Dear friends,
Along with Advent, Christmastide, and Epiphany, our year-end fund drive is upon us! But what exactly are we asking you to give toward?
First and foremost, The Oceanside Sanctuary is a church! Every Sunday, we worship together in a safe and inclusive community of faith that welcomes all people. But that is not all we do! Our weekly food pantry helps feed over 400 hungry neighbors every month. Our Justice Works ministry organizes people in our community for just policy changes. We teach our children and youth about the positive impact God’s love can have on the world’s most urgent problems. We teach classes on how to rightly read the Bible as a story of liberation, especially for women, people of color, LGBTQIA people, and other marginalized groups. We teach classes on spiritual growth and forgiveness and host groups that help people heal from religious wounds.
So much of this happens because of our amazing building! Built in 1928, our church has been a center of Jesus-inspired community service for nearly 100 years. During the Great Depression, Pastor Grandma Grace McDonald started a soup kitchen here to feed hungry neighbors. Over the years, we’ve operated after-school tutoring programs, dinners for unhoused neighbors, community clinics, and neighborhood action meetings. And our church is not only beautiful, it’s located in the heart of downtown Oceanside where there are so many needs in our community. And maybe the best part is that our building is paid for!
But as much as we love it, owning a 94-year-old building comes with BIG challenges like windows that need repair, an old broken furnace, and no air conditioning. But the biggest issue right now is that the last few rainstorms have revealed our roof is badly in need of repair. We aren’t quite ready to replace the whole roof yet — that project will cost over $120,000 — but we desperately need to repair several leaking areas that are causing damage inside. Those repairs are going to cost about $15,000. We need to make these repairs before they get worse and cause more significant problems down the road.
So this year, we are dreaming BIG and asking you to help us raise $35,000. This will provide the $20,000 we usually raise every December for our operating budget, plus an extra $15,000 to repair our roof.
$35,000 might sound like a big number, but together we can reach that goal!
Whether you can give $50, $500, or $5,000, your gift will make a big difference to help keep The Oceanside Sanctuary going strong as an inclusive, inspiring, and impactful Christianity for anyone who needs it.
Please take time to pray about what your household could give to help us reach this challenging goal. When you’re ready, please go to www.oceansidesanctuary.org/give to give securely online or send a check to PO Box 360, Oceanside, CA 92049.
Thank you so much for your support. We count it a tremendous honor to be ministers in this remarkable community of faith with each and every one of you.
Blessings,
Rev. Jason and Jenell Coker
Co-Ministers