Wednesday February 22, 2017Town Hall Meeting on the Possibility of a Capital Campaign 6:30pm
*These notes are just a summary of what was discussed. For broader context or more information about a particular point, please contact Fr. Kaim or Joe Altenhoff our Parish Council President.
Opened with prayer.
In February 2106 a study and fund raising options were discussed. Fr. Kaim talked about the elements of the capital campaign.
Boiler needs replacing. Mechanical tells us we would save 2/3 of the cost if we replaced units.
These are the big ticket items
Parking lot
Fellowship hall
Gathering space
In the capital campaign we would want to address an expanded youth group and add Adult Evangelization personal.
Tonight we want to anticipate and move forward with these town hall meetings. Then move to a fund raising consultant to give us a better idea of moving forward or not. This does not guarantee a build. We are looking at an 8 million budget.
Fr. Kaim turned it over to Joe Altenhoff
The story boards are ideas from Msgr. Barr and the design team.
- Fellowship Hall – a 400 seat building built to the west. Large meeting room that could be sectioned off to smaller rooms and many bathrooms.
- Gathering area – Baptism font at the center area in the back. Crucifix moved to the center of the arch. Have Tabernacle moved forward to be visible from the entire church. Space needed in the back to gather and talk.
- Inside the sanctuary – white marble panels to brighten up the walls behind the altar. Stain glass above presider’s chain.
- Parking lot – need lighting in lot to make it safe. Most pavement is crumbling and failing our needs. Looking to add 120 spaces in the lawn area towards the maintenance garage.
- Maintenance – New Boiler for school and church. In school new restroom fixtures. New retaining wall by cafeteria and school stairway.
Joe turned it over to the folks gathered. Let’s Think Big ~ The Sky’s the Limit!
LED lights or change light fixtures in the church.
Painting the ceiling white.
If the woodchips are going away and the parking lot is expanded what will happen to our green space?
Fence the area Highcrest and Alpine and rotate the fellowship hall to give more woodchip area for students.
Why is the addition of the kitchen a luke warm idea? There is need for a full kitchen.
Parking is a big issue- use the green are to get more parking.
Parking lot needs resurfacing and to be marked. What we did was a patch job.
Add a huge tapestry and change it seasonally or liturgically.
What determined the size of Fellowship hall? The Diocese agreed that the size was appropriate for our area.
We need to prioritize
It will be 3.7 million for the fellowship hall.
Is the parish shrinking or growing? We are all following Jesus Christ and we want to attract people. We have shrunk but it is not shrinking anymore. We have stopped the bleeding.
We need to fill up the Masses and there is a lot of potential for growth.
What is the plan for the Diocese? Catholic Charities wants to expand in Elgin and Aurora area and the catholic schools need attention. The Diocese will do a capital campaign for 52 to 54 million dollars. 60% of that will go to schools and 40% will go to Catholic Charities.
Is there talk of a new Parish being built? Did the Diocese buy land? No plans as far as we know to build a new church.
We need a cry room or family room for young families.
The back wall would be opened up to glass.
Connect the fellowship hall and the school with the gym. Tie it all together.
Fellowship Hall- would we allow wedding receptions? Certainly wedding showers. There is the need for the kitchen then. We would need a liquor license for receptions. Opening up for potential problems. We need to look into this.
Playground – we need to give our children more green space not take it away. We will be conscious of the landscaping and green spaces. We need to look at it functionally.
We need to be more wheelchair friendly. It would be nice to be able to sit next to your loved one who is in a wheel chair.
The houses on Rebecca- long range plans years ago to buy the houses on Rebecca and then create a big rectory and more parking. This plan has the proposal to take the 1st two homes and make more parking.
The offices will stay where they are at.
We will not do this capital campaign in a vacuum.
How much space would the baptism font take up? We are already crowded at some of the Masses. We would maybe loose a dozen seats.
Replace the clear glass windows along the east side with stained glass to stop folks from staring out the window.
There is not a relic in the altar and we need one!
The seating in the church is a big issue. Add more isles so people can pack in tighter.
Do not build to small. We will grow into the space.
More handicapped accessible confessionals.
Focus on the schools to attract more children via air condition. Negative impact on the fellowship hall and the school being in its shadow.
White panels- not too keen on that. The color would distract from the holiday colors and plants and flowers.
You can make stain glass without removing bricks. Illuminate from behind.
We need to have a prioritized list and pull ideas together.
What about the Adoration Chapel? No consideration to doing anything there.
What is the time table to begin and complete? We are here today discussing. Diocese will start their capital campaign in the fall. We are laying the ground work and in possibly 1 ½ years we could begin. We borrow from the Diocese 25%. 75% cash in hand, 25% in pledges to pay back diocese.
If we bundle things we might not get it. Should we be thinking about taking care of immediate need? What will be the state of things for the next year and half or up to 4 years out when we can get to things?
Can we do a maintenance plan now and a capital campaign in the future?
We need to attract young families. We will do that with the potential new youth minister. We do have new people coming in.
Fr. Kaim expressed people coming into our church for the first time – will they stay? Where are the bathroom? Parish boundaries are no more so folks go where they want.
We need the younger generation. The cry room is a huge issue. If I can’t be a part of the Mass why come?
We would benefit from a children’s chapel. It is very difficult to go to the Adoration chapel. We need a better path to there. Wanting a children’s space where they could go and talk with Jesus. Go and pray. A space that is their own. Like the chapel in Boylan.
The people who sit in the back row do so because they have such a long walk from the parking lot. What if we took out the back row of kneelers so it wasn’t a trip hazard and people could get around better? We need a larger space there.
Restructure the music area and move it to the back. Move the organ and piano to the back.
We need something else to beautify the inside of the church. The white back ground will help. No one wants to get married here. Drab bricks and photos are brown and dark from the low lighting in the space.
Think Big – let’s have a challenge.
Bring back the Chapel in the parish center. For smaller funerals, anniversaries and baptisms.