December, 2011

Heartfelt greetings to you,

Last summer we embarked on a series of improvement projects at CLC as we celebrated our 25th year as a chartered Religious Science teaching center, and the 10th anniversary of the opening of our Great Hall, where we hold our Sunday and Wednesday celebrations.

The work included new flooring, chairs, windows, lighting, and sound equipment in the Great Hall, plus a completely reconditioned roof. Then we went on to paint and lay new flooring and baseboards in the first floor of the Learning Center; paint Katherman Hall; and currently we're redoing the Learning Center roof, which is two decades old. New sinks were installed in the Learning Center's downstairs restrooms, and multiple plumbing fixtures were replaced. Also, we took down the old Pearson house at the far north of our western tract; repaired and painted the storage units abutting the Great Hall to the north; installed a new well pump; and built a new fence along the north boundary of the parking field. Carpets were stripped out of the DMD (drama/music/design) building, and its air conditioning repaired. In the gardens, a new sprinkler system was installed; the flower beds were cleaned out and mulched; and just last week the gardening team completed their fall planting. And there is more to come. Your Board of Trustees is eyeing several other areas of needed maintenance and long overdue improvement.

Now, while some of the above work was done by volunteers, for most of the "heavy lifting" we brought in paid contractors. We are happy to tell you that not only do we all get to enjoy a spiffy new environment, but the practical side of it is we paid cash for everything that had a cost. No debt whatsoever was incurred! This is thanks to the generosity of multiple benefactors; the largesse of our members and friends who attend, participate, contribute, and take classes; and the team that produces the quarterly shows that are often accompanied by raffles and auctions. (You should also know that those shows not only support CLC, but have made significant financial contributions from their proceeds to the USO, the Peggy Rudd Scholarship Fund for transgendered youth, and the Texas Sentinels Foundation, which builds homes for young, severely wounded military veterans.)

With more we can do more. A great many ideas for getting the word out about our transformative teaching simply await funding. The basic expenses of maintaining our campus, its staff, and its services, come to around $5,000 per week. We receive no funds from our denominational headquarters; members and friends provide it all. We are writing now to encourage you to include Creative Life in your giving plans this season. Besides helping your Center, you may find that year-end giving has tax advantages for you. Best of all, though, you'll be able to walk through the halls of our beautiful Center warmed by the knowledge that you helped make all this happen!

Knowing a wonderful holiday season for you and those you love!

Many blessings,

Jesse Jennings, D.D., Senior Minister