From supporting women in ministry to the LGBTQ+ community to establishing a food and clothing bank, Woodland Christian Church in Lexington, KY has a long legacy of outreach. Many of the people using these services have found refuge, comfort, and hospitality in Woodland’s place of worship, which dates to 1922.
But by 2019, it was beginning to show its wear and tear.
With our capital fundraising campaign (CFC) guidance, the community of faith is restoring and modernizing its sanctuary as well as continuing its dedication to service through a partnership that supports affordable housing for older adults.
Woodland is born
In May 1908, more than 100 people gathered in the east side of the city at Woodland Park to hear renowned evangelist Charles Reign Scoville preach. All 106 of those people would become charter members of the congregation. In the fall of that year, the original frame structure of the building was dedicated across the street from the park.
Almost seven decades later, the faith community purchased the Prather property, a lot next door that included a house from the 1870s. While the house was beyond saving and had to be demolished in 1987, the land was preserved and became the site of community gatherings, including the Woodland Christian Church Art Fair, and later, the Kentucky Art Market, the church’s largest fundraiser.
Indeed, support of the arts is another part of the faith community’s legacy. From 1987-1988 and 1990-1998, it hosted Concerts to End Hunger—benefit concerts that raised funds to address food insecurity. Today, it continues to support the Woodland Art Fair.
A groundbreaking partnership
By the year the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Woodland was experiencing significant structural, decorative, and foundational issues with its building.
“There was so much deferred maintenance that the historic sanctuary had plaster that was falling from the ceiling,” explains Interim Pastor Rev. David Shirey. “The congregation was worshiping in the fellowship hall, which is down in the lower level of the structure.”
The people of Woodland eventually had to gather at a building in a business plaza on the north side of Lexington.
In 2021, an architectural firm conducted a building assessment and confirmed that Woodland’s facility required serious renovations. While the church housed up to 500 people back at its heyday in 1956, worship attendance had decreased down to 55 folks, with 30 active members. The building was just too large for the size of the congregation at the time and repairs would cost US $1 million.
“We needed to decide how to go about updating our building. It started with discernment circles that met for several months to discuss what our possibilities might be. It would cost about a million dollars just to bring the building up to code, but there was so much more that we wanted to do,” shares Board member Vicki Vaughn. “We wanted to be a part of the community and be able to reach out to neighborhoods as well as nonprofits in the city and county. We wanted to be a church that was welcoming to all people. The decision was made to keep the building and see if there was some organization that we could partner with to create something new.”
In 2023, Woodland’s Senior Minister, Rev. Christy Jo Harber, shared with our Senior Director of Services Rev. Richard Williams—whom she had met at that year’s 2023 General Assembly—that the partner was Winterwood Inc., a property management company that provides safe and affordable housing. Its Vice President, Zach Worsham, had approached her about a deal wherein his company would renovate parts of the church in exchange for a land lease of its vacant adjacent lot. At the time, Winterwood was in the early stages of gathering city approval to build 38 units of housing for older adults who make less than 60% of the area median income. It hoped to have the $9 million project fully subsidized from the local affordable housing office and the Kentucky Housing Authority, a historical preservation organization. If there was a funding gap, there would be a need to partner with a lending organization.
That’s where we came in.
In the spring of 2024, Woodland’s Board decided to move forward with our team on a CFC to cover costs that would fall outside the scope of their project. That summer, Rev. Williams lined out for Rev. Harber all the steps needed to prepare for the capital campaign, including choosing lay leaders and members for the various campaign teams. He also emphasized the importance of strong media, such as social media and video content. In the fall, Rev. Williams met with the campaign teams.
“I remember thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, I don’t know how in the world we can raise this kind of money,’ but Richard was very helpful. He made it clear to us that praying, planning, and putting the word out were extremely important. He asked our small group a lot of questions, including if we knew why people gave to organizations. Richard said that while there’s lots of reasons, the number one is that they’re asked,” recalls Vicki, who also works with the property committee. “It’s worked out very well for us as far as raising funds, awareness, and our position with local residents as well as developing our philosophy of communication and connection.”
Supporting Woodland’s future
In January 2025, the faith community launched its CFC, Deep Roots, New Growth. Its aim is to transform the sanctuary into a dual-purpose venue—a center for worship and a state-of-the-art performing arts space. With up-to-date lighting, sound, and video technology, the sanctuary can become a hub for artists, audiences, and community groups. Woodland also hopes that with the money raised through Deep Roots, New Growth, it can furnish modernized ministry spaces to improve its relationships in and among the neighborhood. With the CFC ongoing, the congregation was able to return to worshiping in its sanctuary on Easter Sunday of this year—a true resurrection story.
As for the affordable housing development, which became known as The Oaks at Woodland, construction was completed in January. Thirty one-bedroom, ADA compliant apartments are housed in a new facility next door and the remaining eight have taken the place of former classrooms and the nursery in the church. All units are occupied and are so popular that a wait list has been created.
New life in the church and community
Today, Woodland’s worship attendance has nearly doubled, and its staff consults with congregations on how to faithfully utilize their unused facilities.
“This is a congregation that is able to continue and deepen the commitment that began well over a century ago,” concludes Rev. Shirey. “It’s living out the mission that’s in its DNA and it’s a very exciting thing to see.”
Whatever reason you have to raise money, Disciples Church Extension Fund will help you identify the project, vision, and communication plan. Contact us to get started.