Some Questions & Answers

Q. What is the capital campaign?

A. This capital campaign is being conducted to raise funds to finance construction of a new church, meeting areas, offices, parking and related infrastructure, which constitutes Phase 1 of a two-phase Master Plan. The new St. Francis of Assisi facility will be located on a 14 acre site near the intersection of Pike and Airport Roads in southwest Longmont, Colorado. Soliciting “one-time” gifts from St. Francis’ parishioners would not raise sufficient funds, so the general campaign is spread over a 4-year period to allow sufficient time to collect the funds needed to break ground – approximately $2.25 million. (The Archdiocese of Denver requires 50% of the total amount to be collected before construction can begin.) The Archdiocese will lend the community another $2.25 million at that time, bringing the total for Phase 1 to $4.5 million.

Q. How and why was the decision to build a new facility made?

A. When Fr. Frank Maroney volunteered to pastor Spirit of Peace parish in early 2005, Archbishop Chaput gave him a single directive: “Grow the parish to serve the Catholic community of Longmont.” While Spirit of Peace had well served the Longmont community for over 20 years, many parishioners believed that Christ’s simple instruction to “go forth and make fishers of men” was complicated by the limited space of a shared facility. Longmont’s larger parish, St. John the Baptist, had done its part to accommodate the growing Catholic population through building expansion and additional Masses. To explore the needs of the community, the Spirit of Peace Pastoral Council recommended a series of meetings to give voice to parishioners’ concerns. In January of 2006, two town hall “Vision and Planning” meetings were held, with over half of the parish in attendance. Comments gathered at these meetings were analyzed and charted. The Parish Staff was also interviewed separately for input. The data generated during these meetings – as well as the enthusiasm and commitment from participants – started the chain of events leading to this capital campaign. There existed a strong desire within the congregation to embark on a new journey, a journey leading to the construction of a new house of worship.
Realizing that the modest size of the parish restricted its ability to build immediately, the parish began a series of actions to promote growth. Some members of the community disagreed with the decision to expand the church and left Spirit of Peace. Since that time the parish has grown by 200 new registrations. Fr. Frank, believing that a move from our shared space with Westview Presbyterian to a dedicated, temporary facility would promote growth and provide space for the parish’s growing ministries, conducted a parish relocation study in March of 2006 that was followed by a search for a dedicated, interim rental facility. This move was supported by both the Pastoral and Financial Councils. The parish moved to its current site in October of 2006 and has continued a steady growth. Along with the move, the parishioners approved a parish name change to St. Francis of Assisi.

Q. What research was done to support the project?

A. During February and March of 2008 St. Francis Church engaged Cosgriff Company of Omaha to design and implement a feasibility study to determine the level of support and a potential budget for a building campaign. The results showed a significant commitment in the community and provided budgetary estimates needed by architects to perform in-depth Phase 1 building design and planning.
The architects presented preliminary architectural sketches to the parish community in August of 2007, seeking additional input on building design. The St. Francis Building Committee also toured a newly constructed church (Immaculate Conception in Lafayette) with the architects for ideas and inspiration. With initial drawings in hand, the master plan was presented to the Archdiocese in April, 2008, and approval was granted to begin the Capital Campaign.
The Archdiocese of Denver estimates that there may be as many as 16,000 Catholics in Longmont and its surrounding areas. Close to one-fourth of these attend St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Longmont, and perhaps another one-fourth travel to other Catholic churches in surrounding communities. But there remains a large number of Catholics who are “missing-in-action.” One of the goals and hopes of the St. Francis community is to reach out to these Catholics, and bring them home.

Q. When will we begin to build the Phase 1?

A. If all goes well, ground breaking for Phase 1 will begin in October, 2011. The goal is to complete construction in 12 months, so we could move in a year later, in October, 2012. This is an aggressive schedule – we need to raise adequate funds (50% of the projected total) before we can break ground. The land is undeveloped and will require surveying, excavation, provisions for utilities, easements, environmental and engineering studies, etc., so a 12 month construction period will be a challenge.

Q. Will there be donor recognition?

A. Certainly there will be donor recognition. Any person, family, or entity wishing to donate a particular space will be permanently acknowledged. However, the architect suggested that exactly what form of general recognition might be better determined once the building is constructed. The new surroundings may inspire the manner of recognition better suited for the space than we can plan for now. There are many options to consider. Of course, donors wishing to remain anonymous will be respected.

Q. How are pledges made?

A. You will be personally contacted and asked to contribute by making a pledge to this campaign. An initial contribution with your pledge is suggested, but not required. Signing a pledge card does not constitute a legal obligation, but rather a moral intent. In the event of a change in your economic status, your pledge may be altered.

Q. How will pledges be paid?

A. You have the option of paying your pledge annually, semi-annually, quarterly, or monthly. You may also make payments through the use of automatic withdrawal procedures. Each donor will receive reminders in accordance with his/her stated methods of payment, and a special Building Fund envelope will be included in each monthly envelope packet.

Q. When will I be called on?

A. Campaign volunteers are making calls to homes on “Commitment Sunday,” November 9th, 2008. We hope to meet with most parishioners on the 9th, but some additional calls or mailings may be necessary for people who may not be in town or are otherwise unavailable. If you have not been contacted, are new to the parish, or you were not available during the pledge period, please call the Parish Office (303-772-6322) to set up a visit.

Q. Will I have to discuss my pledge amount with a volunteer?

A. No. A volunteer will deliver your pledge card along with a security envelope. You are asked to fill out the pledge card, seal it in its envelope, and return it to the volunteer. The volunteers can assist you with information to prayerfully consider your pledge, but they will not discuss your pledge amount unless you specifically ask them to.

Q. Is my pledge confidential?

A. Yes. None of the campaign volunteers are privy to any of your personal financial information.

Q. Who will be asked to participate?

A. The plans call for every registered parishioner to be contacted, but mistakes do happen! If you are not contacted and wish to be, please call the parish office. During the feasibility study, several non-parishioners expressed an interest in helping, and they are also being contacted.

Q. Must I make a pledge?

A. One of the fundamental responsibilities of our Catholic faith is that of supporting the church’s mission for the benefit of the whole community. This building campaign has clearly emerged from the expressed and verified needs of our community, and all families somehow connected to St. Francis of Assisi parish need to give serious consideration to their own responsibility for its support. All gifts are welcome; however, one-time out of pocket giving will not enable us to reach our goal. Because our financial goal is ambitious, families are urged to increase the effectiveness of their gifts by pledging and budgeting over a four-year pledge period.

Q. What is my share? How much should I give?

A. Your pledge should be based on the dictates of your conscience. A budgeted giving chart is provided in the Campaign booklet to serve as a guide. Don’t give until it hurts – Give until it feels good and you are proud!

Q. Can I pay my pledge with a credit card or automatic withdrawal?

A. Yes, in fact we encourage it. This method facilitates the easiest way for you to make timely payments, and it reduces the additional labor required to deposit and track pledges.

Q. What constitutes a gift?

A. A gift may be any negotiable asset of realistic market value. Stocks, commodities, insurance, real estate, land crops, or bonds are alternatives to cash. There will be experts available during the campaign to assist you in coordinating your non-cash gift.

Q. Can my gift be made as a memorial or in honor of someone?

A. Yes, gifts may be designated to perpetuate the name or memory of a friend or a loved one.

Q. When shall I start making payments on my pledge?

A. When you begin payment on your pledge is up to you. Of course, the sooner we reach our goal, the sooner we can begin to build!

Q. Is my gift tax deductible?

A. Yes, contributions to our campaign are deductible in accordance with federal tax law. As always, please consult with your financial advisor for questions on how your giving affects your personal financial situation.

Q. What if I cannot fulfill my pledge later during the campaign?

A. Your pledge is a prayerful statement of your intent; it is not a binding legal agreement. We understand that financial situations can and do change. But if you cannot fulfill your pledge as originally planned, perhaps you will be able to make it up in a different way. If, on the other hand, you are able to contribute more than originally planned, that is perfectly acceptable too! Our hope is that these two different situations will balance out over time.

Q. Will all the money be used for the new building project?

A. Yes. The monies raised will be specifically dedicated to building Phase 1, including ancillary expenses directly related to the campaign. The funds will not be used for any other reason.

Q. Does the campaign company get a percentage of our pledges?

A. Absolutely not. The campaign company (Cosgriff) is a Catholic firm whose mission is to assist Catholic parishes to reach their fundraising goals. They have been raising money for Catholic programs for 48 years. Cosgriff Company charges a flat fee for their services. Their fee, and the preliminary work by the architects, has been paid for by the contributions to the Building Fund which the parish has collected over the past two years. Everything collected from this capital campaign will go to the new parish facility.