Who could have predicted at the congregational meeting in mid-September. Only a couple of months later, on December 14^th, the  Happy Hearts, Hopeful Future! campaign proved to be a success as the grand total rolled in on Commitment Sunday. As a congregation, All Saints had committed to raise $107,000. And currently, All Saints faces a new goal of an additional $25,000 for accessibility-related building improvements.

Julie Schoville, general chairperson of the Happy Hearts, Hopeful Future! campaign reflects on her role as team leader, after being approached by Pastor Clark.

“Oh boy, let me think about it for a while,” Schoville said, laughing at the response she’d given Pastor Clark. Sitting in the gathering space, she’s very serene in her composure as she talks about her experience as team leader for Happy Hearts, Hopeful Future! The campaign was made up of about eight members, each with their own role and responsibilities.

“I really feel I’ve been led by the Holy Spirit, every team member fits so perfectly to their role,” she said. Schoville and Pastor Clark chose the team members they believed were ideal for the role, and she beamed as she mentioned how incredible the team effort had led to the campaign’s success. She explained she’s felt guided throughout the entire experience, and was in complete awe as everything just fell into place. For one, she asked Stephanie Sampiller to help design the logo.

“And I was like, Oh my gosh, it’s like you’re in my head,” she laughed. Schoville said she designed the poster’s before the official planning of the campaign went underway, and was surprised to find the campaign fit perfectly with the course she had in mind.

“I prayed about it for several days and then I heard these lyrics to a song on K- Love that said If not me, who,” she added as she explained why she agreed to be general chairperson.

After many attempts to refinance the mortgage with various banks failed, the Mission Investment Fund of the Evangelical CLutheran Church in America encouraged All Saints’ leaders to reduce the mortgage principle by $80,000 to make refinancing possible. The congregation contracted with Stewardship Key Leaders and  Rev. Mark Halaas to advise and guide the campaign. Happy Hearts, Hopeful Future! aimed to encourage All Saints people to make commitments – not equal amounts , but equal sacrifice – for giving over three years to meet the goal of $100,000.

Ken Moreland was the spiritual emphasis coordinator for the campaign, and similar to Schoville, he weighed in on the power of the Holy Spirit throughout the campaign.

“As humans in general, we believe we can do it ourselves, but if we trust in the Holy Spirit we can do great things,” he said.