Dear Saint Joseph’s Community,

 

Light and Peace to you in the Easter season!

 

Spring is a time when we open up our homes from the closed – up nature of winter and clean it out for summer.  The church is actually no different than your own house.  Like your home – our church house needs constant maintenance, upgrading and the occasional spring-cleaning!  Among the many projects that need to be addressed at Saint Joseph’s, I feel it is time to give some loving attention to our 30-year-old church pews.If you take a good look at our church seating you will find that our pews are scuffed, dried out, chipped and in some extreme cases, actually falling apart. Some of them are water damaged from a leaking rooftop skylight we are having repaired. I would like to suggest that we take this opportunity to have the pews removed from the church and professionally restored, refinished and upgraded by having the seats upholstered to make them not only more attractive but also more comfortable.

 

My proposal is that we accomplish our goal by utilizing our Annual Bishop’s Appeal or ABA.  The Catholic Community of  Saint Joseph’s is a part of the Church of Monterey that provides many ministries for our parish and our diocese.  Each year the Bishop requests that we support him in the mission and ministry of the diocese through this appeal.  The diocese assigns each parish a goal that is based upon the parish’s offertory income.  All funds raised in excess of this goal are returned to the parish for its own use.  It is this program that provides us with the capital to undertake major projects that cannot be funded from our regular weekly collections.

 

This year Saint Joseph’s ABA – assigned goal is $47,900.  This is a $900 less than last year’s goal.  We have set our own parish goal to collect an additional $80,000 above the diocesan-assigned allocation, to take care of our pews so that our church environment is protected and inviting to our parishioners and guests.   This year’s total goal of $127,900 can be reached with the support of each and every parishioner.

 

We are asking for your help in enabling the Catholic community of Saint Joseph’s meet it’s goals by giving support to this year’s ABA fund raising program.  We have Pledge Envelopes in the back of the church for you to complete and return to our parish office or during our liturgies during the month of May. We thank you for your presence, your generosity and your support for the church of Saint Joseph’s.By helping us fund and implement this project, you will enable us to provide a church building that is safe, clean, and hospitable. A place in which the Gospel may be proclaimed, the Sacraments celebrated and the Eucharist consecrated for all who come to this place seeking God.

 

We are sincerely yours in the risen Christ.