Before everyone heads for the hills, the shore or wherever they go to escape the heat and enjoy the summer, here’s the current parish financial situation and our proposed summer parish projects.
Gathered In One Place’ Capital Campaign – GIOP-CC
Although the three-year remittance period for the GIOP-CC continues until this November 2009, total payments to the campaign have already surpassed our goal of $2 million dollars! May God bless all who have been so generous, even in these difficult economic times. The fundraising firm hired by the parish, Trinity Consultants, will be contacting all who have not fulfilled their pledge. PLEASE BE HONEST if your financial situation will not allow you to complete your intended payments; God will certainly bless all who tried and did their best to keep their word! By the end of the calendar year we need to close the special Building Fund account – so, if possible, please complete all GIOP-CC payments before November 2009. Here are the figures as of May 18, 2009:
Total Pledged To GIOP-CC: $ 2,202,325
Total Paid : $ 2,013,113 [91.4 % of all pledges]
Balance Due: $ 189,221
Average Pledge: $ 2,763
TD Bank Mortgage Loan: $ 2.6 million [currently at 6.25%]
Monthly Mortgage Payment: $ 17,295.56
Current Mortgage Balance: $ 2,547,569.28
Principal Paid To Date:: $ 52,009.30
Interest Paid To date: $ 214,448.23
The economic situation during the campaign and construction period [2006-2008] required us to alter our original plans by completing only what we could afford at the time without going into crippling debt; besides, the Diocese has granted us permission to borrow no more than $2.6 million dollars. Had we NOT ‘cut back’ and had completed the kitchen, the additional required set of bathrooms and social hall, and/or taken on a higher mortgage than permitted by the Diocese, the economic ‘crash’ of the past year would have put us in deep financial trouble. Thank God we did what we did – or, rather, did not do what we had hoped to do at the time! However, there is a silver lining on that dark cloud!
In the special building account we have over $300,000, of which $50,000 is owed to the builder; this money is being held until the project is completed. Besides some minor issues, we are contesting a drainage problem near the garbage pen which often ‘floods’ that area with a few inches of water: an icy problem in the winter! The rest of that money - a quarter million dollars - is earmarked for the completion of the kitchen; presently, we are seeking bids to make the new kitchen usable, utilizing whatever is salvageable in the present kitchen: stove/oven; refrigerators, etc. COMPLETING THE NEW KITCHEN IS OUR FIRST PRIORITY! In addition to completing the kitchen, which will enable us to conduct fundraising events, as well as more fully use our new facilities, we may be able to afford doing the following in the current budget:
* renovating the present kitchen and Reconciliation Room into a new sacristy
* renovating the present sacristy into a Reconciliation Room, storage closet and private
bathroom [a little known fact: there is a private toilet only, literally in the middle of the
mechanical room off the narthex, just behind the sacristy sink wall – not a pleasant site!
* renovate the present main church bathrooms [see below]
* purchase and install a new sound system for the church [see below]
Of course, your continued weekly support is essential to keep up with the regular expenses; and if those able to do so help us by continuing to also support the building project, we may be able to accomplish our goal – and then some!
The Joys of a Nineteen Year Old Building
The teenage years are also tough with buildings! Our original building: the church, narthex, kitchen and 2 bathrooms, was dedicated November 3, 1990, so it’s time to renovate; these restrooms not only look dated and grungy, they are becoming impossible to clean and costly to repair. But as they say, when it rains, it pours! Last year we replaced both compressors for the church a/c unit; this year already a less-costly fan over one compressor went! Perhaps you’ve noticed: our sound system is failing [at least I hope you’re listening!] The present sound system was not intended to feed the narthex with quality sound; nor was the narthex originally intended to be used for overflow except on major holidays. Now that it is ‘regular’ seating at almost every obligation Mass, we need a sound system to meet our present needs. The estimated cost of this new system, which the Diocese has given us permission to sign the contract for, the new system, will cost between $40,000 -$45,000! [You know what a sound system costs for your home; imagine what it costs for a quality church sound system!] For you techno-nuts: we’re replacing analog with digital; a higher quality, calibrated system that will eliminate ‘dead pockets’ in the church and the echo in the narthex; wireless mikes that are less vulnerable to interference, etc.
Back to the restrooms. I need not tell you what a problem our main bathrooms are; after most Masses, funerals and weddings, there’s a line-up for the bathroom - especially for the Ladies Room! From the hallway and narthex many can see – and hear – what is going on - which is quite disturbing during Mass! Here’s the planned solution: Close off the present bathroom doors and remove the water fountain; out of sight, out of mind! This will provide a streamlined hallway between the narthex and second addition, the office area. [Perhaps it will also help stave the ‘flow’ of kids to our watering-holes during Mass!] So we’ll gut the mostly unused coat closet to the left as you enter the narthex from the parking lot, and make it the foyer to the new restroom area, and place the water fountain there. By reconfiguring that whole area, we should be able to add one toilet for the guys - and two toilets for the gals!
Good Shepherd Adult Conference Room
The second addition to our complex, dedicated in 1996, originally housed the office area and had one large room dividable into four small meetings rooms by the use of folding walls. When the newest addition was finished, this area was reconfigured. The folding walls were moved into the new building; the large room was divided into three sections: the largest houses the Religious Formation offices; the middle room is the musician’s office, and the third room is being transformed into an adult conference room. When completed, it will have a formal boardroom table [donated], a library-type wall unit with a flat-screen TV and video equipment, and a dry kitchenette. Since this area was named the ‘Good Shepherd Parish Center’ by our founding pastor, we will call the adult conference room the Good Shepherd Adult Conference Room; an icon of the Good Shepherd already adorns the entranceway to this room.
Memorial Tree
On the Memorial Tree which will be ordered once the GIOP-CC is completed, those who fulfilled their pledge for which a particular item was promised: i.e., classroom cross, etc., will have their name and/or requested ‘memoriam’ inscribed on a leaf, stem or branch. NOTE: this Memorial Tree will only record the names of those who donated to a specific memorial gift plan and/or fulfilled a particular pledge for particular gift. The names of ALL those who donated any amount to the GIOP-CC will be inscribed in book that will be placed inside our main altar.
Presently each of the 14 classrooms and other offices has a wooden crucifix from GIOP-CC. Each classroom will also have a representation [an icon, statue or portrait] of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of the particular saint by which that room will be known. These sacred images will also be brought into the worship space where we gather [main church or daily Mass chapel] on their particular feast day. Starting with the rooms used by the youngest children and ending with the triple ‘Holy Family’ room these are the room names and proposed images:
# Title donated by:
1. Saint Michael the Archangel, patron of police in memory of Lt. Scott Oldenburg
2. Guardian Angel, protector of children
3. Saint Nicholas, patron of children
4. Saint Francis, patron of pets & animals
5. Saint Ann, mother of Mary, patroness of grandmothers
6. Saint Teresa of Lisieux , the Little Flower
7. Saint Thomas the Apostle [so all remember to pray for the pastor who was not grey before GIOP-CC!]
8. Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha
9. Saint Katherine Drexel
Other optional saints include: Mother Frances Cabrini, Saint Patrick, Saint Anthony of Padua
The ‘double room’ separated by a folding wall, often used for adult meetings:
10. Saint Peter the Apostle
11. Saint Paul the Apostle
The ‘triple room’ separated by a folding wall, often used for adult meetings:
12. Saint Joseph the Worker, patron of fathers & workers, protector of the Church,
13. Holy Family plaque – the center room
14. The Blessed Virgin Mary
The images of Our Lady are also available: only 11 Marian images are needed since the Holy Family [triple] room will already have images of the Blessed Mother.
