back to main page

St. Thomas More Catholic Church
“Growing Together in Faith” Building Campaign
Questions and Answers

Why are we raising funds at St. Thomas More?

• The membership of St. Thomas More Parish has increased 4 ˝ times from the original 190 families in 1981 to 900 families in 2006. It's projected that the parish will increase even more in the next few years with the expansion at Ft. Riley and more military families choosing to live in Manhattan.
• The parish conducted a needs assessment study in 2004 and concluded the current facilities have not kept pace with the number of programs that currently exist for all age groups ranging from pre-school to third-agers (seniors). The study showed there was a need for a new multi-purpose parish hall with an expanded kitchen, and that Werth Hall needs to be remodeled.

What were the preliminary steps?

In 2001, the St. Thomas More Pastoral Council undertook an ambitious review of the parish's five-year strategic plan, which showed the need for a parish community center. The Facilities Planning Subcommittee summarized its findings in a September 2004 report to the Pastoral Council. This led to a needs assessment study, which identified the following needs:

• A larger parish community center for dinners, receptions, performances, activities for all ages, additional storage, and recreation.
• A larger and more efficient kitchen.
• More space for youth ministries (grades 7-12).
• An expanded nursery.
• More classrooms for grades K-6 religious education.
• Dedicated library space.
• Choir rehearsal room.
• More storage space.
• Meeting room for smaller groups such as Knights of Columbus (K of C), Thomas More Ladies (TML), and third-agers (seniors).
• Bride's room and groom's room with easy access to the gathering area.
• Outdoor patio/courtyard.
• New roof for the church.

The study resulted in the initiation and development of the preliminary plans for the construction of a new parish community center, the remodeling and space reallocation in Werth Hall, cosmetic remodeling of the classrooms in the Hake Education Wing, and the replacement of the current church roof. The cost of this project is estimated at $2.9 million. The parish currently has about $500,000. The parish needs to raise $2.4 million.

• Construction needs to begin this fall. The current construction estimate should hold through the end of this year.

When will we need the money?

• The Salina Diocese policy states that the actual detailed planning and construction of the project cannot proceed until the parish has 50 percent of the funds in hand. Because of  uncertain construction costs in this area with the Ft. Riley expansion and the housing construction boom, construction needs to being in fall 2006.

Why emphasize commitments during Commitment Sunday?

• The diocese requires a 50 percent down payment in cash or commitments prior to completing the loan process. The commitments will permit St. Thomas More to move ahead with the building project. Every member of the St. Thomas More family must help make this happen.
• Commitments also allow donors to consider giving through “one-time” gifts. Commitments are not legally binding, and they can be enhanced over time.

What will the new addition and remodeling look like?

• The architect has developed a preliminary design for the proposed parish community center building. It’s only a "first draft" of what the final building will look like and what it will contain.
• Once we have successfully completed the commitment campaign, parishioners and affected organizations will be invited to participate in public meetings with the design team to come up with the final designs for the new building and the various remodeling tasks in Werth Hall, Hake Educational Wing, and the church roof.
• Although an architect provided an example of a building, which could be built on current St. Thomas More grounds, those plans are not the definitive design.

To what extent are campaign commitments tax deductible?

• Gifts to the St. Thomas More building fund are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law. The application of such laws varies with individual financial circumstances.
• Parishioners with specific questions regarding tax deductibility should contact their attorneys or tax advisers.

Are commitments and one-time gifts the only kinds of gifts accepted by the campaign?

• While such gifts will be the types most often made to the campaign, gifts of appreciated stock or mutual funds and gifts-in-kind also are options.
• Additional information is available regarding gifts in kind and matching gifts.

What has been raised to date for the building project?

• Generous gifts have already been received and committed toward the building project. The current building fund has more than $500,000 that will be applied toward the overall $2.9 million needed to complete the new construction/remodeling project.
• It is important to remember the donations from parish organizations are not the same as your individual campaign commitment.

Why are parishioners being asked to contribute?

• People have been blessed with different financial resources. It would be easier to divide the goal of $2,400,000 by the number of households in our parish, but it would not be fair. Generally, for capital campaigns such as this, parishioners are asked to consider giving at least 2 percent of their annual income for three years as their campaign pledge.
• We are asking everyone to offer the same percentage of their financial resources. To reach our goal, each family will be asked to consider a minimum commitment of no less than 2 percent of their gross income (for three years). It's suggested that this amount be above your customary offering. The amount you ultimately commit to will depend on your own personal circumstances and abilities.

When will the campaign begin?

• General campaign commitments will be gathered on Commitment Sunday, April 30, 2006.
• Personal visits will be arranged for every family in the parish on that day so that all questions about the campaign can be answered. If the parish volunteers are unable to contact families on April 30, follow-up visits will be arranged as soon as possible.

Why Sunday, April 30?

• The Parish Building Committee wants to make this campaign as concise as possible. All activities will center on that day, rather than dragging on for an extended time period.
• Spring and summer schedules tend to be rather full and difficult for a project of this importance and magnitude. The last week in April precedes what is normally a very busy time for most families.
• In order to better prepare each individual and family in the 0arish for Commitment Sunday, informational materials will be mailed to parishioners and will be readily available in both the church gathering area and the parish office.

How can commitments be remitted?

• Commitments can be remitted annually, semi-annually, quarterly, or monthly. The commitment payment period will last three years.

When will construction begin?

• As soon as the diocesan requirements are met and designs are finalized.

What will happen if we do not reach our campaign goal?

• If we do not reach our campaign goal, we will have to re-evaluate the needs of the parish and devise a new campaign.
• In the meantime, we may have to make sacrifices in parish activities.

Will the new building and remodeling meet all our needs?

• Yes!  We believe the new building and the remodeling will meet all our growth needs for at least the next 20 years. It will be large enough to easily accommodate up to 700 people at a time for activities such as the annual parish picnic, wedding receptions, music events, basketball, volleyball, recreational games for all ages, and third-agers (senior citizens) activities such as indoor walking during inclement weather. A large kitchen and food preparation area is equally important. The current kitchen is barely adequate for efficient food preparation.
• The Werth Hall remodeling will reconfigure space that is badly needed for classrooms, administrative offices, and special purpose areas such as a music room and bride and groom rooms.
• As the parish has grown over the years from 190 to more than 900 families, the current parish hall (Werth Hall) has remained the same as it was in 1983 when it was constructed as both a worship space and a social gathering hall.

Is this the final floor plan?

• The floor plans that are currently on display are not the final plans. They do, however, reflect the needs that were identified by the 2004 needs assessment study. The final plans will be developed when sufficient funds have been committed and received as per the policy of the Salina Diocese. Once we get the go-ahead from the diocese, public meetings will be held with the architect's design team for input into the final design plans.

Is the new addition going to be just a glorified gym? 

• No, it will be much more! The parish community center structure will be much more than a large activity space. It is primarily a multi-purpose gathering area for large parish events such as banquets, picnics, music events, stage presentations, youth and senior socials, and physical activities for the youth (basketball, volleyball, dance) and seniors (indoor walking).
• The large gathering space will be acoustically designed and have an enhanced sound system to make it easier to hear at music events and gatherings. The preliminary design calls for the construction of a meeting room for organizations such as the Knights of Columbus and Thomas More Ladies. This room can be physically isolated from the large gathering space.
• The new parish community center will have an elevated stage, which will be suitable for musical groups, dramatic presentations, and guest speakers.
• The kitchen facilities will allow the parish to cook and prepare meals in a safe and efficient manner. The current kitchen is small and inefficient.

Will there be opportunities to name specific parts of the new building and the remodeled Werth Hall for family and loved ones? 

• Yes. If you are interested in having certain areas of the new parish community center named after your family or loved ones as a memorial, you are asked to contact Fr. Don Zimmerman (776-5151) or Mike Clark. A limited number of memorial naming opportunities have been identified.

If I won't be in town during "Commitment Sunday," will I still have an opportunity to complete and turn in a commitment form? 

• Yes. Personal visits will be arranged for every family in the parish on April 30. If the parish volunteers are unable to contact families on April 30, follow-up visits will be arranged as soon as possible to answer questions and to receive your commitment form.

What amount should I consider giving to this campaign?

• Generally, for capital campaigns such as this, parishioners are asked to consider giving at least 2 percent of their annual income for three years. Your commitment will depend on your personal circumstances and abilities.

back to main page