Dear Friends in Christ,
As we prepare to celebrate our parish centennial and look forward to the Next 100 Years, we want to propose some important action steps to ensure the continued success and health of our treasured Catholic faith, church, and school.
Last spring, we conducted a Feasibility Study to address several important ministry initiatives and facility repairs and improvements in our church and school.
In August 2022, we shared that your response to the feasibility study was positive. However, the cost of employing a large, national consulting firm did not align with our vision and we felt that we might be able to conduct a successful capital campaign on our own. After carefully weighing our options, we concluded that employing an experienced, local campaign consultant, at a considerably lower fee, will help us achieve a far more successful outcome than if we proceeded on our own.
We now share this information with you as we launch our Legacy of Light Centennial Campaign to raise funds needed to complete important ministry initiatives and critical, prioritized facility repairs and improvements.
Thank you for your trust, confidence, and the many gifts you share with our faith community, as we move onward to our next 100 years!
Fr. Matthew Quail Patrick McVary
Parochial Administrator Parish Trustee
The Mission of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church is to proclaim and celebrate our Lord Jesus Christ. We fulfill our mission as Christian disciples by intentionally responding to God’s call to grow in holiness.
Thanks to YOUR generosity during our 2016 Capital Campaign, we raised $1,125,074 and completed many important facility projects and repaid two important financial obligations.
Through your generous financial support in the previous capital campaign, we were able to accomplish a great deal to secure our facilities and finances.
Now, as members of the IC church and school community, it is our responsibility to continue to be good stewards of the facilities that have served us these past 100 years. This vital step will ensure that Catholics in Columbia Heights and the surrounding areas we serve will have the ministries and facilities they need for the next century.
In the spring of 2022, a Feasibility Study was conducted to assess parishioner feelings about the parish (church and school), their understanding and opinions about the needed projects, and their willingness to be involved in a potential capital campaign to complete the proposed objectives.
Buildings and grounds are the primary capital (physical) assets that are owned by a church. Immaculate Conception has a Maintenance Committee comprised of volunteers. We regularly invite parishioners to contribute to our building Restoration Fund for specific projects involving facility repairs in our church, school, and rectory. The projects are typically much smaller in size and scope than major projects funded through a capital campaign., The Maintenance Committee prioritizes projects, obtains bids, selects contractors, and monitors the work. Parish volunteers are occasionally utilized to complete repair projects. A capital improvement, on the other hand, is a major repair or construction effort designed to ensure the long-term integrity of buildings and grounds.
A capital campaign is a targeted fundraising effort that takes place over a defined period of time, usually three years. Typically, there are two major phases: a quiet phase and a public phase. During the quiet phase, 30% - 40% of the funds are raised through initial invitations to those who, based on their blessings, may have a higher financial capacity to offer support.
During the public phase, the remaining funds are raised by inviting financial support from the broader parish community. Capital campaigns differ from other forms of fundraising in that they involve financial goals that far exceed smaller donations and contributions.
We will need significant financial support from our members for Immaculate Conception Church and School to serve parishioners for the next 100 years. In practical terms, what does "significant financial support" really mean?
The fundraising process can create confusion, particularly in its use of terminology. Is there a difference in the words donation, contribution, and commitment? Do they invite the same level of consideration and response?
Donations can be considered a response based on what might be immediately available to offer. Examples include a donation of canned goods to a food shelf, a few coins or a dollar bill placed in the red kettle and Christmas in the mall, or a bag of surplus clothing from our closet. Donations typically include loose change, cash or items we have readily accessible.
Contributions require more thought and often include a formal record to demonstrate our charitable support. Examples include writing a check to a local charity, purchasing a coupon book to support youth sports activities, or becoming a sustaining member of a community organization. Contributions elevate the fundraising process to the next level.
Commitments require serious and prayerful reflection - they are not a casual or reactive impulse gift. A commitment demonstrates a willingness to thoughtfully examine our capacity to respond. In most instances, a commitment requires a serious leap of faith, trusting that God will take care of our needs. Examples include entering into a marriage, purchasing a home, changing careers, or moving to a new community. A commitment of this nature requires that we pause from our busy daily lives to seriously consider the lasting impact that our response can, and will bring about.
For our parish to enhance its ministries and repair and improve its facilities, we will need to invite sincere and prayerful financial "commitments" that reflect how Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and School impacts our lives and the people dear to us.
It is very possible that commitments of $25,000... $50,000... $100,000... $250,000..., or more, might be offered by some of our members. Others might have the capacity to provide commitments of $1,800... $3,600... $5,000... $10,000... $15,000 or $20,000, spread over a 36-month period. All of these commitments will help us move forward with confidence.
We are all blessed in different ways and our capacity to respond will reflect commitments that will vary in size. Some of us might consider giving from our assets, while most might consider giving weekly or monthly amounts out of our household income. The goal is for each of us to thoughtfully and prayerfully consider offering something sacrificial in order to help complete the ministry needs and repairs and improvements that we are faced with today.
As we prepare to launch a capital campaign, the overriding principle of our fundraising effort is that every household be invited to respond with a meaningful financial commitment based on each one's capacity. This is a golden opportunity for us to take action to safeguard Immaculate Conception for ourselves, as well as future generations who will follow in our footsteps. How will we choose to let God speak through our actions?