Dear Parish Family,
Thus far, 2018 has been a phenomenal year for St. John’s community! We realized the completion of construction of our new PARISH ACTIVITIES CENTER and gathered with Archbishop Lori for its dedication in January. The first major event to take place there was a youth and family event hosted by You’re Amazing ministries that attracted almost 600 people. Our children are enjoying physical education classes there as well as athletic events. We’ve hosted a women’s Coffee Connect and several receptions.
In addition, we have seen the completion of the new GOOD SHEPHERD ROOM in the Gathering Space that is made available for child care during the 9:15 & 11 AM Sunday masses and is also available to group meetings at other times. We have almost seen the completion of the renovation of the confessionals in church into RECONCILATION ROOMS that offer the option to go to confession either face-to-face or behind a screen, but also are spacious enough to accommodate those who may need a walker or wheel chair.
These things were all part of the first phase of the FULFILLING OUR VISION capital campaign which also supported the archdiocesan Embracing Our Mission campaign which provided support to parishes, schools, and service institutions in needs throughout the Archdiocese. As you know we have launched the second phase of our Fulfilling Our Vision campaign with the goal of advancing our parish plan. This phase has three main components:
- Retirement of the loan that we secured to complete the construction of the Parish Activities Center;
- Renovations to the church interior that will make our building more welcoming and accessible, through attention to such issues as:
- LIGHTING: the lightening of the ceiling and the installing of new hanging fixtures that use LED bulbs to allow worshippers to more fully participate in the liturgy by eliminating poorly lit areas;
- ACCESSIBILITY: a ramp for access into the sanctuary allowing access for anyone who uses a cane/walker/wheelchair and installation of new exterior doors;
- AUDIO-VISUAL: Enhanced sound system and the ability to transmit the liturgy over the internet as well as retractable screens to assist in participation in the liturgy;
- SIGHT LINES: improving the “view from the pew” to eliminate obstructions by scaling back the columns; having the pulpit and altar on the same level for better visibility; relocation of the baptismal font permanently into the sanctuary;
- HVAC: updating the heating and air-conditioning systems that are original to the building, dating to 1964 for better reliability as well as energy efficiency;
- AESTHETICS: enhancements to the altar area to include art the reflects our parish identity including a crucifixion scene (from a closed church) that depicts St. John at the foot of the cross; enhancements to altar, pulpit, and tabernacle areas; a sanctuary railing to make steps into and out of the sanctuary more obvious; new framing and lighting to the Stations of the Cross
- A facelift to the school auditorium as it eventually is decommissioned as a space used for athletics.
I wish to thank everyone who has responded by attending one of our information receptions in recent weeks. It has really been great spending time with you and sharing with you our plans. As I mentioned in those gatherings, our goal for this phase of the campaign is an ambitious $3.9 million. Our first 72 have yielded pledges of almost $700,000!
This weekend is COMMITMENT WEEKEND. All registered parish families should have already received a mailing this week. I am asking each parish household to join me in making a commitment to the second phase of the campaign to make our vision a reality, keeping a few things in mind:
- In this phase of the campaign, 100% of all monies raised will be used for our parish case statement exclusively.
- This phase of the campaign is a three-year campaign, although you can make pledges that extend beyond that time. Our hope is to raise the funds so that we can pay off the loan on the PAC and start work on the church as soon as possible.
- Not everyone can make an equal gift, but we can all make equal sacrifices. A pledge can be spread out over the entire three years. For those who are able, I ask that you prayerfully considering making an investment in the future of our community with a larger gift. For those who make feel a little overwhelmed, know that all gifts are gratefully received.
- This campaign is indeed an investment in the future of St. John’s and will fuel the impact that we can make for good in our local community. Just as those who came before us invested in the original constructions of a school, church, convent, and rectory – all of which are vibrant centers of activity today – so we, too, are making an investment in generations to come.
- If you made a gift to the first phase of the campaign, this phase’s gift will be cumulative, meaning that it will be added to your original gift and could advance you to the next giving league.
I have stated many times, and it bears repeating, that while I am so proud of the progress that we have made in recent years in our buildings and properties – thanks in no small part to our supporters, staff, and parish lay leadership – the most important thing that we do is to bring people into a relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church so that lives may be transformed, disciples formed, and our community benefit from the love of God evident in this parish.
This weekend, I ask you to be prepared to invest in the future of this Christian community by making a pledge to this next phase of the campaign, being as generous as you are able. And I thank you for all that you do to make this parish such a vibrant community of faith! You can download a letter of intent, if you so wish, by going to www.stjohnsp.org/capital-campaign, and bring it with you to church and place it in the collection or return it to the Parish Office.
I look forward to seeing you this weekend!
Your brother in the Lord,
Fr. Jim Proffitt, Pastor
Architect's rendering of potential improvements to the church interior.