Continued Needs of Our Parish Family and Campus

Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve;
to give and not to count the cost,
to fight and not to heed the wounds,
to toil and not to seek for rest,
to labor and not to ask for reward,
save that of knowing that I do your will. – St. Ignatius of Loyola

While we are excited for the expansion of the capabilities of our Parish Family with the Pulte Family Life Center, and all the new programs we are establishing, part of our Build Our Future, Serve Our Past Capital Campaign illustrates a continued need.  With a 25-year old church, other aging facilities, and grounds that require new safety lighting and care, we have a significant need for renewal of our campus.  Our Capital Planning Committee, made up of leadership members of our Parish Family from the Finance Council, Pastoral Stewardship Council, and Buildings and Grounds Council, have identified the key and essential areas that we have to prioritize.

Not surprisingly, these needs are essential efforts that were already identified in our Capital Campaign, and so we have some of the resources allocated for their successful execution.  We continue to have the opportunity to receive your gifts as non-assessable by the Diocese through March of 2018, so every dollar you provide to the campaign will go to our efforts.  We wanted to communicate the top five priorities in case there is something that resonates with you, if you have not yet given:

1. Roof for the Church – At 25 years old, the church roof has outlived its lifespan. This essential renovation will include the new metal roof system for our campus, which not only lasts longer, requires less maintenance, and costs less, it will follow our new “look and feel” for Saint John to our most important building.
2. Roof for the Parish Activity Center – The newly renamed Parish Activity Center (formally known as the Parish Life Center, or PLC) had a flat roof replacement last year, which stopped several leaks and shored up the majority of the building’s spaces. However, there are several sections of the roof that are traditional peaked roof, and those should be replaced as soon as possible.
3. Ballroom Renovation – We have only received a small amount of funds via our campaign specifically to renovate the Ballroom. This heavily-used room is expansive and serves to support almost all the events of our Parish Family, from Big Band Dances to Vacation Bible School to Saint Patrick’s Day Celebrations.  Not only does it desperately need a face-lift, it requires a new dance floor to support the hundreds of dances that occur every year.
4. New Library – We have a specific new Library planned as part of the Capital Campaign. This comfortable and cozy location will be housed in the Claussen Center, where the old Youth Room has been.  By expanding the room on either side, and including physical book storage, electronic library services, small group discussion space, and cubbies for studying and tutoring, this location will support every level of learning for our Parish Family.
5. Parking Lots – We have a major renovation for our front parking lot which will increase the total amount of parking spots, as well as make it easier to enter and leave, but we still need to implement new lighting and surveillance systems that will ensure we have a safe place for all of us to park and enjoy the campus of Saint John. There are three parking lots that we will be renovating, so additional lighting for the middle and back lots needs to be addressed.

As we Build Our Future, Serve Our Past, we still need all the gifts, prayers, and support of our Parish Family to reach our Pinnacle Goals.  If you have any questions, please contact Joe Lichwalla, the Campaign Coordinator at 239-495-2001 or email: [email protected].