Hope Rising Update #50 & Campaign Victory

Dear Friends,
 

I want to start off with a special message from the All Angels Campaign Co-Chairs: 

"As of May 23, we have raised almost $2,355,595 and gathered 213 angel households. This includes $132,000 that was carried over from 2022 as part of the original hurricane relief fund.  Thanks to each of you, the light and love of Christ will shine on at St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church for us, our community and for generations to come. What a spiritual legacy we have co- created and will share for all of eternity. None of us would have been able to return to St. Michael’s if all of us had not come together. Together, we all are returning to our shared spiritual home: a home we are now all vested in as one family. While the storm may have forced us to scatter and be displaced, God and the members of St. Michael’s have used this experience for good. We are more united and more grateful than ever to one another and God for this renewed opportunity “to be Jesus”. We might appear to be a tiny little church on Sanibel, but we are mighty and together we raised over $2 million in just 22 days.
 
We have clearly reached Goal #1 of hitting the $2 million mark. What about Goal #2 of reaching all angels? Since the 213 households that have participated in this campaign is 33 more household families than pledged in last year’s stewardship campaign, we believe we have achieved Goal #2 as well. So we are declaring victory. But if there are angels out there who have not gotten on board yet, we want you to know that even though we have taken off, the boarding door for this 3 year campaign remains open and many important needs remain.  So if it is in your heart to help, know we are deeply grateful for each and every angel. Thank you! Hallelujah! Rejoice!"
Ralph Clark and Linda Linsmayer, Co- Chairs on behalf of the All Angels Campaign Committee
 
It is indeed a time to rejoice and give thanks for all who have contributed in such an amazing way to restore our island home. My thanks and gratitude for every angel.  There is so much activity going on at 2304 Periwinkle with a large construction crew of dedicated men and women, engineers and inspectors all working very hard on our behalf. I implore you to please not drive through the property and not try to enter any of the buildings. It is an active construction site and they need to follow safety protocols. Their workers are wearing hard hats, protective footgear and they are experienced in moving around in a construction zone. Every time they need to stop to speak to someone who comes onto the property, it slows down their work. They are putting up Danger- Construction Zone Keep Out signs and I ask that everyone please obey them. We will be sharing many photos and videos of each step of the restoration process and it will be a glorious day when we can all walk in the doors. 
 
In yet another step of our return home, we are having all church mail delivered to our Sanibel address starting June 1. A mailbox is being installed outside the Gathering Place and our PO Box will be closed as of June 1. Please send all church mail to St. Michael & All Angels 2304 Periwinkle Way, Sanibel, FL 33957. 
 
Peace, 
Bill+

More Angels are Arriving Daily Making Us Closer & Closer to Our Spiritual Goal of ALL Angels Participation

Together we are accomplishing what none of us could do alone. We have exceeded our $2 million goal for the restoration of our structures and each day angels are delivering financial gifts that will help us replace additional things we need to function fully when we move back home.
 
Your continued support will go toward non-structural items like a bus, outfitting the kitchen and other rooms, landscaping, music and musical instruments, etc.

Thanks be to God. Thanks be to ALL angels.

All Angels Flight Tracker Dashboard as of 5/23

## Angel Households Participating: 213

$$ Raised: $2,222,795

$$ To Reach Structural Goal:  0

$$ Desired to Be Fully Whole*: TBD

* The $2M All Angels Campaign goal covers the gap to restore our structures. Additional funds, should they be available, would be to replace contents like cabinets, landscaping, etc.