From the Rector: Imagine Incarnation, Phase 2

Dear friends,

Last fall, many of us participated in the first phase of our Imagine Incarnation process. Together we reflected on the 150-year history of our campus, our understanding of our mission, and our hopes and dreams for the future of our buildings and grounds. It was an exciting and Spirit-filled set of conversations. Some of our participants reflected:

• “The Spirit is moving and working in connecting us and bringing our visions together.”
• “There are more options that people are thinking of than I originally thought—and more of an open process than anticipated.”
• “I learned a lot about the history and the commitment others have shown through the generations.”
• “There's a spirit of conversation, listening, and common purpose.”

You can see the lists of themes that came out of Phase 1, together with a complete report, on our website here. You might also like to check out our Frequently Asked Questions from Phase 1.

So—what’s next? Our Property Development Task Force has been working this spring to help us answer that question. With the vestry’s approval, the Task Force interviewed three planning firms. Each firm was carefully vetted and recommended by our consultant Jim Heid, a landscape architect who previously helped us plan Phase 1. I’m happy to share that after prayerful deliberation, the Task Force has selected Siegel & Strain Architects to help us develop a generational campus plan for Incarnation.

Siegel & Strain are very experienced in doing campus planning with faith-based and other nonprofit clients. They excel at developing participatory processes that invite many stakeholders to share their vision. Building directly on the work we did in Phase 1, Siegel & Strain will help us explore the possibilities and trade-offs of various alternative scenarios for our campus.

Phase 2 of Imagine Incarnation will start this fall and last through next spring. It will likely include another series of three or four congregational workshops. In some ways these may feel a bit like the ones we did in Phase 1. The difference is that this phase will get more specific about actually developing design options for the future of our campus. There will be interactive exercises and opportunities to play together with different elements like green space, buildings, parking, and so on. The goal will be to develop a generational plan that represents our best vision for the future of our buildings and grounds over the next several decades and can be endorsed by our vestry as a roadmap for the years ahead.

We should be able to get dates on the calendar for these Phase 2 workshops soon. I hope as many of us as possible will plan to participate. The Spirit works powerfully when we gather in community. I’m eager to discover how we will hear God calling to us as we seek to serve God’s mission in this corner of downtown Santa Rosa in the years ahead.

In Christ’s love,

Stephen