WHAT IS All IN?

We believe God is calling us to continue Immanuel’s legacy of outward-focused Kingdom work. With 31,000 people living in Gurnee and 704,000 in Lake County, there’s still work to do. Building an auditorium will put us in a position to reach more of those neighbors. With 900 seats available per service on a Sunday morning, we will have room to welcome them. This expansion will allow us to continue with our strategy of irresistible Sunday morning worship experiences, transformational group environments, captivating ministries for the next generation and engaging digital content in an ever-increasing digital world. Also, our kids will gain new space to expand into from our existing lobby and foyer areas. As our church grows, so will our kids and student ministries.

WHY NOW?

Immanuel has been impacting more lives than ever before. From 2016-2018, our overall service engagement (including livestream) has increased by 17%. The number of kids in icKids ministries has increased by 24%. And more than 2000 first-time guests have been welcomed to Immanuel. 49% of our Sunday morning attenders have been coming for less than three years. And in 2018 we baptized 65 people! It’s been such an incredible journey together and we believe we’re just getting started. Our vision is to reach all our neighbors, all our region, all for Jesus. If we stop now we’ll have accomplished less than 0.5% of that goal. We want perpetual momentum instead of just riding it out. There’s too much at stake; too many stories to connect with Jesus.

WHAT'S THE PLAN?

Our plan is to build an auditorium that can comfortably seat 900 people. The infrastructure for a future balcony with 300 additional seats will also be included. The space will have an intimate feel with the seating area being wider than it is deep, keeping the back row as close as possible. The atrium will include a large Welcome Room, cafe and soft seating. The parking lot will also be expanded to the south of our driveway. 

HOW DO WE MAKE THIS HAPPEN?

We’re going to construct a $5.5M building that includes the new auditorium and atrium. The project will be funded through a $2.5M generosity initiative over three years. These funds will be over and above our regular operating budget and giving. We will then borrow $3M and enact an aggressive plan to eliminate all mortgage debt within another three-year period.

WHAT STEPS DO I TAKE?

We’re excited to take this journey together because we believe that the best life is the one that we do together. We would love for YOU to join us on this journey by doing three specific things:


  1. SEEK:  Seek God’s heart for how He’s asking you to partner with us on this journey.
  2. LISTEN:  Listen to what God  tells you about the steps He would have you take in your relationship with Him.
  3. OBEY:  Actually take that step of faith and do what God has put on your heart to do.

BOLD PRAYER

More than money, more than materials, this project needs prayer. The only way it will work is for us all to remain dependent on God to deliver; and we know God can do way more with our money than we could ever imagine to do with it ourselves. So then, why not just start with God? Will you pray every day for God’s direction and help in this? Pray that, in the end, we will have grown to be more like Jesus. If that happens, it’s all worth it.


CREATIVE GIVING

Want to be involved but not sure how? Here are some creative ways to help allocate or free up resources so you can be all in…


  • DECREASE:

    Are there things in your life you can do less frequently? Maybe it’s fewer coffee runs or taking lunch from home. By decreasing a weekly expense, you can save a significant amount to contribute.

  • DELAY:

    Are there plans you might be making that involve a financial commitment? If so, prayerfully ask God about delaying those plans and using the extra income to contribute.

  • DO MORE:

    Often there are creative ways to save money. Maybe it’s been a while since you got a quote for an existing service. Perhaps you could do some extra comparison or bargain shopping to save funds. For your kids, it could be as easy as saving extra change to give.


  • REDIRECT:

    Maybe you have financial obligations that will be fulfilled during the project, like tuition payments, car loans, etc. You could redirect those funds after those obligations are fulfilled. Or perhaps you could dedicate a future raise or bonus.


  • DONATE:

    A great way to contribute is to give existing assets. Transferring existing assets such as stocks, bonds, artwork, real estate or land to the church may eliminate potential capital gains taxes and may increase after-tax proceeds. Please contact the church office for more guidance before committing an asset gift.

FAQs

  • What will be included in this project?
    We will construct a 900-seat auditorium and an atrium/foyer space that will house a Welcome Room and cafe with comfortable seating. The freed-up space in our current building will then be used entirely for kids and students. We’ll also add enough parking space to accommodate the increased number of guests on Sundays. 
  • How much are we looking to raise?
    We’re looking to raise more than $2.5 million over three years. 
  • When will the project be completed?
    We anticipate the construction being completed some time in 2021. 
  • Should I direct my regular giving to the project?
    No, your gift should be above and beyond your regular giving. Your regular giving supports the ongoing ministry and operations of Immanuel Church. Take time to prayerfully consider what gift God is asking you to give. 
  • How much should I give?
    That’s between you and God. Everyone’s gift will be different. Seek God and His heart for how He’s asking you to specifically partner with us on this journey. Listen to what He is saying to you about whatever step He would have you personally take in your relationship with Him. Obey Him in faith and do what He has put on your heart to do.  
  • Will my commitment be made public?
    No. Your individual commitment will remain completely confidential. 
  • Will I have an opportunity to revise my commitment?
    Yes. You may revise your commitment at any time, either up or down, by contacting the church office.
  • How will the money be used?
    All of the funds will go toward construction and decreasing the amount of money borrowed. 
  • How can I give?
    You can give in a variety of ways. This includes with a check made out to Immanuel Church, online through our website, our app and text-to-give. If you have any questions about how to utilize these tools, please contact our office and someone will be happy to walk you through it step by step.  
  • Is there a way for me to give non-cash gifts?
    Yes, we are more than willing to accept gifts of stocks, investments, personal property and more. 
  • Do I give everything at once or over time?
    You may give your gift weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually or all at once – whatever works best for you.  
  • Where can I get more information about this project?
    We will provide quarterly updates to the congregation and you can visit our website at weareallin.info.