Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. ~ Philippians 2:2 Campaign for a St. Michael s Pastoral Center St. Michael s Catholic Church ~ Grand Forks, North Dakota Former Washington School to be New Pastoral Center for St. Michael s A Pastoral Center provides a central place for priests, staff and a host of parish programs and organizations to work and meet. Of all the possibilities investigated, the purchase and renovation of the former Washington School proved to be the best fit and most cost effective option. On June 1, 2015, St. Michael s purchased the building for $560,000. It has been paid for, thanks to $241,000 in anonymous gifts, the allocation of $260,000 from the sale of St. Michael s lake property, and $59,000 from our General Fund Reserve. Now St. Michael s is launching a capital campaign to raise money for the renovations. This project will allow us to move offices out of the rectory and return it to its original purpose: a home for our priests. The Pastoral Center will have classrooms for Religious Education, offices for staff and meeting space for parish organizations. The land provides additional parking. You ll find details of the plan in the following pages. 1
A New Pastoral Center for St. Michael s Catholic Church Questions and Answers What prompted the need for a pastoral center? Imagine sharing your home with your coworkers. The rectory was designed as a private residence, but over the years more and more space was gradually devoted to offices. Today, the rectory houses offices for eight employees. That generates a lot of foot traffic that has deprived our priests of any sense of home or privacy. In 2007, Bishop Aquila recognized the need for priests to have private living quarters, and he issued directives calling for the eventual separation of priests homes and offices. The priests' dining room serves as passage way to rectory offices, and doubles as a conference room and temporary office space. In the spring of 2011, Dennis Elbert and Galen Cariveau led the parish through a process to establish long-range goals. At an open meeting on June 20, 2011, the top priority was separate the priest s living quarters from parish offices. Another priority was increase parking. This project meets both objectives, providing offices and 33 new parking spaces. What are the other benefits? The Pastoral Center will provide much needed RE classrooms, space for youth ministry and meeting rooms. Over 100 times a year, the priests' living room doubles as meeting space for marriage prep, funeral planning, grief counseling and spiritual direction. Over 20 parish groups meet periodically, and it s through these groups that people experience community and build friendships. But with so many active groups, scheduling space in the church basement is difficult. Additional meeting space will benefit all. What will it cost to renovate? On August 24, 2015, EAPC Architects and Engineers estimated the cost of renovations at $1.6M, including built-in casework (cabinets, counters), and a 15% contingency for unexpected costs. 2
Is there any funding available from the Diocese of Fargo? A special diocesan reserve fund will match $1 for every $10 raised for the project, up to $100,000. Those matching dollars become available as we receive gifts and payments on pledges. What about grants? We plan to make an application to the Catholic Extension Society. Over the last decade they have provided a number of grants to Catholic parishes within our diocese, generally under $50,000. There may be other foundations favorable to Catholic causes that we can approach for modest grants. Are there Diocesan guidelines for parishes engaged in a project like this? Yes. The Diocesan Building Committee consists of a group of experienced contractors who review all major parish projects within the Diocese. They are a helpful resource and provide an important oversight function. To ensure fiscal prudence the Diocesan Finance Council is another part of a system of checks and balances within the Catholic Church. They review and must approve the financial plan. Further, to protect the financial health of parishes, the Fargo Diocese has two guidelines for financing projects. First, there is a requirement of 50% cash-in-hand to begin. Second, the remainder can be borrowed provided the parish has secured the pledges needed to eventually repay the loan. When would the project begin? Assuming a successful campaign to raise the necessary funds, work will begin in early spring 2016. 3
This side of building faces the church. Lower Level The lower level will have two meeting / class rooms for RE, adult education, and the 20+ groups that serve St. Michael s and the larger community. (Furniture included for illustrative purposes.) First Level The main floor provides a total of ten offices, including private offices for priests and counseling, a conference room, work areas and a small chapel. This side of building has parking. 4
Second Level The top floor has five large meeting rooms for classes, meetings, and music rehearsal, plus space for youth ministry. The building will have an elevator and be ADA accessible. In their own words A Pastoral Center is more than an office, meeting room, or a spot for a secretary. It is the hub of the parish where not only the necessary work occurs, but the spirit and life of our parish community is nurtured. What a momentous opportunity to ensure that our parish is spirit-filled and life-giving for generations to come." ~ Phil and Laurie Kraemer Co-Chairs I worked at St. Michael s for 27 years and saw first-hand how our priests have no privacy. They need time to be alone, to relax, to be casually dressed if they like, without worry that staff or the public will be waltzing through at any minute. That s why I think this is such a priority. The parish has needed it for a long time. ~ Delores Pootsie Hackenberg Honorary Chair 5
How much are we expected to give? No one can tell you what you ought to do. That is a private decision between you, your family, and God. At the same time, reaching a goal of $1.6M requires a clear plan. The table below indicates the number of gifts at each giving level necessary for a successful campaign and breaks the pledge into monthly payments. Most people make pledges up to five years. Others will prefer to make a onetime gift. The former Washington School is an elegant, solid building. Once renovated, it will make a beautiful Pastoral Center for the parishioners and staff of St. Michael s parish. The Path to Success The first column indicates the number of gifts required at a particular giving level. For example, we will need 55 gifts/pledges at the $5,000 level (i.e. a pledge of $1,000 per year x 5 years, which would amount to monthly payments of $83.33). Gifts Required to Raise $1,600,000 Gifts Needed Gift Amount Value Running Total Mo. Payment 1 $100,000 $100,000 $100,000 1 $50,000 $50,000 $150,000 4 $25,000 $100,000 $250,000 10 $15,000 $150,000 $400,000 $250.00 15 $10,000 $150,000 $550,000 $166.67 55 $5,000 $275,000 $825,000 $83.33 25 $3,500 $87,500 $912,500 $58.33 101 $2,500 $252,500 $1,165,000 $41.67 250 $1,500 $375,000 $1,540,000 $25.00 $60,000 $1,600,000 Many 6
St. Michael s Catholic Church Grand Forks, North Dakota Fr. Gerard Braun, Pastor Fr. Greg Haman, Parochial Vicar Parish Corporate Board Most Reverend John Folda, President Reverend Gerard Braun, Pastor Vice President Lori Swinney, Lay Director, Treasurer Peter Bouley, Lay Director, Secretary Reverend Monsignor Joseph Goering, Vicar General Diocese of Fargo Campaign Chairs Phil and Laurie Kraemer Peter Bouley Delores Hackenberg Gerald and Agnes Hamerlik Honorary Chairs Dan and Sue Hill Al and Barb Langer Ron and Marie Timpe Peter Bouley John Bredemeier Finance Council Tammy Gerszewski Lon Gulberg Lori Swinney Kevin Bosh Peter Bouley Kevin Fee Richard Hauschulz Tom Helbling Parish Council Casey Hutton Judy Jahnke Dave Kary Loren Liepold, President Sheila Schreiner Lori Swinney Denis MacLeod, VP MaryAnn Votava In addition, I wish to thank the scores of volunteers who have agreed to help as members of the parish Campaign Team. Your work is invaluable to our parish community. ~ Fr. Braun. St. Michael s Catholic Church 520 North Sixth Street ~ Grand Forks, ND 58203 (701) 772-2624 7
A New Pastoral Center for St. Michael s Parish As I look around at this beautiful church, I see the signs of those that have come before us; how their efforts over 100 years ago laid the groundwork for us today. We now have the opportunity to do what our ancestors did, to show our support for our church, our spiritual home. We are ready to embark on a significant project. It s time to give back to our priests their home as a place to live, to provide space for programs like religious education, marriage and baptism preparation, and offices for staff involved in the day to day operations of our parish. ~ Peter Bouley, Co-Chair St. Michael s Church 520 N. 6 th St. Grand Forks, ND 58203 Address Service Requested Non-Profit Organization U.S. POSTAGE PAID Grand Forks, ND Permit No. 187 8