We seek to be a visible sign of God's presence throughout the community .... St. Mary has educated thousands of young pe
Mission Mission The Church of St. Mary is blessed to be a community of believers drawn together by a common faith in Jesus Christ. We seek to be a visible sign of God’s presence throughout the community and the world. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we commit ourselves to this task through worship, education, service and fellowship. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit … to each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. (I Corinthians 12:4-7)
The Church of St. Mary Legacy Campaign Phase 1 of the Faith Formation Center
Growth Growth
Every member of our St. Mary community today enjoys the benefits of a legacy of the generous and thoughtful fellow parishioners who came before us. We are grateful for these gifts left by our predecessors, which includes a church that was built in 1902 and a school that was built in 1925 and expanded in 1960. In succeeding years gifts were given St. Mary that allowed the purchase of surrounding properties and subsequent expansion, culminating with the building of the Parish Activity Center in 2002. Through good use and sound stewardship of these facilities and our assets, we show our gratitude for these blessings. The growth of St. Mary is a vibrant sign of life at our parish, and in the Sycamore community in general, giving us the blessing and opportunity to serve more people. St. Mary experienced a 29 percent increase in the number of registered households from 2001 to 2006—the second highest of all parishes in the Diocese of Rockford. We averaged 99 baptisms per year from 2004 to 2006—the highest in the diocese. Sycamore experienced a 24 percent population growth in the first five years of the twenty-first century and is projected to increase another 24 percent between 2005 and 2010.
Honor Honor
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary
answered. “Let it be done to me as you have said.” (Luke 1:38)
D
uring a time when most Catholic schools are experiencing a decrease in enrollment, St. Mary School is thriving. Nationwide, Catholic school enrollment in preschool through eighth grade decreased from 2 million in 1996-97 to 1.6 million in 2006-07. During that time, St. Mary’s in Sycamore experienced an enrollment increase of 73 percent, growing from 150 students to 243 today! Our Religious Education program teaches over 300 students. Youth Ministry has seen attendance more than double in the last couple of years. As for the senior members of our parish community, growth comes in the form of the blessing that we are living longer, healthier lives. Living is the key word, with more opportunity for the youngest and the oldest of the parish to do more together in ways that suggest a new kind of Greatest Generation.
Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you have received. (1 Peter 4:10)
Through the blessing of parish growth, we are now challenged to continue and build upon the legacy left by our predecessors for ourselves and for those who will come after us. Our growth indicates both the tremendous opportunity to build anew for everyone in the St. Mary parish community and the need for each building phase in our comprehensive long-range facilities Master Plan.
2
The Legacy Campaign—Phase 1 is about the future of Catholic education at St. Mary. It is the exciting first phase of a comprehensive long-range facilities Master Plan. Phase I is about building the Faith Formation Center, new space for our grade school and religious education programs. Legacy is also about the revitalization of the generous and thoughtful inheritance of our predecessors, which binds us together through time and through Jesus Christ. Legacy both honors the memory of our forerunners and the growth of those who will come to St. Mary after us.
Long-Range Facilities Master Plan
T
he diligent research and the valued input of many St. Mary parishioners over the past two years have brought us to this point. Recognizing the age of the St. Mary campus and how fast we are growing, the Long Range Planning Committee presented us with an exciting plan to expand and enhance Beyond Phase 1, the what we do in our facilities—teach, long-range Master Plan learn, serve, pray.
features a ten-classroom
The Master Plan Faith Formation Center, ultimately calls for a large Faith a new gym and multiFormation Center purpose space, a new with ten new classrooms for the church sacristy with school and religious restrooms, an enclosed education program, and space for youth link between the church ministry when the and the Center, church Purple House is razed. The 1920s expansion, and a new section of the school building will be rectory. taken down and replaced with a gym/multi-purpose space, and the 1960s classrooms will be remodeled as part of the final phase completing the Faith Formation Center.
Short Term—Phase 1
P
erhaps the most important aspect of the Master Plan is that it was designed with input from so many parishioners. Every step of the way, the Long Range Planning Committee kept us informed of the changes and adjustments being made on the advice of our architects and other professionals. As a result, a truly comprehensive plan for the future of St. Mary—with building project priorities corresponding to needs of our total parish community—was presented for final input and questions at a series of town-hall meetings. Recognizing the need for expanding our mission and the importance of capital improvement, while continuing as good stewards and careful managers of our legacy, as a parish community we decided to do first things first.
Phase 1 will include an initial build of the Faith Formation Center containing almost 7,800 square feet of new educational space (three of the ultimately ten new classrooms), plus office space, bathrooms and storage. This replaces the space we are losing at the Murphy Building. Phase 1 will also include over 5,000 square feet of basement space to be further developed in future phases. The goal of the Legacy Campaign—Phase 1 is $3 million. The professional fundraising firm we commissioned to conduct a developmental study heard a clear response from parishioners interviewed: “Yes, we can raise the funds needed to build the first phase of the Faith Formation Center. Yes, we should begin now.” Because we have done our homework, because of parishioner input, and because we now have a blueprint for our future provided by the comprehensive long-range facilities Master Plan, we are confident that we can accomplish all the phases of the Master Plan, phase by phase. We can accomplish this together, and by making our gift investments through pledges over five years.
Faith Faith
T
he Legacy Campaign for the new Faith Formation Center is a challenge; however, our existing facilities are the examples we can look to that tell us we should believe in our ability to successfully meet this new challenge. The first Church of St. Mary was built in1862 during the Civil War. Our current church was built in 1902 in an era of the promise of Industrial Revolution—wealth for many, but also just at the time when the nation was still Be joyful in hope, recovering from another recession. The school was persevering in trouble, built in 1925 during the roaring economic surge faithful in prayer. and just before the great stock-market crash, the great crime wave, and the (Romans 12:12) Great Depression. Fears must be weighed against the potential good. St. Mary has educated thousands of young people and provided the faith formation that has prepared them for high school, college, and life beyond the classroom. We have sustained and nourished the faith of our families through service, worship and fellowship together. The cultural challenge to Catholic belief and value systems in our country today compels us to continue, strengthen and renew the mission our parish community has provided through good times and bad for more than 145 years. Financial and other threats we may face over the next few years are far outweighed by the good we will be providing our young parishioners in preparing them to live a life of service for others and in thanksgiving for God’s blessings. The first phase of the Faith Formation Center is the beginning of today’s recommitment to our faith and our mission.
The proposed first phase will cost approximately $3 million, depending on construction costs at the completion of the campaign. Operation and upkeep of the new expansion will be sustained through our regular parish revenue programs, including tuition and offertory gifts. The Legacy Campaign offers the opportunity for gifts to be paid over the course of five years, if necessary.
3
Pray for Our Donors
A
s members of the one body of the Catholic Church, we live our faith in the parish community of St. Mary. We live in the way Jesus taught us— whatever we do for each other, we do for him.
Community Community Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (Acts 20:35)
Our St. Mary parish community is woven together by so many unique men, women and children. It will take each of us helping in our own way to make the Legacy Campaign a success. In addition to your financial pledge and your generous weekly offertory, please offer your prayers.
Parish Prayer for Our Future Lord, may our efforts to expand and renovate our parish campus bring others to you. Give each of us courage in this common purpose to do your work at St. Mary’s. May our worship and our activities bring all of us together in this common purpose to provide for our growth, to provide for the needs of the
How You Can Help
children, to provide so all who seek you
campaign volunteer who has already made his or her gift will contact you personally to ask for your commitment. This will allow you to ask questions and help discern your campaign support with someone who is a part of the St. Mary parish community, someone who shares the same concerns and interests that you do. We want you to have the advantage of making a fully informed giving decision.
have a place here at St. Mary’s. We are
Gifts may be made in the form of cash, check, bank debit and credit card.
our hesitancy and fear, for you are
A n
A signed statement of intent, letter of commitment, or pledge card allows you to plan ahead and extend your gift over a period of up to five years. A pledge may be started at any time. n
willing to extend ourselves as we listen to others and invite them to dream and grow with us. Help us to overcome
our strength. May it be your voice we hear, calling to a deeper discipleship, a deeper conviction in faith, a deeper understanding of sharing your love. Amen.
4
Legacy Campaign Gift Levels Over Five Years
Gift Amount
Annually
Quarterly
Monthly
$500,000
$100,000
$25,000
$8,333
250,000
50,000
12,500
4,167
100,000
20,000
5,000
1,667
75,000
15,000
3,750
1,250
50,000
10,000
2,500
833
25,000
5,000
1,250
417
10,000
2,000
500
167
5,000
1,000
250
83
3,000
600
150
50
1,500
300
75
25
900
180
45
15
600
120
30
10
q Outright gifts of appreciated stock will be gladly accepted. q Outright gifts of property (land or buildings) will be accepted upon approval by St. Mary’s Finance Council. However, no gift of real property will be approved or accepted until St. Mary’s has obtained a professional environmental audit of the property and legal counsel has reviewed the audit. q Outright irrevocable gifts of life insurance policies with a value that can be converted into cash within the five-year pledge period will be accepted upon approval by St. Mary’s Finance Council.
q In-Kind gifts or pro bono services by an independent contractor to either complete a project specifically to be funded in this capital campaign or to provide an outside service to assist with the completion of phase one will be accepted with the review and approval of the Facilities Task Force. q Gifts in any form to commemorate the life of a family member, a loved one, or a friend will be gratefully accepted. q You can also make your gift in any form to commemorate the life of a family member, a loved one, or a friend.
5
Recognition Recognition
R
ecognition and appreciation of your generous gift investment to our legacy will be expressed in a visible way. Those who make a Legacy Campaign pledge of $10,000 or more will be recognized with a ceramic tile to be displayed in the first phase of the Faith Formation Center. The ceramic tiles will be designed by the children of the parish. Adjacent to each tile will be a nameplate with the donor’s name. The display will request that the donors be graciously remembered in the prayers of all who pass by. Those who make a Legacy Campaign pledge of less than $10,000 will be recognized with a decorative nameplate in a prominent display in the Faith Formation Center. This display will be a symbol that these generous donors demonstrated the spirit of hope for the future of the St. Mary parish community.
Naming Opportunities Faith Formation Center
$500,000
Catholic Education Office
$150,000
Classroom 1
$250,000
Classroom 2
$250,000
Classroom 3
$250,000
In Thanksgiving for All Our Gifts
T
he parish community of the Church of St. Mary thanks each of you for the unique gift of yourself that you bring to our table every day. We thank God for the gifts of our brothers and sisters in Christ who came before us and who built our church, school and other facilities. We thank the members of our Campaign leadership for their gifts of their time and talent in organizing this opportunity to leave OUR legacy for the Church of St. Mary.
Letter from Campaign Chairs Dear Friends of the Church of St. Mary,
gifts and the gifts of their time and talent in organizing this opportunity to leave OUR legacy for the Church of St. Mary.
The growth of St. Mary is a vibrant sign of life at our parish and in the Sycamore community in general, giving us the blessing and opportunity to serve more people. St. Mary has educated thousands of young people and provided the faith formation that has prepared them for high school, college and life beyond the classroom. We have sustained and nourished the faith of our families through service, worship and fellowship together. The cultural challenge to Catholic belief and value systems in our country today compels us to continue, strengthen and renew the mission our parish community has provided through good times and bad for more than 145 years. The first phase of the Faith Formation Center is the beginning of today’s recommitment to our faith and our mission. The proposed building project will cost approximately $3 million, depending on construction costs at the completion of the campaign. Our St. Mary parish community is woven together by many unique men, women and children. We thank the members of our campaign leadership for their campaign 6
As the chairs of the Legacy Campaign, we ask you to also consider a generous pledge toward the first phase of the Faith Formation Center over and above your regular offering. You may choose to spread your pledge over a five-year period. The parish community of the Church of St. Mary thanks each of you for the unique gift of yourself that you bring to our table every day. Sincerely, John and Donna Larson Campaign Co-Chairs Mike and Mary Larson Campaign Honorary Co-Chairs
7
Slab on grade
8
