Question: Why do we need new parish offices?

The current parish offices were out grown a long time ago.  Originally the rectory only had a front office and three priest offices on the first floor.  Several work spaces were created in the basement to make room for the many more pastoral workers who now serve our parish: youth minister, deacon, pastoral ministers, justice and compassion minister and we never did have a music director's space.  These offices were created out of the 1964-built convent for the religious sisters at that time.  All of the offices and meeting rooms in the rectory are "hidden" behind no fewer than 8 steps.  No handicapped visitors nor a handicapped employee is welcomed into this space.  

We considered adding onto the current rectory for more office space, adding restrooms for visitors, conference room for bereaved families, etc but that would have eaten up more of the current limited parking that now exists  around the church.  We also realized that a four-stop elevator would be necessary to make the offices usable and, at one estimated cost of  $50.000 per stop for an external elevator - it hardly seemed like a wise investment into a building with so many other liabilities.

The Building Faith plan has a great floor plan for accessible, accommodating offices for all our ministries.  They will be conveniently attached to but still separated from the primary meeting spaces for the ministries in the new Parish Center.

Thanks for asking these questions.  If you have one, send it to  [email protected].