Smithfield United Church of Christ is more than a building. It is a Church that wants to help all believers experience Jesus Christ's love and reconciliation, individually and communally. It is a congregation committed to inclusion, community, free conscience, and hope: hope in the confidence that Christ has a true purpose for each life. The wall of Jericho symbolizes the structural and safety barriers that we will "pull down" to ensure that all who enter here have full access to and complete safety in every aspect of our worship, learning, fellowship, and service to the community.

The overall cost of the planning and design work necessary before actual restoration and renovation can begin is $375,000. Area foundations have already committed $240,000 toward this cost.

As a congregation, we have committed ourselves to raising the remaining $135,000.

There are three ways you can help meet this goal. We seek your donations and your pledges, understanding that these may well be sacrificial as you give in addition to your support of the church's annual budget. We invite the gift of your time and talents for special fundraising events and JERICHO-related committee work. We ask always for your prayers.

April 2008 through December 2009: This 20-month period is the time frame within which we anticipate receiving donations and pledges for JERICHO. We encourage you to give at your own pace. You may wish to give a one-time contribution or several contributions as you are able. You may choose to contribute weekly or monthly. You'll find a useful table of periodic giving on the next page.

We've constructed a wall of 135 "bricks" in the church sanctuary, representing the wall of Jericho and the $135,000 we need to raise. As each $1,000 total is pledged or received - either as a single donation or a combination of donations totaling $1,000 - a brick will be removed. All those who contribute to tearing down Jericho's wall will receive a thank-you gift commemorating their participation and will, if they so wish, be recognized publicly as donors.

Your questions and ideas are welcomed!

David Anderson     412-443-7261     davidganderson2@aol.com
Donn Neal               412-456-2233     donnneal@yahoo.com
Diane Rigney          734-695-3747     DianeRigney@eaton.com

Thank you and may God richly bless you,

Next Steps: ACCESS - Project JERICHO Team
David Anderson, Donn Neal, Diane Rigney
April 2008

Where we are as of May 11, 2008

What you can do

If you weren't in church Sunday, April 21, for the pubic launching of Project JERICHO, you might like to read this essay, Keeping Faith with Our Forbears and Our Heirs, which was included in that day's bulletin.

To contribute your time and talents, you can

• help organize and run a JERICHO fundraising event
• conduct a fundraiser of your own (a garage or bake sale, an auction party, etc.)
• help the Project JERICHO team with its responsibilities
• organize a group of friends or family members to contribute toward a single brick

To contribute monetarily, you can

• place in the offering plate
1. a check clearly marked "for Jericho" in the memo line
2. a cash gift in a designated Jericho envelope
• mail to the church a check clearly marked "for Jericho"
• contribute stocks, bonds, or other securities
• assign trusts or arrange for other contribution options

Examples of 20-month gift intentions toward the $135,000 goal
(Pledged payments can be scheduled beyond December 2009.)

Pledge envelopes are available through the church office and from Next Steps committee members.




  – through you and me!