Future Vision - Eugene First Church of the Nazarene

"Can You Imagine" Video

"Looks Like God's Gonna Have HIS Way After All" Video

 Check out the Panoramics too...

OUR CALLING

It all started with a vision more than 75 years ago.  In the midst of The Great Depression, a small band of Christian believers felt the call of God on their hearts to begin a Church of the Nazarene in downtown Eugene.  Their passion for God and their commitment to Christ Jesus enabled them to reach out to their friends, which resulted in growing from 10 charter members to over 100 people in 10 years.  With great faith and sacrifice, they built a 220-seat Sanctuary in 1935.  By 1950, they had grown to 300 in attendance and built their 2nd Sanctuary, which we worship in today.  Only Heaven will tell the full story of the thousands of lives that have been transformed by the power of God because that small group of believers answered the call.

Today the call is ours.  Proverbs 29:18 says, “without a vision the people perish.”  The implication is that people with a vision flourish.  The 21st Century vision of Eugene First is really nothing more than God’s vision for His church.  Our call is to reach Eugene and the world for Christ.  Our passion is not new buildings, but lost souls.  The building is only a tool to enable us to reach more people for Christ’s Kingdom.

The question is, will we answer the call?  The answer is, “yes, Lord, yes,” we will answer the call.  It is my joy as your pastor to invite you to pray and simply ask God what He would have you to do.  Determine in your heart that you will answer His call with joy.  As we join our hearts and hands in the vision, God will honor our obedience and He will receive the glory.

May God bless us richly as we answer the call.

OUR NEED

God is at work at Eugene First Church of the Nazarene! 

Our church family is growing as we continue to build new relationships.  People are “under construction” here, discovering exciting ways to build new lives in Christ.  Such growth in numbers and in spirit is wonderful, but our growing family and opportunities have overtaken our ability to accommodate ministry.  While multiple morning services can presently accommodate our worship needs, other ministries  and fellowship are already severely limited by our current facilities.  We can no longer do what we need to do, or what God might call us to do with our present space. 

In the near future, we envision:

• A Worship Center that will seat 950, designed for great sound and comfort
• A Worship Center that can be transformed into a space for high-energy activities and fellowship
• A Lobby that will offer a warm welcome to first-time guests, as well as be large enough for relationship-building, and even host fellowship gatherings, conferences, and weddings
• A Children’s Department designed to ensure safety as our children interact with each other and learn about God’s great love for them
• A Youth Center where our teens will want to bring their friends to experience God in ways designed just for them
• Ample spaces for Adult Bible Study, Fellowship, and Ministries
• A Kitchen that will be more than adequate for our many fellowship opportunities
• Café that will provide an informal setting for Bible studies and fellowship
• A Two-Story Slide that can be seen from West 11th
• Adequate parking and storage

How can we meet such needs?  We need our people to grow along with our church.  We need our sense of commitment to grow along with our ministries.  We need each person to discover his or her own calling — his or her own part — within the greater calling of Eugene First Church of the Nazarene.  We need you and what only you can do.

OUR PLAN

On September 30, 2008, we paid $1,629,728.50 cash for land in West Eugene, part of the Greenhill Technology Park, bordered by West 11th Avenue.  With the help of the McKnight Group, we have developed plans for what we believe God is calling us to build on that land.  The outside view and floor plans pictured here, though in the beginning stages, give us a glimpse of what Eugene First Church of the Nazarene may look like in the near future.

Many of us have great memories of our time spent on the corner of 8th & Madison.  Our church family has gone through many transitions in downtown Eugene as we have sought to do the most good with the property God has blessed us with.  Many people have sacrificed so we can enjoy our church as it is today.  However, in recent years, it has become apparent that our present facilities are no longer sufficient for the ministry of this local church.   It is now our time to sacrifice for this church we know and love.

You’ve heard it said before that the church is not made up of bricks and mortar, but rather the hearts and souls of people.  The truth is, this new building is simply a tool.  We will use it;  we will benefit from it — but, it will bring God the most glory when we use it as a tool to share His Truth with people who have never heard it before. 

The area surrounding our property on West 11th is full of young families who desperately need the love of a Savior.  We have an opportunity to be in their backyard, to serve in their neighborhood.  We have the challenge of building a building that they will be drawn to and feel comfortable in.

Our plan is to build a building that will facilitate the building of relationships — with our church family, with others, with God.

OUR GOALS 

Our goal is to extend the ministries, witness, and outreach of Eugene First Church of the Nazarene.

Our goal is to provide facilities that meet the needs of our church family, both now and for the future.

Our goal is to look for God’s guidance and direction — seeking the ways in which God wants to work through each of us.

What is our Financial Challenge?

Individually, the challenge is for each of us to find the unique ways we can help to achieve our goal for Eugene First Church of the Nazarene.  For some it means a weekly or monthly offering beyond our current support.  For others it means gifting a tangible asset to the church (stocks, bonds, property, etc.).  For still others it means transforming time, talent, or ability into a financial gift to invest in the future of the church.

Together we want to raise $4 million to be used for God’s glory in West Eugene.

WHAT CAN I DO?

Pray Without Ceasing (I Thessalonians 5:17)

Seeking God’s will is the foundation for It’s All About Building Relationships.  Pray for our church, our people, and our ministries.  Pray that God will open the eyes of your heart to see HIS vision for YOU.

Get Involved (James 2:17 & 18)

See what is happening and what God is doing at Eugene First Church of the Nazarene.  Learn everything you can about our ministries, our vision, and our goals.  Seeking Christian fellowship and personal Bible study is central to deepening our relationships with Christ, which leads to faith-based action.

Share Your Faith (Matthew 17:20)

It’s All About Building Relationships because people matter to God.  As you interact with people in your daily lives, remember that they won’t love your Jesus until they love you.  Be a living example of God’s love for a lost world.  The truth is, we don’t need a new building for us — we need it for them.

Make A Prayerful Pledge Decision

(Deuteronomy 16:17)

Turn your prayers and faith into action.  Make a giving decision that honors God and that is right for you.  Faithfully and joyfully commit your sacrificial gift to God.

Pray

"Lord, what do you want to do through me as it relates to Your will for this church?"

It's All About Building Relationships

Our three-year Capital Stewardship Program, It’s All About Building Relationships, has begun to raise funds for our new building on West 11th.  This program encourages each person to prayerfully seek God’s will in his or her own life, and invites three-year pledges above and beyond regular giving to the church’s annual operating budget.  Our goal is to raise $4 million during our It’s All About Building Relationships program.  This, with a $2.5 to $3 million sale from our present facilities, would give us the potential to begin the initial phases of the building process within 2 to 3 years.  Only a sacrificial sense of giving can help to lay such a foundation for the future.  Gifts will always differ in proportion to each person’s resources, but we can share an equal sense of calling and sacrifice.  Together, with God’s grace working in God’s people, we can meet real costs with real commitments.  Together, led by God’s will, we can reach farther by faith than we ever dreamed possible.

Make a Difference

Most of us at our church today are worshiping and learning and growing in faith in facilities that we did not build.  We have been nurtured by the sacrifice of others. 

Now it is our time to make a difference. 

For most of us, this challenge is our time to make our mark, building faith at a church we love.  For some of us, this challenge is our time to leave our legacy of faith with a church we love.

No matter who you are and how long you have been a part of the Eugene First Church of the Nazarene family, there is a role for you to play in this program.  With your help, we can achieve our goal of reaching people in West Eugene and around the world for Christ.

Lord, what do You want to do through me as it relates to Your will for this church?