For nearly 150 years, The Ministry of St. John Lutheran in Seward, Nebraska, has planted the seeds of God’s Word through worship, education and service. But as the congregation looked toward the future, its aging facilities made it increasingly difficult to support that mission.
The primary school building, constructed in 1929, no longer met the needs of modern education, accessibility, safety or St. John’s growing youth ministry. Rather than allowing outdated facilities to limit its ministry, the congregation asked an important question: Would this generation step forward to prepare St. John for the future?
The answer was a resounding yes.
St. John launched its Rooted in Faith, Growing for the Future capital campaign with a $6 million goal. The vision included replacing the 1929 school building with a new three-story, 35,000-square-foot facility featuring classrooms, youth ministry space, and improved accessibility and security. It also included constructing a new gymnasium and expanding existing ministry spaces.
Before launching the campaign, St. John partnered with Fellowship Development to evaluate its readiness and build a strategy for success. That partnership gave church leaders a structured process for communicating the vision, recruiting campaign leadership and engaging donors.
Pastor Scott Bruick said Fellowship Development’s involvement was instrumental in helping the congregation move forward.
“From the beginning of the campaign, the Fellowship Development team came alongside us with wisdom, encouragement, organization and proven strategies,” Pastor Bruick said.
According to Pastor Bruick, the campaign manager worked closely with church leaders to recruit a strong leadership team and dedicated campaign committee, while a graphic designer created campaign materials that communicated the vision and inspired donors.
That combination of professional expertise and congregational ownership proved powerful. The campaign became more than an effort to raise money for buildings. It became an opportunity for members to invest in the future of Christ-centered education and youth ministry.
“We decided to commit to this together and, in a true partnership, we not only met the high-end project goal provided by Fellowship Development but surpassed it,” said Pastor Bruick.
St. John ultimately raised $8.2 million, 137% of the $6 million goal.
For the pastor, the result demonstrated the importance of having the right partner and process in place.
“I have said this more than once: We could not have done this campaign on our own,” Pastor Bruick said. “Fellowship Development provided the expertise and support that made the difference to our staff, lay leaders and donors.”
The campaign’s success was rooted in a shared commitment to St. John’s mission. Fellowship Development helped provide the structure and strategy, but the congregation’s leaders and members ultimately carried the vision forward.
The results will extend far beyond the campaign itself. The new and improved facilities will create spaces where students can learn, young people can find community, families can gather and teachers can provide an excellent, Christ-centered education. The campaign represents a commitment to both St. John’s heritage and its future, remaining rooted in the faith that has sustained the church community while creating spaces that will serve generations to come.
