Becoming One Body Vision

Dear Church Family,

As I look around the buildings and grounds of our beautiful church home, I am continually amazed at the generosity of all those faithful folks who have given to Nativity for over 180 years. Each building is a testament to the generational growth of our church. Foundations were laid year upon year as Nativity grew in its witness to Jesus Christ. As this church grew, spaces were built for our children and youth. We also built much needed meeting rooms, classrooms, a nursery, and a choir room. These spaces were all created to accommodate a growing family of faith. And we are still growing!

However, the many stairs in these spaces also restrict our ability to gather together. Many members of our church family are unable to navigate all those stairs. That is why the priority of the One Body Campaign is to make every worship space, classroom, and meeting place accessible to all our members. This church family believes that…

“If one member suffers, all suffer together;

if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”

1 Corinthians 12:26

We are indeed One Body in Christ. However, Nativity’s inaccessibility presents a barrier to worship, congregational vitality, and community engagement. As Christians, we have been called to do all in our power to remove those barriers. And the Good News is that Nativity has the capacity, the will, and the love to fix all that – right now! We have an amazing opportunity to create a space where the kingdom values of dignity, respect, community, and joy swirl through our church like a mighty wind. It is time to make sure that our buildings align with our priorities.  

I am so excited to witness the transformation your gifts will bring. Not just to our buildings, but to this church family and the larger community. I truly believe that God has placed us all together in this moment and presented us with this opportunity. With God’s help, I have every confidence that we can do it! I cannot wait to rejoice on every floor of every building with every member of this One Body. It is time to “all rejoice together!”   

God’s Peace, 

Michael

A Growing Need: Making Our Space Accessible for All People

For over 180 years, The Episcopal Church of the Nativity has been a welcoming community of faith in downtown Huntsville. We do this by proclaiming the good news of the Gospel, by opening our arms to the community at large, and by committing ourselves to Christ’s mission in the world. Our facilities, built through the generous contributions of those who went before us, are critical to realizing our vision and mission. Today it is our turn to be good stewards of the future God intends in and through this place.

Our buildings, built in phases over the last 180 years, have served generations of children, youth, and adults. It has also become an essential gathering place for numerous community organizations seeking a warm and welcoming space. However, our buildings have many limitations that hinder accessibility and functionality. These limitations increasingly restrict our ability to serve the congregation and community effectively. The time has come to create a future where our church is transformed into a welcoming and accessible space, serving both our congregation and local partners. 

These changes will be designed with preservation and sustainability in mind and allow us to meet the needs of a diverse range of users, ensuring accessibility and fostering collaboration. The changes include two elevators to provide full access to all floors, additional restrooms, and upgrades to existing restrooms to meet ADA standards. Additionally, spaces that are not currently accessible will see the addition of ramps, walkways and storage solutions that will make them more user friendly. This will ensure that everyone can participate fully in all worship services, parish events and meetings.

Now is the time...

We are the current beneficiaries of past commitments by the saints of our church. Now is our opportunity to make gifts and pursue partnerships that ensure a thriving future at Nativity.

We look forward in joyful anticipation to completing this generation’s vital contribution to the future of our congregation and its faithful outreach to the Huntsville community.

Investing in the Future

The estimated cost of these improvements is $4.5 million. Through your generous gifts, we will make certain that Nativity will be welcoming and fully accessible for future generations. We are also exploring outside support including historic preservation and accessibility grants.

Becoming One Body