HISTORY:  1999 - A Year of Improvements

Jump to ---> Pastors Early Church 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 35th Anniversary Dinner

Financial freedom was an oft-heard goal during 1999 as we embarked on a well-orchestrated capital campaign entitled "Setting The Vision Free" to erase our debt.  Over the years, our church had accumulated some $800,000 in debt, from the mortgage on the new parsonage, various building programs, bond programs, and refinancing bond and building programs.  This level of debt required that a significant portion of our budget, several thousand dollars each month, be used to just pay down our debt.  

With direction from Dr. White, a core team of church leaders, and Tyler-Lokey & associates,  the capital campaign goals were carried to the people by several groups of volunteers who delivered the "sales pitch" in person to each member of the congregation.  The campaign drive was capped by a celebration dinner at The Village School.  The dinner also saw the debut of our third church video, presented on a huge projection screen with audio pumped through the schools sound system.  This "video," was produced on a computer using a "Power Point" type presentation instead of using videotape.  It utilized hundreds of photographs and a professionally recorded sound track that gave equal time to our church's history and our bold plans for a future without debt. The video was designed to be used not only at the celebration dinner, but also to show new members to inspire them in both service and financial contributions. 

Our congregation pledged to give $635,741 over a three-year period to help reduce debt.  While most of the money was directed toward debt retirement, a portion was to be set aside to fund a new parking lot, and a long-term building plan to help us map the use of our property in the future.  Before the year was out, we had already paid off the mortgage on the parsonage!  Our ministry teams took pride in all areas of the church and their work paid off as we set a new Sunday worship attendance record of 308.  The Trustees, as always, kept busy during 1999.  

Among the more notable accomplishments was construction of a memorial/reflection area between the Sanctuary and Education buildings, dedicated to the memory of Todd Jonathan Clark.  

Two age-old remnants of our original church also disappeared this year.  The large wooden cross that had stood along Dairy Ashford since 1970 was removed because of rotting wood.  It was replaced by two well lit cross-and-flame sculptures mounted on two sides of the sanctuary.  There were a few tears when the old cross came down.  

No tears were "shed," however, as trustees finally capped the well and removed the old shed that once housed a water pump used in our early days when city water service on Dairy-Ashford was just a "pipe dream." 

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Ashford United Methodist Church - 2201 S. Dairy Ashford - Houston, TX 77077
Ph: 281-497-1146 - Fax: 281-497-7574