Post on 23-Mar-2016
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Rebuild My ChurchBuilding our Future
Throughout history, ministry has been at the center of decisions to build, rebuild and expand. It is often said that church is more than bricks and mortar. Guardian Angels parishioners also believe this, but, more importantly, we understand that our buildings are necessary to provide space and support for the many ministries that are central to our mission to worship, teach and serve.
Rebuild my Church!The Guardian Angels Catholic community has, for over a century, felt a strong connection to St. Francis of Assisi and the Franciscan order. While many people may be familiar with St. Francis’s afDinity to animals and nature, a fascinating story exists and is, perhaps, the very thing that brought the man who would later become St. Francis to his ministry. As a young man, Francis felt a strong connection with
G o d , b u t w a s n o t e n t i r e l y comfortable with his father’s obsession with wealth and had begun to question whether or not
he could continue to serve God and money at the same time. In his many walks around As s i s i , F r anc i s a lways favored a dilapidated, mostly abandoned church dedicated
to San Damiano. On one of his walks, he felt an urge to pray inside the old church and, while praying
before a large icon of Jesus on the Cross painted on one of the crumbling church walls, he heard the voice of
Christ, “Francis, don’t you see that my house is being destroyed? Go then and rebuild it for me.” Immediately, Francis began repairing the San Damiano church, not realizing until much later that God was asking him to reform the spirit and soul of the church, not merely the bricks and mortar. Many churches, including the one of San Damiano, were repaired in the ensuing months and years during the time in which Francis was discerning God’s true message. While none of us alive today could have had the fortunate opportunity to speak to St. Francis or the many people who helped him repair those churches, there is no doubt that God still made a profound impression on these men and women who poured their blood, sweat and prayers into re-‐laying each brick and stone as they rebuilt the houses of worship, not to mention the epiphany that each laborer must have felt after seeing the impact of their work on the universal Church!With our rich Franciscan heritage, it seemed only Ditting that our Capital Campaign be christened, “Rebuild My Church.” Parish leadership certainly understands that God’s plan for us is not to build
grand temples that stretch toward the heavens – rather, we are called to serve one another, especially in times of great personal need. We are called to teach our children about ethics and values that build strong Christian men and women. We are called to create spaces that allow people to worship, learn, and work in a space that is safe, warm and dry. We are called to preserve for future generations what our ancestors have saved for us.
Serving our PeopleAll too often, one thinks of church as a “Sunday Morning” activity without giving thought to what happens on the other six days of the week. Ministry is a 24-‐7 endeavor that happens 365 days of the year at G.A. Besides the important work of the Liturgy, Guardian Angels prepares people for marriages and baptisms, counsels those who are p l a n n i n g f u n e r a l s a n d provides education for kids from preschool through eighth grade. Faith Formation is offered from cradle to grave – with little ones learning how to make their Dirst confession and rece i ve the i r D i r s t communion and providing programs for older teens so that they understand what it means to be conDirmed. Young adults learn how to use the bible in their daily walk with Christ and how to i m p r o v e u p o n t h e i r understanding of God’s Word through bible studies and spec ia l gues t speakers . Parishioners reach out to those who, due to physical restrictions, cannot be part of our celebrations by offering Eucharist to those who are h o m e b o u n d , s e n d i n g packages to those in the military, and providing a loving presence for those who might Dind it difDicult to face another lonely or challenging day. Volunteers serve as the face and hands of Jesus Christ as they answer phones, clean pews, cook meals, greet guests in the ofDice, school and in church. Job coaches meet with job seekers who are unemployed and underemployed to hone skills and provide assurance. These ministries are just a few of the many ways in which Guardian Angels is making an impact on our community. The list of ministries grows each and every year, as does the need for greater outreach and greater impact.
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Overview of ImprovementsOur buildings have been serving the needs of our parish and school for many decades – some reaching over 100 years in age. While incremental maintenance has helped, we have not done major repairs to some buildings for many years, and as a result, we are at risk of losing the ability to host vital ministries in our facilities. The sheer size, age and historical signiDicance of our buildings require a sizable investment in infrastructure. Tuck-‐pointing, or the repairing of the brick “skin” over all of our buildings on campus, is a major undertaking and has already begun so that we could stabilize the damage occurring due to t h e p a s s a g e o f t ime . Another big investment that we need to make now is to our roof structures before further, more costly damage occurs to internal spaces. As we have made improvements over the past decade in our heating, venti lation, and air conditioning systems in the church, ofDice, and school buildings, it has become apparent that our window systems have outlived their useful life and each month, hundreds of dollars in energy escapes from our buildings due to drafty windows and doors. Lastly, we hope to make signiDicant improvements to our parish kitchen located in the school. This facility has been in use and largely unimproved since the mid-‐1950’s and needs to be upgraded in order to meet the needs of an increasing number of events held in the gymnasium space by both parish and school groups. As these improvements are made, we know that we will also need to upgrade systems to meet code requirements as well as increased infrastructure requirements (i.e. power). These upgrades are included in the overall campaign goal of $2.4 million (approved by the Archbishop).While much of the improvements we plan to make with proceeds from the capital campaign involve infrastructure, parishioners will see immediate results and improved facilities as the repairs are made. Brick tuckpointing makes a striking visual improvement to the facility. Rooms will be warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer when outdated windows are replaced with energy-‐efDicient units that also bring in more natural lighting (further enhancing energy savings) and are architecturally accurate for our historic buildings. Roof leaks will be repaired and walls and ceilings repainted. Events held in the gymnasium, such as the Beef and Sausage Dinner, Fish Fry Fridays, AngelFest, ConDirmation Breakfasts, etc. will see improvements in the quality of food and service as we upgrade equipment and make the space a safer and more comfortable space to work.
Please Give GenerouslyWe are asking each parish family to make a three-‐year pledge to the “Rebuild My Church” campaign that is over and above each family’s current level of
giving. Please prayerfully consider the sacriDice you can make in order to ensure that Guardian Angels Parish will be able to continue offering the many ministries for the next 150 years. Parish leadership understands that this campaign has a lofty goal and one that will take much effort to achieve. We take pride and humility from our ancestors who sacriDiced much in order to rebuild the church, after the 1902 Dire, in just one year’s time. We see the promise in the eyes of each new Dirst communicant as they proudly process back to the pew, where they will one day witness their children receive Eucharist for the Dirst time. Guardian Angels has served as a place of comfort, solace and celebration for so many families for many, many
years. Now it is our turn to show future generations how much our
church, our faith, our future means to us. At the back of church this weekend, you will
Dind a “Rebuild My Church” packet that has been prepared especially for your family. Please give generously to the campaign. Our future depends upon your prayerful discernment of the sacriDice that you can make for the current and future generations who call Guardian Angels our spiritual home. Thank you!
Have Questions about the “Rebuild My Church” Campaign? Come to one of the Town Hall Meetings (to be held in the church):
Monday, April 11th7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.Saturday, April 16th9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.Monday, April 18th7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Members of the Capital Campaign Committee, staff and parish leadership will be on hand to answer your questions. You may also visit www.GAChaska.org for more information.