Moments with Mr. Marsh

The Miracle of 2011

Please join with me in praising God for His unbelievable provision for Westminster Christian Academy.

We began 2011 with a new campus under construction. The impossibility of our hopes for a unified 70-acre campus became a reality.

In January 2011, we established a cash-giving goal of $6 million. We believed the goal of $6 million would position us to complete the construction of this campus and, when combined with our construction loan, would provide the cash needed to pay the construction bills and complete our new campus.

This goal was a tremendous test of faith:

1. Although we began the year with $15 million in active pledges to give, most of these were five-year pledges. This meant that over one-third of these pledges would have to be given in cash in one year’s time, or perhaps new and unexpected gifts would also be given.
2. We could not be completely sure of the actual cash need at the end of the project until the building was nearly complete. What if the construction costs suddenly went up due to an unforeseen problem? Will construction be under budget or over budget? These were questions that were unanswered until after our school year began.

I’m thankful to report that our final counts of 2011 giving are complete, and $5,750,902 was given in cash by December 31.

While this is slightly short of our goal, we have the most amazing news. This number ultimately represents the total amount of the 2011 project need. The construction costs ultimately came in under budget, the final bills are negotiated and due, and this unbelievable success enables us to fully pay our construction bills!

This success also repositions the long-term financial strength of our school and enables us to consider new ways to advance our priorities for hiring, growing and retaining the very best teachers while ensuring that Westminster will be both world-class and accessible for our children’s children. We are able to move forward, taking the next steps to become better so that we may provide a Christian education that is truly world-class.

In a project and budget of this size, with a loan and construction costs that are only addressed by giving and not by tuition, the amount remaining on our goal for December 31 can be addressed by our 2012 giving goals. We begin this year in a stronger position than we dared to dream possible.

I cannot overstate how significant this year’s goal was and how our trust and faith in God was tested as we waited upon Him to work in what so often felt like an impossible goal. At Westminster, our giving goals are always grounded in the reality of what it takes to pursue our mission and vision, and this year’s goal was one of the most important and difficult goals ever pursued.

We can never fully grasp the mysterious and incredible blessing of how God moves through His people to achieve such challenging goals. So many individuals and families were involved in the process of praying, planning and giving. Through it all, we were always faced with the truth that Westminster’s mission, vision and future are in God’s hands.

Thank you for all that you have done to be a part of this great work and for investing so much in Westminster. I thank God for His amazing work in and through the lives of His people. I pray His blessings will forever be upon Westminster Christian Academy.