For those who read my column last week, suffice it to say that it really was a good thing that I wasn’t holding my breath on the lighting project. We finally did receive a lift but not until much later than expected. And then the fun really started. All of the clerestory stained glass windows that circumvent the upper level of the church have lig
ht fixtures at their base. As part of the scope of work, all of these fixtures had to be replaced. Once the electrician reached the window level and was ready to work, he found that the installation of the original fixtures was very poorly done and each fixture housing had to be completely retro-fitted (properly) with new fixtures. In order to access the wooden girders above the altar, we then had to remove several rows of pews to navigate the turn at the end of the main aisle. We are now working around Masses to attempt to complete the project. When that will be I will not venture a guess. I am sure there are more obstacles waiting to be discovered. Thanks again for your patience while we complete the lighting installation.
When the Ladies of Charity initially told me of their plans for a bike drive, I was ecstatic. After hearing their goal was 200 bikes, I thought (to myself) that the goal was simply unattainable. I am glad that I did not verbalize my thoughts as it looks as though we may actually reach the goal. This past week, we made our second trip to Immokalee to unload a full truck of bicycles. The truck was so full for the second trip that there were at least another 10 bikes that would not fit on that load. Many of you heeded my advice as several of the bikes that were dropped off this past week included a lock. My thanks to all of our parishioners for your continued generosity! Christmas is going to very special this year for many deserving individuals in Immokalee.
Please see the letter of thanks from Fr. Dennis Farrall, Pastor of Resurrection Roman Catholic Church in Gerritsen Beach, NY (page 6). Resurrection parish was the recipient of our Hurricane Sandy collection. Thanks to our parishioners for making a difference in the lives of those in New York and beyond.
After numerous requests over the past several years, we are now in the process of bidding out the installation of a “Loop System” for the hearing impaired. Initially this was thought to be cost prohibitive due to the installation of extensive cable throughout the church. There is now wireless technology which may solve our problems. A “Loop System” magnetically transmits sound to hearing aids and cochlear implants. Here is a brief overview of how it works: Audio induction loop systems, also called audio-frequency induction loops (AFILs) or hearing loops, are an aid for the hard of hearing. They are a loop of cable (wireless in our case) around a designated area, usually a room or a building, which generates a magnetic field picked up by a hearing aid. The loops carry baseband audio-frequency currents; no carrier signal is used. The benefit is that it allows the sound source of interest —whether a musical performance or a ticket taker’s side of the conversation — to be transmitted to the hearing-impaired listener clearly and free of other distracting noise in the environment. Typical installation sites would include concert halls, auditoriums, places of worship and homes. I will keep you updated on the progress of this exciting future development.
As of this past Wednesday, we are only $23,658.00 short of our goal with two weeks to go. As a point of interest, this is nearly the exact amount by which we fell short of our goal last year. I may be getting excited prematurely, but I really feel that we are going to meet with success this year. Remember that the CFA is the single most important component of our annual operating budget. As a reminder to our seasonal residents and visitors, please make your check payable to the Catholic Faith Appeal with St. John the Evangelist in the memo line. You may also make electronic contributions by visiting the Diocese of Venice website at www.dioceseofvenice.org. In addition, you may also make contributions of stock by contacting Deborah Shafer in the Diocese of Venice development office at 941.484.9543. Thank you for your continued support of the Catholic Faith Appeal.
Time is running out! For those who may have missed my recent comments, the price for space in the Memorial Garden will increase on January 1. The current price of $1,200.00 will increase to $1,500.00. If you would like to secure pricing before the increase, please contact me at 566.1678 before the end of the year.
In His work together,
Scott Schlossberg, MBA
General Manager