Second collection

Selicia Kennedy-Ross

CORONA DEL MAR -- Rapid growth has forced a local church to take up a

second collection.

The congregation at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church launched

a capital campaign last week to raise nearly $1 million to expand the

church.

Like a number of other local religious institutions, the parish needs to

raise a large amount of money to build new facilities because of recent

growth. The goal of the fund-raising drive, which ends Jan. 9, is

$950,000. The pledges can be paid within the next three years.

Much of the parish’s recent growth has to do with new development in the

area, said John Turner, chairman of St. Michael’s campaign committee.

During the past year, the congregation has increased from about 220

families to 280.

“We need to build new facilities to accommodate these families,” said the

Rev. Peter Haynes, pastor of St. Michael’s.

Many other churches are experiencing similar growth, Haynes added.

Eight years ago, St. James Episcopal Church in Newport Beach ran a

similar campaign and raised $3.25 million for a new parish hall,

educational and office buildings.

Now St. James plans to launch another campaign as soon as next year to

raise funds for enlargement of the worship area, a project with a price

tag of more than $2 million.

“There’s a baby boom going on,” said the Rev. Davis Anderson, pastor of

St. James. “At St. James, we’ve had to add several extra baptismal dates

for the new babies.”

Capital campaigns have long been the basis for the building and expansion

of churches, he said.

“Whether it’s a large parish trying to raise $20 million or a small one

trying to raise a few thousand ... to either expand or build new church

buildings, you must have a capital campaign,” said Anderson, 55.

“Unless you have a sole benefactor who gives a very large gift, there

must be broad-based ownership appeal to raise the money,” he said.

“Everyone in the community of faith needs to feel that ownership.”

St. Michael’s needs to expand because it also provides meeting rooms for

various community organizations, such as local scout troops troops,

Alcoholics Anonymous and neighborhood associations, Haynes said.

The rooms are also used as classrooms for special meetings like

parenting classes.

“We’ve reached a point where we cannot accommodate any more groups or

classes,” said Turner, 36.

The campaign’s proceeds will be spent on modernizing and expanding the

church’s kitchen facilities, nursery and play areas. The money will also

be used to add four new meeting rooms and a 4,300-square-foot

multipurpose building.

St. Michael’s has already raised $650,000, more than two-thirds of its

goal -- a feat Haynes attributes to economic good times.

Construction of the expansion is scheduled for next summer.