St. Andrew’s Anglican Church in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, has long been a vibrant spiritual home to more than 2,000 congregants. Known for its dynamic worship, deep community engagement, and thriving ministries, the church had already planned a capital campaign, Imagine 2040, to build a new three-story educational building that would serve its growing membership and community programs.
Then, disaster struck.
A catastrophic fire destroyed the church’s ministry center. In an instant, the scope of the campaign changed dramatically. St. Andrew’s now faced the urgent need to rebuild both its worship space and educational facilities—all while maintaining its forward-looking vision for future growth.
Amidst this crisis, St. Andrew’s remained committed to thoughtful planning and widespread congregational engagement, continuing its partnership with the Winkler Group to guide the campaign through this unexpected pivot.
The Campaign: Responding Boldly Through Community Engagement
Fortunately, the foundation for campaign success had already been laid. Prior to the fire, the church had engaged in a robust campaign study that included, one-on-one interviews with key members, small group discussions, and a church-wide survey with more than 3,000 participants.
This early engagement ensured that the congregation was already invested in the campaign’s priorities, and ready to respond in a time of crisis.
We worked alongside church leaders to quickly revise campaign messaging and strategy. Together, we helped the congregation understand how the rebuilding effort was not just about replacing what was lost—but about creating a stronger, more resilient church campus to serve future generations.
Throughout the campaign, we emphasized transparency, gratitude, and prayerful discernment, keeping the focus on St. Andrew’s mission and long-term vision.
