Dear Fellow Members of All Souls:
It is almost the 100th Anniversary of All Souls and as we celebrate our epic past, it’s time for us to do our part to provide a bright future. Since 2007, All Souls has been exploring its options to provide a facility that will best support growth, ministries, religious education and social justice work in the community and beyond. We have all served as President of the Board of Trustees as All Souls has gone through this journey.
In 2007, we went through an extensive effort to come up with a plan to provide a necessary remodel of our current building. High costs, zoning concerns and neighborhood reactions caused the church to search for alternative options. In 2011, All Souls was offered a gift of land in downtown Tulsa. In 2011 we voted to move to the new location. What follows is a brief review of what happened since.
Changes in growth patterns in the congregation and in the neighborhood and the addition of the Gathering Place gave the ministers and the Board of Trustees reason to question the move. In 2016 the Relocation Task Force (RTF) was created to review the 2011 decision. It was determined that the move downtown was still the best option financially and structurally to give future members a more modern church that is relevant to our times and meets our long-term needs. On April 9, 2017 over 80% of the members of All Souls during a special congregational meeting voted to reaffirm the vote to move downtown and to begin a capital campaign.
A design of the new church has been created. If you haven’t seen the video of the vision of the new building, please go to www.allsoulschurch.org/give/. Donna Dutton and Ryan Darby are leading the effort to raise the money necessary to make this amazing vision a reality. Some members have already stepped up to help. It is time for all members to do the same.
What can you do?
In the coming weeks, and before the end of 2019, All Souls members and staff are meeting one on one with every member of the church to discuss the project and the campaign and to seek the support we need to continue the All Souls legacy downtown. Please make it a priority to meet with someone whether you support the move or not.You can also contact the church office and let us know when you are available to meet.
Please join in making the vision a reality.
Sincerely,
All Souls Presidents (2007-2019)
John Green (2007-2009), Jim Rusher (2009-2011), Jim Perrault (2011-2013), Sharon McElroy (2013-2015), George Schnetzer (2015-2017), Alicia Valliant McLain (2017-2019), Floretta Reed (2019-present)
