Capital Campaign Prayer: Heavenly Father, we praise you for you are the source of life. We thank you for our church and the many blessings you have given us over the past 157 years.
Open our hearts and minds to you and help us to be good stewards of the gifts you have given us. Help us to be like Mary, always faithful to you.
We especially pray for the success of our capital campaign, that we may step forward together in faith and recommit ourselves to your mission of love. May our effort, combined with your grace, allow us to continue bringing people to Christ for generations to come. AMEN
Open our hearts and minds to you and help us to be good stewards of the gifts you have given us. Help us to be like Mary, always faithful to you.
We especially pray for the success of our capital campaign, that we may step forward together in faith and recommit ourselves to your mission of love. May our effort, combined with your grace, allow us to continue bringing people to Christ for generations to come. AMEN
Dear Parishioners of St. John the Baptist,
It is hard for me to believe that I have been here now for almost 4 years. I am deeply grateful for the warm welcome you have extended to me. It has been a blessing to witness the faith, dedication, and sense of community that make this parish such a wonderful place.
I, along with the Parish Pastoral Council and the Finance Committee, have recognized that some necessary repairs and renovations can no longer be delayed. It has been about 30 years since we did our last major renovation, and the buildings are needing some attention. Our beloved stained-glass windows, which have inspired countless prayers and reflections over the years, are beginning to show signs of wear. The caulking around the glass is deteriorating, which not only threatens their beauty but also puts them at risk for further damage. In addition, there are structural needs to address including the bell towers, the handicap ramp, masonry and other things to ensure the safety and preservation of our sacred space for years to come.
To address these issues, we are going to conduct a Feasibility Study to explore the possibility of beginning a capital campaign to raise the funds needed for these renovations. The purpose of this study is to gather feedback from all of you-the heart and soul of our parish community-so that we can discern together the best path forward. Your insights, concerns, and suggestions are invaluable as we consider this important project.
Our goal is to hear from every member of the parish. This is not just about bricks and mortar; it's about preserving and enhancing the sacred space where we gather to worship, celebrate the sacraments, and grow in faith. Your voice matters, and I want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to be heard as we consider these important decisions.
Thank you for your continued prayers, support, and dedication to our parish. Together, with God's grace, we can ensure that our church remains a place of beauty, refuge, and inspiration for many more generations.
In Christ,
Fr Binu Mathew
Summary of Feasibility Study Results February 2025
- Participants
- 13 telephone survey respondents
- 32 paper survey respondents
- 5 online survey respondents
- While this number was lower than desired, it is sufficient to get a fair assessment of the sentiments of the parish.
- Preliminary findings
- Interviews – 85% in favor of a capital campaign
- Paper and on-line responses – 66% in favor of a capital campaign
- Overall – 71% in favor of a capital campaign
- Concern most noted was the total price tag. Most feel that only the most needed projects should be addressed
- Perception of the parish in general
E = Excellent, V = Very Good, G = Good, F = Fair, P = Poor, N = No Opinion- Interviews – 100% rated the parish as good or better
- Paper and On-line – 75% rated the parish as good or better
- Those who rated the parish below good or better describe the parish as older, poor and overwhelmed by the cost of the projects
- Proposed projects
E = Essential, IBNE = Important but Not Essential, SI = Somewhat Important, NI = Not Important- High Priority
- Stained Glass Windows
- Interviews – 100% responded E or IBNE
- Paper and On-line – 94% responded E or IBNE
- Masonry repair over furnace room
- Interviews – 94% responded E or IBNE
- Paper and On-line – 91% responded E or IBNE
- Replace deteriorated beam over kitchen door
- Interviews – 92% responded E or IBNE
- Paper and On-line – 94% responded E or IBNE
- Repair stonework over doors and windows on the west wall
- Interviews – 85% responded E or IBNE
- Paper and On-line – 97% responded E or IBNE
- Repair active leaks
- Interviews – 92% responded E or IBNE
- Paper and On-line – 100% responded E or IBNE
- Bat Removal/cleanup
- Interviews – 100% responded E or IBNE
- Paper and On-line – 86% responded E or IBNE
- Rectory Steps
- Interviews – 92% responded E or IBNE
- Paper and On-line – 92% responded E or IBNE
- Fix damaged concrete on handicap ramp
- Interviews – 92% responded E or IBNE
- Paper and On-line – 100% responded E or IBNE
- Stained Glass Windows
- Intermediate Priority
- Repair roof sidewall step flashing
- Interviews – 85% responded E or IBNE
- Paper and On-line – 88% responded E or IBNE
- Remove and replace siding and skirting around the bell towers
- Interviews – 84% responded E or IBNE
- Paper and On-line – 85% responded E or IBNE
- Exterior masonry restoration
- Interviews – 77% responded E or IBNE
- Paper and On-line – 82% responded E or IBNE
- Replace caulk joints around vinyl windows
- Interviews – 93% responded E or IBNE
- Paper and On-line – 94% responded E or IBNE
- Structural assessment of fire damage
- Interviews – 46% responded E or IBNE
- Paper and On-line – 78% responded E or IBNE
- Repair roof sidewall step flashing
- The responses indicate a definite understanding that repairs need to be made.
- The responses indicate the need to be financially aware when prioritizing projects.
- The responses indicate that there is a willingness to financially support the projects over a three-year period.
- High Priority
March 9, 2025
St. John's Parish Council Information on the Renovation
St. John has received a total of $28, 500 from the Center for Congregations, a grant program funded by Lilly which is an annual Archdiocesan-approved source for grants. This money addressed the following administrative costs incurred with our renovation project: Arsee Engineers, structural assessment ($4,000 of the $8,000 fee); the feasibility study ($9,500) and the remainder applied to the $40,000 cost for Arsee Engineers to create bid documents for each of the individual items identified in their assessment.
Results of the Feasibility Study
Results indicate that St. John should launch a professional capital campaign in late spring or early fall of 2025. This campaign provides pre- and post-campaign consultation, professional fundraising counsel during/after the campaign, clerical work, printing, collating, letter generation, inserting, folding, labeling, mailing, shipping costs, posters/banners, social media content and other services relative to the project. St. John would pay $14, 500, which is a "set fee" based on 117 registered families.
Although all the administrative fees appear high, the Archdiocese assures us that these expenses are not only essential, but reasonable compared to other projects that they have seen. In addition to grant programs approved by the Archdiocese, other sources are/will be sought as long as there are no issues with the Archdiocese.
In conclusion, your input is welcome and necessary. The next scheduled Parish Council meeting is Tuesday, March 25 at 6:45 PM in the church basement. (This time has been set to allow Father Binu to return from his Tuesday evening Mass at Napoleon.)
If you would like to be on the agenda, please call Vickie at 812-621-1403 prior to Monday, March 24, by 3 PM.
Also, a question/comments/ideas box for your input will be placed on the shelving unit left of the front church entrance.
Ensuring the Future Campaign – June 1, 2025 Insert
At the end of 2024, we launched a Feasibility Study to gather input from our parish community about a potential capital campaign. This study was prompted by a structural assessment that identified several critical repair needs for our parish facilities. The feedback we received was overwhelmingly positive, indicating strong support for moving forward. Based on this encouragement, we began planning what is now our Ensuring the Future campaign.
Over the past several weeks, we’ve been sharing our plans for this important effort. The focus of the campaign is to address urgent structural repairs that are essential to preserving our church building—our spiritual home—so that we can continue to worship together and support vibrant ministry and community life. In the coming weeks, we will continue to share more details during Mass about the specific repairs and why they are so vital to the long-term health and mission of our parish.
After careful planning and evaluation, we have set an initial campaign goal of $775,000 to be raised over the next three years. This will allow us to address our highest priority repair needs. Our overall goal is to raise $1.4 million, which will enable us to complete all the necessary projects identified in our assessment. This number includes using some of the funds from our savings. Beginning with the most urgent work allows us to make meaningful progress while continuing to build momentum.
If you haven’t yet received your campaign information packet, it should arrive in your mailbox within the next week. We encourage you to take some time to review the materials and prayerfully consider how your family can participate in this effort.
While giving is a deeply personal decision, many families find it helpful to receive guidance as they determine their pledge. We are here to support you through that process. To assist in your decision, next weekend (June 7th and 8th) we will review and distribute a Gift Chart and FAQ card. Many families find it helpful to use the “One Dollar Per Week Per $1,000 of Annual Income” guideline. For example, a household with a $50,000 annual income might consider a $50 weekly commitment.
Together, with faith and generosity, we can meet this challenge and secure the future of our parish home. Your pledge is a sacrificial gift above and beyond your regular offertory, and every commitment, no matter the size, makes a lasting impact.
Our OFFICIAL Pledge Weekend is scheduled for June 14th and 15th! Please bring your pledge card to Mass and join us in making this vision a reality. After Mass, our campaign team will be available to answer any questions.
Thank you for your generosity and prayers as we take this important step together!
June 15, 2025
Ensuring the Future Campaign
Planning for our Future
Our St. John the Baptist Catholic Church community was built on the sacrifices and generosity of those who came before us. Now, it is our turn to shape the future!
This weekend marks our official Pledge Weekend for our Ensuring the Future Campaign which will fund essential repairs/renovations to our parish building. We have already had many families respond generously, and next week, we will share an update on our progress!
There are many different ways to support the campaign, including: Gifts of stocks, bonds, CDs, real estate, IRA rollovers, and retirement plans. Your employer may also offer charitable matching funds.
Together, our St. John the Baptist Catholic Church community can ensure that our parish remains a place of worship and fellowship for generations to come. Thank you for your generosity!