Campus Update
Dear Parishioners,
We’ve had several different projects taking place on campus this past year. Many of them have been delayed by COVID-related issues that have impacted supply chain, materials, labor, etc. Even with the delays, we have been moving forward to improve our campus and make better use of the space and facilities entrusted to us. I am happy to announce that many of these projects will be reaching completion this summer. Please see the updates below and the corresponding map that indicates where the projects are happening.
Thank you for your great generosity which allows projects like these to happen! All that we are doing is directed toward our mission of making Jesus known and loved. The heart of the Gospel is Jesus himself, but buildings and meeting space are needed to facilitate the work of ministry. Thank you for helping us maintain and improve our campus!
Please note that we are continuing to move forward with the early work of our church renovation project. We have been meeting with a design team to examine various possibilities for giving our church an even more beautiful and traditional look while simultaneously dealing with the asbestos ceiling, poor lighting, and other issues. The funds that you have contributed for that work are not being used for anything other than the designated purpose of giving us a more beautiful and sacred place to celebrate Mass, pray, and meet the Lord. Please stay tuned for more updates as we move forward.
Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Erik Arnold
1) New Parish Offices
The renovation of the former convent is nearing completion and all our parish offices will move into the new space this July. The new space will host all our parish offices in one location, plus provide meeting space for parish groups and ministries.
2) New Rectory
Once the parish staff have moved to the newly renovated offices, we will begin work to turn to the rectory back into living space for the priests and seminarians. This space will only be private living space for the priests; there will be no public meeting rooms or parish offices located here. We hope to move the priests and seminarians into the rectory in early September. The current rectory, the residential house located in the Cypress Creek neighborhood, will then be sold and the proceeds will be placed into the parish’s capital reserve fund to help us maintain our large campus.
3) New Kindergarten Classrooms
The former Faith Formation offices, located in the school, will be converted into new kindergarten classrooms for our school this summer. The new classrooms will be ready for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year.
4) New Adult Meeting Space
The modular unit that has served as two of our kindergarten classes will be used for adult meeting space once the kindergarten classes have moved into the school. (See #3 above.) This will provide the parish with two additional medium-size meeting areas.
5) New Home for St. Vincent de Paul
We have been working to convert the blue barn, formerly leased to Gary’s Gardens, into the new home for our St. Vincent de Paul Ministry. This renovation work, made possible by a generous gift, will be complete in July. This will give our outreach ministry a more visible and easily accessible location on campus as we serve those in need.
6) New Patio Area for Fellowship
In addition to the other campus projects, we are creating a new outdoor patio space in the awkward unused area that was formed when the Gathering Space was built in the year 2000. A new door will be installed allowing access between the Gathering Space and the patio. This will take a currently vacant area and transform it into a new space that we will use for monthly donut/coffee fellowship, outdoor gatherings, small group meetings, etc. The new patio area looks directly toward the playground, so it also gives parents a place to gather as their children make use of the playground area. We are funding this fellowship project with donations, but more is needed to make it happen. Your gifts are welcome if you are interested in helping us create our new St. John Patio area!
7) New Expanded Playground Area
Our school is funding a project to expand the current playground with the addition of a new “Elevate Fitness Course” for children. The new equipment will offer children a series of physical obstacles, agility structures and climbers to challenge their entire body.
8) Patching, Sealing, Coating, and Striping of Parking Lot
We are undertaking some maintenance work on our parking lot this July to extend its life before a total replacement is eventually needed. Patching and repair work to the asphalt has already been completed in some areas, and in the coming weeks additional cracks will be sealed and the entire parking lot will be coated and painted with new striping. It’s not glamorous work but it will extend the life of the parking lot and hopefully make it easier to see the parking spots and the school drop-off lanes.
A Prayer for Our Parish
Lord Jesus,
You blessed your beloved disciple John with the gift of seeing you with his own eyes, of looking upon you, the Word made Flesh.
You drew him so close that he rested upon you at the Last Supper and received your mother as his own from the Cross.
You opened his eyes to visions of heaven and filled him with joy as he made you known to the world.
You taught him that we have been made to love, and that we cannot love you if we do not love one another.
You made John a beloved child of your heavenly Father, to share in your very life as Son.
May he intercede for us now, that we might see you with our own eyes, and rest close to you in the Eucharist as he did.
Through his intercession may we receive Mary as our own mother and have our eyes opened to the things of heaven.
May he pray for us that we too might know what great love the Father has bestowed on us in letting us be called the children of God.
And may we be bold in sharing the Gospel with others, that they may come to believe that you, Jesus, are the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through this belief they may have life in your name.
Amen.