ONE CHURCH

ONE VISION

ONE FUND

Over the next two years, we are inviting everyone who calls Elmhurst CRC their spiritual home to grow in generosity and give to the Hearts Ablaze One Fund Initiative, which will resource our ongoing ministries, eliminate the remainder of our debt, and fund ministry expansion.

If you consider Elmhurst CRC your spiritual home, will you take a journey of discipleship as we seek God’s presence and provision for our future?

GOALS

PRIMARY GOAL:
100% Participation and Engagement

Our vision for the next season at Elmhurst CRC is not about expanding our campus or a new building project, but rather about expanding our ministries and service in trust that God will set our hearts ablaze with new, Holy Spirit-inspired opportunities. Whenever we have an encounter with God, it is natural to want to respond with gratitude and generosity. This campaign offers our community an opportunity to learn and relearn the discipline of sacrificial giving for the sake of Jesus’ Kingdom. We pray the Hearts Ablaze campaign will bring us closer to God through:

OUR LIFESTYLE

As an All-In person, are my time, talents, and treasures fully devoted and available to God? Am I willing to prayerfully seek God’s direction to become more intentionally aligned with Jesus and the priorities of his Church and Kingdom?

OUR GENEROSITY

How is God inviting me to grow in gratitude, generously sharing the resources that have been entrusted to me?

OUR LEGACY

What will we leave behind for those that come after us? Can we lean into this moment to give good gifts to the next generation who will learn from our example and follow our lead?

SECONDARY GOAL:
>$11.5 Million over Two Years

As we seek God’s guidance for us and grow in the discipline of generosity, we are confident that God will provide the resources to start our next 75 years on a strong spiritual and financial foundation.

ONGOING MINISTRY: $6.5 MILLION

The church’s operating budget supports Elmhurst CRC’s existing ministries and covers all necessary expenses to keep us running: Little Lambs, CoffeeBreak, 5th Sunday Serve, Missions’ Team, Youth Ministry, Cadets, GEMS, SHE (Single Mothers), PrimeTime, Journeymen, Covenant Education Plan, Sunday morning worship, and so much more...

DEBT ELIMINATION: $4 MILLION

We carry debt on our beautiful campus dating back nearly 20 years. Eliminating this debt will set us free to invest more of our resources into ministry and to establish a more secure financial future for years to come.

MINISTRY EXPANSION: $1 MILLION

We have the opportunity to keep funding bold new steps as we continue growing UP, IN, and OUT. While the creative possibilities are vast, consider the good fruit that would result from just these possibilities.

  • Hiring a full-time Director of Engagement to lead the community, small group, and friendship-based ministries (IN).

  • Refitting a portion of our building to focus on the ministry of prayer (UP).

  • Making significant commitments to expand our Missions budget and deepen our investment with our ministry partners to the East (Lawndale) and the West (Outreach York).

  • Doubling our budget for youth ministry programming and staff as we invest in the next generation.

  • Providing additional funds for major capital maintenance projects as our building ages in the coming years so that our congregational giving can continue to be ministry focused.

ONE FUND INITIATIVE

Over the next two years, we are inviting everyone who calls Elmhurst CRC their spiritual home to grow in generosity and give to the Hearts Ablaze initiative, which will resource our ongoing ministries, eliminate the remainder of our debt, and fund ministry expansion. By combining this giving into a single collective, this initiative encompasses all donations from December 2024 through December 2026.