Renovation Committee Blog
Read the latest news about the St. Julia Renovation Committee's progress! We invite you to add your comments and read the comments of other parishioners. Just click on the blue comments link under each blog entry.
Wed Aug 11, 2010
Campaign News
Since Commitment Weekend, the response to St. Julia Capital Campaign has been exceptional, reaching over 27% of our goal from just 10% of the parish. Please join your fellow parishioners by returning your ““Commitment Envelope”” as soon as possible. By returning your envelope, you will not be contacted by a campaign volunteer. Help us get to our goal! Every gift is needed and appreciated.
Follow-Up Committee: We are in the process of training our follow-up committee to make personal contact with families who have yet to pledge. These volunteers will be available to answer any additional questions about the campaign. If you are interested in serving on the committee, please contact the parish office.
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Sun Aug 01, 2010
Capital Campaign Pledge Update
To date, we have achieved 25% of our goal from just 9.4% of the registered parishioners at St. Julia Parish. The average gift is more than $8,800!
With everyone taking their part in this effort, we can achieve our goal!
Later during this summer campaign, volunteers will start contacting those who have yet
to respond. Over the next weeks, please consider your pledge and return it in the pledge envelope. It will reduce the amount of work for the volunteers as part of the follow-up effort, and enable the parish to move forward with the necessary planning to accomplish the job ahead!
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Fri Jul 23, 2010
Campaign News: A Generous Donor
Last Sunday morning, a four-year-old parishioner walked up to Father Evans in the upper lobby of the Parish Center hall. The young boy showed Father a brightly colored wallet, and he then opened it. Inside were two $20 bills. Very carefully, the boy lifted one of those bills out of his wallet and reverently presented it to Father Evans. Thinking that the boy might have been sharing the bill only momentarily, Father Evans placed it in his own pocket very visibly and then watched for the boy’’s reaction. When the giver of the bill seemed quite tranquil about what he was seeing, Father asked him, ““Do you want me to have it?”” The boy replied, ““It is for the church.”” After expressing the appropriate thank-you for the donation, Father approached the boy’’s parents and told them what had happened. They informed Father Evans that the boy had discussed the matter with his family members before coming to church, and that the donation was intended for the renovation of St. Julia Church. Since then, his name has been added to the list of donors, and he deserves thanks for donating a huge percentage of his holdings!
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Thu Jul 15, 2010
Capital Campaign Pledge Update
"Our Faith, Our Future," off to a great start, still needs your support. We have gone over one million dollars in pledges ($1,011,152 as of 7/15), thank God and you. We will do what we can. I find it is better to “paint the whole picture” of what is being envisioned. St. Julia Church has not had a real update since it was expanded in 1961. There is a lot of deferred maintenance. A lot of attention in our capital campaign went to the preservation and improvement of St. Julia Church. We have packets available at our worship spaces in Weston and Lincoln, and these detail the project.
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"Our Faith, Our Future" Q&A
Question: What are the main continuing features in St. Julia Church?
So very much about the church building will NOT be changing, inside and out. Chief among these are the basic design, the angels, the Stations of the Cross, the current stained glass windows, the statues of Mary and Joseph, the location of the tabernacle. This project is being undertaken as a preservation project mostly, with some renovation features too, as detailed in the packets sent to registered families already and available at weekend Masses.
Question: How firm are the costs contained in the brochure of the capital campaign?
The costs are estimates. It should be emphasized that bidding on aspects of the work has not yet happened. It would be wonderful if the project ended up costing less than is spelled out in the brochure’’s honest estimates. These estimates have been prepared after consultation among architect, a few experienced contractors, and a estimating agent recommended by the Archdiocese of Boston.
Question: If one does not have the money for a down payment on a pledge, should the pledging be delayed?
No. Even if one does not yet have the down payment on the pledge ready to give, it is still a good idea for the pledge to be made.
Question: Why is Pledging Vital?
Asking each family to prayerfully consider a sacrificial pledge, over three years if possible, is essential to a successful campaign.
We appreciate all gifts. Pledging, however, accomplishes many things:
* A pledge allows one to consider a gift which would otherwise not be possible.
* A pledge makes payments less of a burden than a one-time gift.
* A pledge gives the parish an accurate estimate for planning.
Your pledge is a statement of your intent to give to the best of your ability. It is not legally binding. We know that when you make your pledge, you will do your best to fulfill it. Please note that the 10% down payment is suggested, not required, at the beginning of a pledge.
Making a pledge requires faith that the blessings of the Lord will continue. We also know that giving won't be easy; sacrifice never is. We are confident however, we will be successful if everyone works together.
Do you have any questions about the renovation? Feel free to ask Fr. Evans at frevans@stjulia.org
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Thu Mar 25, 2010
Capital Campaign for Church Repair
After a long period of study and listening, our parish is planning to begin a Capital Campaign for the repair of the exterior of the church (most especially the buttresses from the 1920 construction and aspects of the 1960 tower), and also for the liturgical and physical updating of the church’’s interior. The campaign will be carried out for a few months, beginning in May, facilitated by Trinity Consultants. The architectural plan, as proposed by Martin Dermady (parishioner and architect), respects the basic lines and features of the beautiful church. The refurbishing would extend to flooring, lighting, seating, kneelers, and climate control. It would provide for greater light, more handicapped accessibility, and a much increased gathering area. The design allows also for better spacing and movement in an expanded sanctuary and throughout the church.
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Thu Mar 04, 2010
Planning Study Summary
Interviews conducted: 31
Focus Groups: 4
Questionnaires Returned: 125
Web Results: 10
How long have you been a member of St. Julia Parish? 26 years (average)
Do you consider yourself an active parishioner involved in one or more groups or ministries?
Yes: 57% No: 20% Somewhat: 23%
Taking into consideration the staff, worship, the religious education program, and the parish organizations/ministries, how would you rate St. Julia Parish?
Very Good: 63% Good: 29% Fair: 8% Poor: N/A
What is your reaction to the Case Statement? (included with questionnaire)
Favorable: 60% Unfavorable: 8% Mixed: 32%
How would you rank the priorities listed on the Case Statement with respect to the exterior of Saint Julia Church?
1) The majority of responses indicate that church exterior, safety and accessibility issues should be the first priority. Maintaining the church responsibly is seen as a common goal.
2) The new slate roof and increased dormer size was well received. Many members of the parish feel the church to be ““too dark”” and welcome increased lighting.
3) Others repairs were generally seen as necessary. The Geothermal heating and cooling system was well received and thought to be environmentally conscious.
How would you rank the priorities listed on the Case Statement with respect to the interior of Saint Julia Church?
1) Renovations to the interior were seen as necessary updates. The Narthex, new pews and in- creased lighting were among the priorities.
2) Expansion of the sanctuary and choir space was seen as appropriate and necessary. Removal of the communion rail was well received.
3) Handicapped accessible bathrooms and other updates listed were seen as priorities.
What, if any, is your one concern about the parish conducting a capital campaign in the future?
The ““economy”” was the most common response.
With regard to your own involvement, would you give to a campaign?
Yes: 62% No: 4 % Maybe: 27% No Response: 7%
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Update
I am pleased to share with you the encouraging response to our recent parish planning study to determine the extent of support for the possible renovation and updating of Saint Julia Church. For almost two years, our Renovation Committee has worked with architect Martin Dermady and other professionals to evaluate the church's exterior and interior. The exterior needs major repairs and renovations that require immediate attention. We have also proposed a number of important interior updates to enhance our community’’s worship. The intent of the study was also to determine the potential for a fundraising campaign that would help our parish address these needs. Input was sought from parishioners in various ways, including one-on-one interviews, focus groups, and a parishwide mailing. Thank You to all who participated in the study. I value your honest input. With your help, we will use the results to strengthen our parish.
I have included a summary of key survey questions and responses. As indicated, most parishioners (60%) reacted favorably to the case statement of need, with others expressing a mixed response (32%). Most parishioners indicated that they would consider giving to a capital campaign to the best of their ability. I believe that with continued dialogue and information, the level of support will continue to increase.
Trinity Consultants, who conducted the study, suggest that the results of the Planning Study indicate that despite the economic downturn our parish stands in an excellent position to conduct a Capital Campaign to address our needs. We are in the process of devising a final plan that will allow our parish to move forward. With your help, and the help of many in our parish, I am confident we can meet the challenge ahead and continue to make Saint Julia a vibrant parish and a spirit-filled community of faith and service.
The summary can be found in the above post.
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Wed Oct 21, 2009
Update on Renovation Project
Here is an update on our St. Julia Church renovation project. For almost two years, our Renovation Committee has worked with architect Martin Dermady and other professionals to evaluate the church’s exterior and interior. The exterior needs major repairs and renovations that require immediate attention. We have also proposed a number of interior updates to enhance our community’s worship. We now need to prioritize needs and estimate the work’s total cost. To move forward, we need careful consideration and thoughtful planning. This is why input from our parishioners is of utmost importance. Your opinions and suggestions will enable us to formulate a final plan that will help meet the needs of our entire parish for today and the future. During the next several weeks, we will gather information from all parishioners to determine the overall level of support for going ahead with proposed repairs, renovations, and updates. We would also like to know the anticipated level of parishioner participation and gain a better sense of the parish’s fundraising potential.
We have retained Trinity Consultants Inc., a nationally recognized Catholic fundraising firm. They have been approved by the Archdiocese of Boston to direct a Planning Study for our parish. They were selected after a detailed interview process with parishioners and me. Working with a consultant will help us best achieve our funding goals while allowing our staff and me to continue to focus on parish ministry.
During the next two months, every parish family on our mailing list will be contacted and asked to take part in the study process. Your continued input and perspective is valued. Members of the Trinity team will be conducting one-on-one personal interviews and focus groups with randomly selected families and individuals of the parish. Also, a direct-mail study questionnaire will be mailed to homes. The full participation of all parishioners is very important before moving forward with our project.
I invite you to participate in the survey process so that we may complete this Planning Study with your open and honest input. Your counsel can help as we move forward in faith.
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Fri Sep 25, 2009
Renovation Presentation Sunday, September 27
If you have seen boards, models and tiles on display in the Parish Center over the summer, and if you have not yet had a chance to come to a meeting to hear of the project proposal, try to come to a one-hour PowerPoint presentation on Sunday, September 27th, 10-11 AM in the Parish Center. Architect/parishioner Martin Dermady will present background, answer questions, and receive comments. (The boards and models make more sense with the explanation!) So, if you are intrigued, opinion-filled, inquisitive, confused or in any way interested, you will be most welcome. Note that the meeting time conveniently allows attendance at Mass beforehand or right afterwards.
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