Dear Parishioners,
Here’s the latest on the new church building project. Not too long ago we informed the community that the plan to build a church where the offices are located was beyond our capacity to fund. So, we went back to an earlier (~3 yrs old) and less expensive design which placed the new church in the same spot as our current building, albeit with a more cruciform design and other complexities in order to meet a wish list of ideas for the church. So, last month, we got estimates on the various versions of this church structure, a layout the Core Building Committee unanimously liked. However, due to economic changes from three years ago, the cost for the various versions of this build had risen beyond our ability to fund as well.
Image of St. Franics Rebuilding the Church
So where does that leave us? Honestly, prior to last Sunday, I thought it left us with the only option of a remodel of the current church building without any major augmentation to structure. This, while the least expensive, meets only two criterion for the new church: moving all the pews to face West and placing the Sanctuary on the West side accordingly. However, after the Core Building Committee met last Sunday, we discerned that we still needed more research into different ways we could afford the new building. In general, the solution may lie in a building of much smaller scale. So, we now will be reflecting and imagining something much more simple, yet beautiful, letting go of many of our bigger ideas.
This process of discernment has continued to move and change, all the while done in a spirit of hope and desire to do the best we can within our means. I continue to be impressed with the members of our Core Building Committee as well as that of our Administrative Council who have demonstrated a steward’s response to all the various obstacles and challenges we have faced thus far. I am constantly being surprised and delighted in this process which has shown the best of our parish community, something which warms my heart and gives me continued confidence that the Holy Spirit is in charge. I ask all of you to join me in continued prayer for this process, slow as it is, so that we will continue to move in the direction that God wants us to go. As always, if you have any questions, feel free to talk to me or Stephen Voehl, our Business Manager for details or just to kick around ideas.
Blessings,
Fr. William Holtzinger
Pastor