Part 2: Giving God Room

The Giving God Room campaign, launched in 2001, made today’s Central Campus a reality. Though the $17 million raised over the course of three years was a sacrificial feat, to say the least, CSC’s congregation came together because they understood the need behind it. Simply put, God needed more room to grow. “We were growing, we were seeing the movement of God we never dreamt possible… but at the end of the day, God was not done!” remembered Matt Schorr, CSC’s Family Ministry Pastor, remembering how they were still bursting at the seams at five services. “We knew we could sustain this but not much longer. But at the end of the day, if God is not done — who are we to close the door? We decided, we’re going to trust God and move forward and give God more room to grow.”

Kurt and Gail Boldt, long-time members of CSC, remember how the church came together to support the vision for Central Campus and the campaign. “There was unity on Giving God Room,” Gail recalled. “There was good evidence that what we were doing was something God wanted us to do.”

“The evidence was people’s lives had been changed,” added Kurt. “We had made more room for people to come in the earlier expansion, and more people came and more lives were being transformed.”

And so, a campaign began to Give God even more room.

Raylene Scarrott, Worship Ministry volunteer and award winning Christian music artist, remembers the excitement of participating in the Giving God Room campaign. “We just knew we had to build and God was using us to be a part of something much bigger than ourselves” Raylene recalls. “It was a blessing to see the diverse and unique ways each of us discovered, in our hearts and in our lives, how we could give sacrificially. The Holy Spirit was so present with us in that journey; there was no question in our minds whether we were going to support that campaign. The question was how, and He led us through that journey.”

Throughout the construction of Central Campus, CSC’s leadership team and building committee felt God’s calling to ensure that the building included “purpose-built space” (space built with a missional purpose). CSC believes buildings can empower people to serve God, each other and the surrounding world. Buildings provide a visual signal of the church’s presence in the community where people can come and find help, meaning and belonging. And that’s exactly what Central Campus does.

One such example of purpose-built space is the room used by our Special Needs Ministry. Jodi Graff, CSC’s first Special Needs Ministry Pastor and a member of the Central Campus building committee, says she insisted on making sure that the environment was as conducive as possible to individuals with special needs: “We made sure there was a ceiling with full spectrum lighting that mimics natural lighting (it helps so children don’t have seizures), non-irritant carpet, a bathroom with an adult change table built into it, natural light from outside, windows, reserved handicap parking stalls right outside the room…they did everything they could to make this room ideal. The thoughtfulness and support we had in that facility was incredible.”

Brenton Cox, who also served on the building committee during the construction of Central Campus, has seen this purpose-built space in action throughout the years. “It wasn’t because of the building that people came, but it was a tool that God was able to use to minister and reach out to people, and that people could feel comfortable inviting their friends to. The building was also designed to be used for community outreach. For example, during the Calgary floods in 2013, the City of Calgary set up a command centre at Central Campus. It’s also been used as a polling station for elections, and for high school graduations,” he said.

But all of this wouldn’t exist or be possible without those who quietly, faithfully, cheerfully and obediently contributed their time, talents and treasures to God’s kingdom.

When Central Campus was being built, Gerry Luft saved CSC tens of thousands of dollars by donating his entrepreneurial talents. In addition to running his full-time business, he acted as Building Superintendent, lining up electricians and plumbers, drywallers and painters, tilers and carpet-layers to do the required job at the required time.

Shortly after Central Campus was built, Eve Wollin saw the opportunity to add a little bit of beauty and colour to the new building. She began by hanging things from the ceiling in the Children’s Ministry area and placing flowers on the tables in the café. She now decorates for functions large and small. But she doesn’t do it to be noticed; she considers arranging flowers and creating beauty to be an act of worship — portraying a little of the creativity, love and beauty which God demonstrated when He created the world.

By March 2004, the generosity of time, talent and treasure, combined with God’s faithfulness led to the completion Central Campus. By December 2005, its indebtedness was paid in full.

The Era of Generosity

Through the sacrificial generosity of our congregation, the Giving God Room campaign set CSC’s “Era of Generosity” in motion. It’s an era that continues today. Generosity isn’t just measured in treasure and the dollars raised to fund buildings. For people like you and me, it’s also measured in the time, energy and courage we need to share Jesus in the places we live, work and play.

Since we moved into our new home in Central Campus, we have grown from a little over 3K people to just before construction, to an average weekly attendance of over 7,500 people participating in our worship services across five campuses.

Today, Children’s Ministry is bursting at the seams, particularly in the 2-year old and 4-year old age categories. CSC has had to develop interim space solutions by repurposing space in the chapel and galleria areas where families once gathered with babies and children that either had been turned away from Children’s Ministry due to lack of space or were not yet ready/able to be dropped off. Those spaces are now being used for Children’s Ministry while families meet in various locations throughout the atrium.

Additionally, the Special Needs Ministry environments are overflowing on Sundays. These are just a few of the physical space examples of why CSC seeks to Build more room for God today.

Other reasons include the need for missional space and the fact that CSC’s ministry dynamic has shifted since the construction of Central Campus. Not only did we become a multisite church with five campuses across Calgary and Airdrie, but we also launched new ministries to serve marginalized communities such as new Canadians, refugees and people in need. This is the embodiment of the Era of Generosity.

As a result, we are once again experiencing those familiar growing pains. By 2021, we have faith God will provide the funds for the construction of a permanent Northwest Campus and an expansion of our Central Campus, through our “BUILD more room for God” campaign.

“In this season of our growth, it isn’t just about the size of the crowd, but the size of the impact we’re having in our city and around the world. God is calling us to bring the church into the community to reach the community,” said Pastor Henry Schorr in a letter to the congregation.

Will you join with us in bringing Christ to our communities, to the places we live work and play? Will you journey with us as we once again build more room for God?

(With files from Elsa Henderson’s Stones of Remembrance)