The Season of Giving Appeal - Raising Funds for the Accessibility and Hospitality Campaign

The Season of Giving Appeal
 
“Give, and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back.”
~ Luke 6:38
 
Many of you will recall that it has been over a year since we began our  Accessibility and Hospitality Campaign.  I have been immensely encouraged by the generosity of our parishioners.  We have made some great strides in our fundraising efforts. 
 
But then came that little creature, the coronavirus, which has halted so many things for the past nine months now.  The many events that various parish committees had planned to raise funds came to a sudden halt.  Yet, construction in the parish has continued over the course of these past months.  There have been cost over-runs and unforeseen problems.  For instance, when working on the parish tunnel and installing better sump pumps, we discovered that underground drainage pipes were in dire need of repair and had to be replaced.  This repair required backhoes and underground excavation.  Not a cheap process!
 
So far, we have raised $290,000!  This has gone a long way in making our parish as accessible and hospitable as possible.  We have a new lift. We have a state-of-the-art boiler.  Construction on heating pipes are nearly completed which will make the parish hall warm and cozy. 
 
Nevertheless, we still have a long way to go.  We need to raise $250,000 to complete the Accessibility and Hospitality Campaign.  This includes the massive and necessary repair of the rectory roof – estimated at $150,000; nearly $70,000 in archdiocesan taxes (13% tax on all taxable revenue coming into the parish); and other necessary projects which we have been deferring.
 
I encourage everyone to donate during this important season of giving – just in time for year-end income tax receipts. 
 
You can donate to the parish fundraiser in several ways:

• Cash or cheque in an envelope which can be placed in the collection basket or dropped off at the parish office; cheques can also be mailed to the parish; (don’t mail cash)
• You can pay by Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD)
• E-transfers

For these last two options, please contact our Parish Office Administrator, Mary Lou , for further information.
 
You can also donate by making a pledge, spread out over the course of this coming year.  This can be placed in the collection baskets at mass, dropped off at the parish office or mailed to the parish office. 
 
Every Monday, I will send an update on our fundraising, which will be posted on the website and in an email to parishioners. 
 
I will be relieved when we complete our necessary building renovations.  These physical updates will ensure a safe, hospitable and accessible physical environment for many generations in the future.  Then, we can spend all of our energy on continuing to build the spiritual foundations of our parish in the work of faith formation and evangelization for all our parishioners.
 
God bless us all during this holy season,
 
Fr Daryold Winkler,
Pastor