General

Capital Campaign Conclusion

February 8, 2023
Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. John’s,
 
The vision of our Restore to Gather Capital Campaign is coming to fruition as the restoration work in our sanctuary has begun this past week. Our first project in the church is the cleaning of the air ducts. This project will result in better efficiency in our HVAC as well as the removal of the black insulation falling from the diffusers near the skylights. This project will take about 3 weeks to complete.   

One project that was completed this past fall was the tuckpointing around the windows above the baptistry. We are hopeful this approach will fix the water leak in a more cost-effective way rather than replacing the windows as originally thought. We also have replaced the carpet in 6 classrooms with funds from our 2023 Wines to Wishes Fundraiser. The remaining classrooms and hallway carpet will be replaced with contributions from our Restore to Gather Capital Campaign. 

We are finalizing the contract for the remainder of the church upgrades. The projects in this contract will include the removal, refinishing, and reinstalling of the pews in the church. It also includes spraying a new coat of acoustical spray on the ceiling. Finally, it includes upgrades to the HVAC system that will allow for greater efficiency for heating and cooling, saving money as energy costs continue to rise. We anticipate that those projects will begin in early May. 

We are working with a contractor, as well, on finalizing designs for school bathroom upgrades. We also hope to begin this renovation project in early May. 

Thank you to all those who have pledged to our Restore to Gather Campaign. With your support, we are able to complete these necessary upgrades. Our parish participation has grown from 554 households in the previous One Spirit Many Gifts Campaign to over 700 in our current Restore to Gather Campaign. This growth is a positive sign of vibrancy in our community. We are witnessing the Lord’s presence as we gather around this mission. Thank you for your commitment to pray for continued fruitfulness in our efforts, being flexible as we navigate the upgrades and improvements to our campus, and for your generous spirit in supporting this essential effort. (Please see further down in the email for a summary of campaign highlights, next steps, and how to fulfill your pledge.)      

 
Small Group Update 
Speaking of our parish vibrancy, as of Monday, February 5, 2024, we have 293 people signed up to participate in our Lenten small groups! It is beautiful to see our parishioners responding to the Archbishop’s invitation to join a small group. You can still sign up! Please do so ASAP! Click here to learn more.
 
You’re invited: All Parish Retreat April 12th and 13th  
I am excited to share with you that we will be hosting an All Parish Retreat “Rise” the weekend of April 12th and 13th. The focus will be the Risen Lord who invites us to Rise to the times and be courageous in following the Holy Spirit. It will be an opportunity for all our parishioners to come together for great talks, fellowship, and prayer. We are working with Bishop Williams and other fantastic presenters. Stay tuned to parish communications for more details. Last year we had 50 men and 50 women attend the Awaken parish retreats offsite and this year we want to open it up to all parishioners and friends of SJB. For now, block out Friday night, April 12th, and all day Saturday, April 13th for the retreat! I look forward to seeing you there! 
 
As the Father loves me, so I also love you,
Father Paul Shovelain
Pastor