing ministry at Resurrection. The prayer retreats we could host around the lake during the spring and summer months could help those estranged from God and struggling through serious doubts to reconnect with the warmth and love of a God who gives us hope and comfort. 
 
The beauty in music resonating throughout a sanctuary or chapel designed for the accoustics of worship have the capicity to reach even the hardest hearts and those trapped in the chains of suffering and sin. A beautiful space available at all hours for prayer filled with the presence of Christ will work miracles in the life of our community at Resurrection.   

The Question and Answer session on March 2 provided pertinent and current information about the land and building campaign. Here are the highlights:

While the present campaign is for 21 acres of land ($3,300,000), we are simultaneously working with architects and land planners to determine if/how we could build a future church upon this site.
Because we are in the preliminary stages, the total cost of the building, as well as a building commencement date, is yet largely undetermined. Much depends on how much money we can raise; a strong initial phase will better position us for the following phases. It is likely we will eventually seek outside funding from those connected to Rez as she is becoming a centralized location for the region’s Anglican communions. Inspiringly, our missionary Tilly Tiller has already committed to give, even though she currently serves overseas!

Many have wondered about specific design elements, such as whether there might be a 24-hour prayer chapel on the land or how we can incorporate earth-friendly materials. At this juncture, Ty Warner explained, we need only to produce plans satisfactory to the county; we are now simply providing the shell of our plans to the county. We will seek approval for these initial plans in May and will continue gathering feedback from Rez on the specifics as we are able to proceed.

The meeting ended with this challenge from a parish member: We have been so intent on building something beautiful for God; but hasn’t God already built something beautiful for us? Fortunately, Gary Weber, our land site planner, and our architects at Ruck Pate consider concerns of this nature, focusing on how we can maximize the aesthetic and Christian use of the land.

Clearly, the decision about what to pledge to the building fund is an intensely personal one.  We are fortunate to have a dedicated group of volunteers and consultants working to pull together all the necessary requirements for our submission to the county, and it’s important to continue to ask questions of our leadership about the practical considerations of expenses as they come up.  We are hoping to close on the property in less than a year.  3.3 million dollars seems like so much money… yet it was such an encouragement to hear what the leaders in the church pledged last Friday.

As we consider what God is calling us to give, we should ask Him – and ourselves – what amount makes us comfortable?  What amount makes us uncomfortable?  Take an honest look at your monthly and annual expenses and assess what you can realistically give – then see if you can edge that number up just a bit.  Use the giving guide in your journal to help you find a number that makes sense to you.  At the question and answer session, members of our congregation shared about past experiences with giving, and how God changed them as they were challenged to give.  God will do a discipling work in us as we sacrifice and take a risk for Him.  We learn how to rely on Him more fully.

It’s very interesting watching Church of the Resurrection enter into a new time with this building campaign. Resurrection has been my church home my entire life, and for as long as I can remember it has been a mobile home. Even at Glenbard West and our other rented spaces, the Lord has truly used the people of Resurrection to form me into a young man of God, from nursery days all the way to youth ministry. I am very excited as we look forward to the day when we may actually walk into a building that is specially our own, dedicated to the Lord’s work in transforming people’s lives.

As a child, one of my favorite parts about going to church was the building in which it met. Always having been a fan of medieval times, it was great to every week go to the castle on a hill known as Glenbard West High School. Although the building that is built for us may not share the resemblance to a castle, the power of mere construction materials put together in a beautiful way will still remain. If a high school building could carry such imaginative luster a child, how much more could a building designed to be a Sanctuary of Transformation? Future generations will learn to serve King Jesus on land that already shouts of his glory, and in a building made in his honor.

Please pray for Doug Ebelherr our soil analysis/septic specialist of the Chase Co. and Matt Worline our engineer as they evaluate all of the information that will detemine if and how we can do a septic field on this property. If we can’t the alternative would be hooking up to distant sewer lines. This is expensive and time consuming and might require easements of all the neighbors living between the property and the line as well as gravity to work in our favor. We really need the Lord to give us septic field capability on the property. Please pray for all of us as we work with Matt and Doug this week and evaluate our options. Please pray for them that the Lord would give them creativity in the numbers.

As always, thank you for your faithfulness in prayer. We firmly believe that prayer is the engine that will fuel all of our Land & Building efforts!

We’d love to hear your stories of what God has been teaching you through this season of sacrifice and giving. Visit the contribute page and send us your story!

In the leaders’ service last Friday night (for Rez leaders to give their pledges to the Land & Building Campaign), we also consecrated a new cross for the Ministry Center.  We had a powerful time of prayer and contemplation of the sacrifice of Christ.  How appropriate that we begin our giving to the land through recalling all that Christ has done for us, so that our gifts are an expression of our gratitude.  This week, would you join us in praying for the following:
 

• Let’s give thanks together for the many ministry leaders, staff, vestry, and clergy who led the church with the first wave of pledges, totaling just under $1.67 million!  Praise God for the way he met our leaders as they prayed, considered their finances, and gave with joy.  Let’s thank him that we have such dedicated, faithful leaders who love Rez and are committed to following Christ.

 

• As the rest of the church takes this next week to consider their pledges, let’s pray that the same spirit of gratitude for Christ’s work in our lives would lead us all.  Pray that we would all be able to make the time to pray about our gifts, and that nothing would distract us from hearing the voice of the Lord.  Pray that we would be free from anxiety and over-thinking.  Pray that we would feel great freedom as we give.

 

• Finally, let’s pray that God would multiply our gifts to be a blessing to the nations, that many would come to worship and be transformed in the sanctuary we will build in Winfield.

 
“Great and wonderful are your deeds, O Lord God Almighty!  Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations!  Lord, who shall not fear and glorify your name?  For you alone are holy.  All nations will come and worship you.”  Revelation 15:3-4

Rez Kids are generous kids. In the summer of 2006 they decided to collect money for “Children of the Dump” in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico where the high school students from Rez have gone for the last two years on mission trips. They set a goal of reaching $100 by the end of August. They collected $125.00. 

Last summer the goal was $150.00 to be given to buy supplies for children’s ministries at the new AMIA church in Kenosha, Wisconsin. They raised $175.00.

In late September of 2007 Madeline Ruch, 5th grade daughter of Stewart and Katherine, reported to the children that there was a possibility that land might be coming available for purchase towards building a church. Immediately the children decided that they were going to have to help with this venture. They knew that this was too big for the adults to handle by themselves. A bank was set up in the Kingdom Kids classroom and weekly dollars, quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies have been deposited. As of Sunday, March 2 the children had collected $106.71. Piggy banks have been emptied, Christmas and birthday money has been donated and eager children have been doing chores around the house to have offering money for Sunday.

In a very real way the children of Rez are invested in the land and building campaign. As adults we know that there is the possibility that they may grow up in the new church building and even be married there. It may be in this building that our children will make life changing decisions to follow Christ. This may be the place where they bring their own children to church. While we, as adults, will enjoy and appreciate a new worship facility we are also aware that we are building a church home for future generations.

Our children are watching us and learning from us. They will remember what they are seeing now. They will remember people going forward to commit to giving money for the land and building. They will remember seeing the property for the first time. They will remember when the first shovels full of dirt are dug. They will remember watching the buildings go up. They will remember tearing up the mortgage. And they will remember what God has done at Church of the Resurrection and will tell the story to their own children. And they will praise Him that they were a part of it all.

Once again thank you for your faithful prayers for Rez as we follow the Lord on this Land & Building Adventure!

This week, will you join us in praying for these topics:

- Let’s pray for Rez’s mission to our neighbors and the world.  Pray that we would build a Church with (figurative and literal) wide open doors and windows.  Pray that we would become the city on a hill of Matthew 5:14 - “glowing in the night for all to see.”  Pray that our commitment to the bringing and sending roads would be strengthened by the gift of this land.  Pray too that our future building would be a foundation for new works of training and community within the movement of AMIA.

 
- Let’s continue to pray for one another as we each consider creative ways to fund the Land and Building Project.  Pray that our eyes would be open to see ways to trim expenses, modify our lifestyles, and commit in faith to giving that makes us tremble.  Pray that the Lord would use this process to challenge our habits and our fears around money, and lead us each into greater freedom to serve God and His Kingdom rather than the world.
 
- Please also continue to pray for clear communication between leaders and the congregation.  Pray that those with questions and hesitations would connect with leaders; pray that everyone at Rez, even those on the fringes, would own the calling to participate and give to the Lord. 

 
“Lord, may Church of the Resurrection become a castle of prayer, a place of communion with you, from which our prayers may flow out in love to the world.”  Inspired by St. Teresa of Avila

Last Monday (Feb. 28), I braved the elements along with Kurt and Taryn Bullis (in their trusty red Camry) and trekked to Pat & Jenny Roach’s house for an “in-home leader gathering” to talk about the land & building campaign. The meeting was great fun: many of the usual Rez suspects were there (about 20-25 community leaders) and the Roach’s had a fabulous spread for us of crunchings & munchings. After a few sweet minutes of mingling and chatting we all crowded in the Roach’s family room to hear our fearless leaders give us the scoop.

The inimitable Margaret Philbrick kicked off the presentation with some great stories about how Fr. Stewart and the leaders first the discovered the land in Winfield, after many months of fruitless searching. Then Fr. Stewart picked up the thread and spoke to us from 1 Chronicles 29, in which King David leads the people in lavish giving for the building of the new Temple in Jerusalem. Then Stewart told us of the plans that he and Katherine have to give to the land & building campaign. I was floored by the extent of the Ruchs’ sacrificial giving, knowing that many pastors would see themselves as exempt from having to give.

Patrick Roach, Dan Easley, and Gary & Charis Buell concluded our time by describing their own processes in coming to a decision about how much to give. This was really helpful for me, because they each talked about their struggles in figuring out what they could give out of obligation, versus what they wanted to give out of love and participation in the Rez vision. Their openness and honesty about that struggle was deeply encouraging to me.

I came away from our evening together in a much different frame of mind than when it began. It wasn’t that I’d been resistant to giving, just uncertain of how to think about it all. By the end of the evening, I had a much clearer and much deeper sense of what it would mean to participate in this “unrepeatable moment.”

Here at Church of the Resurrection we are caught up in an remarkable story of Building Something beautiful for God and for Others. We as a people are moved by the gift of land God has brought to us, and we are being stirred by the Holy Spirit to make a sacrifice of our resources that will be an act of worship for Jesus who has given us his very life.

We are praying that our financial offerings will be a blessing to those who are currently far from God and will one day worship with us in the Sanctuary of Transformation. We are praying that they will be an investment in the future generations who will lead this church, serve in her mission, and pray in her chapels.

This website is developed to keep you abreast of the many happenings in this endeavor before us. May it be a help and service to you.

Father Stewart

The architects said they had about 400 people come to the charrette with great feedback and 200 of them were Keith.’ Seriously, Keith was not the only one who was really into the charrette design session.  Rez folks were seen using their own Fibonacci devices on the architect’s drawings.  Some brought pictures, some kneeled down to draw pictures and everyone who came asked questions and offered comments. The architects thought the all day session was extremely helpful and they were encouraged with Rez’ interest in this piece of the project.

In a little less than three weeks, on March 18, we must submit an application to the County for approval for our building in Winfield.  Would you join us in praying this week again for our architects, as they assimilate all the feedback from the church brainstorming sessions, and begin to bring together a preliminary drawing for the building?  Would you also pray for the team leaders, Andrea Liechty and Margaret Philbrick, as they supervise the capital campaign as well as work on all the details for the land purchase and building planning process?

And please, continue to be in prayer for the entire church as we all consider our own giving to the Lord for this work.  You can especially pray for the Q & A sessions to be held this Sunday at Glenbard West, that many people who may be hesitant about giving or unsure of their part would come and be blessed by the vision and the practical encouragement provided.

 
“Behold our defender, O God; and look upon the face of your Anointed.  For one day in your courts is better than a thousand in my own room, and to stand at the threshold of the house of my God than to dwell in the tents of the wicked.”  Ps. 84:8-9

A lot is happening right now and in the next few weeks for the Land & Building!  Thank you for your prayers, which we know are upholding and shaping this effort in many unseen ways.  Would you join us in these prayer requests:

- Pray for the official kick-off of the capital campaign next Sunday.  Pray that we as a congregation would hear from the Lord as we consider how to give.  

 
- Pray also for several smaller gatherings for leaders taking place in various homes next week (Feb. 24, 25 & 26).  Pray for clear communication of the vision.  Pray that our leaders would be able to model sacrificial and joyful giving for the congregation as a whole.

- Pray for God’s anointing on Stewart as he communicates the vision for this land, and the financial need, in many venues over the next few weeks.  Pray for energy and protection for him, for Katherine, and for the Ruch children.  Pray for protection too for all the other church leaders investing many hours of planning and organizing for the campaign.

A Prayer for Guidance
Direct us, O Lord, in all our doings with thy most gracious favor, and further us with thy continual help; that in all our works begun, continued, and ended in thee, we may glorify thy holy Name, and finally, by thy mercy, obtain everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. 

Would you join us in praying for Rez’s new neighbors who live in the homes surrounding the land in Winfield?  In particular, we can pray for the few families who live on Indian Knoll, as well as for the larger neighborhood off of Purnell.  It is our desire that they would not be inconvenienced or upset by our plans to build a church on the land; that we would develop good relationships with them over the coming years; that our presence would benefit their communities; and that many would be drawn to the Lord through our presence in Winfield!

Thank you for your faithful prayers for the purchase of the Winfield land, for the capital campaign, and for our future building!  Today I am sharing with you a prayer written and prayed by our architects at yesterday’s building design charrette. 

A Prayer from the Architects
Lord, guide the group assembled here as we continue our efforts to build your church on earth.  From our accumulated hopes and dreams, concepts and principles, doubts and fears, move us forward.  Like the people of Exodus, there may be times when we want to retreat, and others when we may seem to wander.  Let your spirit guide us to become stronger and more unified in our vision.  Together we are a bridge to the future of the Church of the Resurrection, put into this position as a servant of your trust. Let what we build with bricks and mortar be our gift to the future Rez Church generations, and empower our use of these buildings to further the mission of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

 
From the “Charrette”  February 11, 2008

Thank you so much for praying faithfully with us for Rez’s purchase of the land in Winfield.  These are exciting times to be part of Church of the Resurrection!

In the coming few weeks and months, we will all be asked to give sacrificially for the land and building.  Would you pray with me that God will prepare our hearts to give, and that he will release the finances that we need?  Pray that we will find unique and unexpected ways to sacrifice for Him.  Pray that our joy will overflow as we give.  Pray that we won’t give way to fear or despair that the task is too big or our pocketbooks are too small.   Pray that we will trust in the riches of our God, who ”owns the cattle on a thousand hills.” (Ps. 50)  Pray that we will be stretched and strengthened in our faith through the financial challenge of this purchase.   

Would you join us in praying for the architectural team working on initial designs for the Rez building? Pray for creative and powerful ideas to come forth, and for clear communication between us and Ruck Pate, the architecture firm.  Pray that the Lord would anoint John Maurer, Fred Schuster, and the whole team at Ruck Pate for the work of envisioning and designing His sanctuary.

I’ve just returned from praying for and with some Rez leaders involved in the land and building planning process and the capital campaign.  One of the prayer themes tonight was for unity at Resurrection as we move forward.  Would you join us in praying along these lines?

*Pray that our hearts would be ready for what the Lord will call each of us to do and to give.
*Pray that we would have a Eucharistic unity as we build a new altar together.
*Pray that the Lord would speak into our fears and uncertainty, and protect us from division and doubt.
*Pray that communication would be clear in the next few weeks as we all learn about the next steps for purchasing the land, and how we can participate.
 

“Lord Jesus Christ, who prayed for your disciples that they might be one, even as you are one with the Father; draw us to yourself, that in common love and obedience to you we may be united to one another, that the world may believe that you are Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Today, would you join us in lifting up prayers of gratitude and praise for this wonderful gift and opportunity that the Lord has brought before us?  God has been so faithful to us in our journey as a church, and it’s so exciting to stand on the doorstep of our own land - and such a beautiful, well-situated property too. 

As the people of Israel ended 40 years of wandering and entered the Promised Land, Moses prayed this prayer over them: “The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you…How blessed you are, O Israel!  Who else is like you, a people saved by the Lord?  He is your protecting shield and your triumphant sword!” (Deut. 33: 27, 29)

We praise you, Lord, for protecting, saving and leading us!  May we be worthy to receive this gift, and may we have grateful hearts for all you have given us.