AUG 22, 2021: St. Martin’s, Houston, celebrated the culmination of their $66 million “Building for the Ages” campaign with a weekend of blessings, fireworks, and fellowship. Included in the ambitious building projects are several new and renovated buildings, gardens, and stained-glass pieces. The Honorable James A. Baker, III, honorary co-chair of the Campaign Committee, remarked that the successful campaign means that St. Martin’s is “better positioned to share the light and the love of the Gospel with a wider audience.”
The weekend’s festivities kicked off on Saturday with a parish picnic and fireworks, and continued on Sunday with a service for the dedication and consecration of the new Parish Life Center, Children’s Life Center, and Crosswalk Garden.
The Parish Life Center provides a large, flexible worship space for younger parishioners and younger family worship, fellowship, and education.
The Children’s Life Center includes nurseries for infants and toddlers, Sunday School rooms for children in kindergarten through 5th grade, and small activity and performance pods.
The Crosswalk Garden provides a safe outdoor play space connecting the Parish and Children’s Life Centers.
At a later celebratory service on Sunday, the Right Rev. Don. A. Wimberly blessed the recently completed construction projects, including: Christ Chapel, the Pastoral Care Center, The Music Center, the Chapel Reception Hall, the Bride’s Parlor, the Payne Administration and Outreach Centers, the Parish Life Center, the Children’s Life Center, St. Martin’s Preschool, the Welcome Center, the Gift Shoppe, St. Martin’s Library, the Christus Garden, the Crosswalk Garden, the Peace Garden, the Pastoral Garden, the Chapel Reception Garden, the Nativity Garden, the Church Plaza, and the Maintenance and Central Plant; and all the stained glass windows, carvings, fountains, walkways, trees, furniture, and landscaping that adorn and beautify these areas.
At the campaign’s outset, the late President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Pierce Bush, Honorary Co-Chairs, voiced their support: “Barbara and I have reviewed the expansive vision of the Master Plan for St. Martin’s buildings and grounds. Clearly, the Parish leadership and those who have worked so hard on this plan for the last two years have not only created a vision to serve the needs of our growing Church, but also taken into consideration the generations to come. We are pleased to support this plan and celebrate with you that our fellow members of St. Martin’s have once again looked with boldness into the future.”
The “Building for the Ages” campaign title was chosen not only to indicate an enduring legacy, but also the intention to create a campus for members of all ages. Now that construction is complete, it is evident that the bold campus vision will serve St. Martin’s growing community well, for ages to come.
Read a detailed summary of the project in a recent Houston Chronicle article here.
