Proverbs 27:17

Proverbs 27:17

Sunday, July 21, 2024

Campaign Update: Earthquake Restoration Match Progress

We've made great progress on our $5 million challenge match for earthquake repair.

National Cathedral Legacy Challenge
Exterior of Cathedral
 

Repaired, Restored, Resplendent

A national treasure and an emblem of our moral strength

Dear Friends, 

As we reflect on our recent Independence Day concert and look forward to the August anniversary of the 2011 earthquake, we remember the Cathedral’s role as a beacon of hope and moral leadership for our country. Founded as a “great church for national purposes,” this hand-built masterpiece of Gothic architecture houses and inspires the Cathedral’s worship life and programmatic offerings. 

While there have been moments when earthquake repairs were tiring, expensive, or seemed never-ending, we keep faith in our talented masons and engineers, in the plans we have prepared together, in the people who count on this Cathedral’s message, and, most of all, in the generosity of friends like you. 

We are thrilled to share that we have made significant progress toward a challenge match from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. and are more than halfway to our goal of $5 million. These gifts, combined with an outright $5 million grant and the additional, unlocked $5 million challenge match represent the full funding required to complete outstanding earthquake repairs, including the Central Tower, the crowning achievement of over a decade of craftsmanship and engineering. 

So far, those who have responded to the call of this challenge match include prominent foundations, members of our Legacy Society, leaders from our Chapter and Dean’s Council, and individuals across all giving levels who stepped forward with special contributions. There is still time to participate—every gift to preservation made by October 31, 2024 will be doubled. 

This great success would not be possible without your ongoing annual support and your dedicated support for our comprehensive campaign. In you we have found true partners who understand the connection between mission and place, that a whole and healed Cathedral structure is necessary for a whole and healed community of faith. 

Thank you for preserving and sustaining this place of inspiration and welcome.

In Faith, Jan+

The Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope, Provost

Image of Brianna Castelli

Our newest stone mason, Brianna Castelli, received a Historic Restoration award this month from the Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia for her work on the Second Bank of the United States. Read an interview with Brianna in the Spring/Summer issue of Cathedral Age magazine.

Image of Joe Alonso and Randy Hollerith

Longtime head stone mason Joe Alonso won this year’s Craftsmanship Award from the Washington Building Congress for his oversight of the Cathedral’s earthquake repairs, together with stone carvers Sean Callahan and Andy Uhl. More than 240 nominations were submitted across 10 categories. The Cathedral team was also awarded the Star Award for excellence in the face of adversity.

Hands Playing Organ

Organ Renovation

After 85 years of almost daily use, nearly a third of The Great Organ is unplayable. The only solution is a complete overhaul. A lead donor’s transformative gift has already inspired more generosity and a multi-year renovation is currently underway to restore the voice of the Cathedral.

Image of Jan Cope Preaching

Nave Audio Upgrades

The upgraded audio system will better convey music and spoken word, both in-person and online. To avoid making physical alterations to our historic buildingstrategic microphones, enhanced mixing capabilities, and additional speakers will be key to this upgrade. Learn why preserving our sound is a campaign priority.

Image of Group Tour

Day-to-Day Operations

In order to maintain all the ways the Cathedral servesGod and our neighbors, we will continue to rely on the generosity of donors at all levels to fund the day-to-day costs of our ministries long after the campaign ends. Cathedral for the Futurecampaign supporters are enriching and expanding core ministries.

3101 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20016

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