Feasibility Study Updates
A Message from Fr. Nagel:
March 22, 2017
Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. John's,
Peace be with you! Over the past year our parish has conducted an in house, informal feasibility study to begin to assess future needs of the parish in light of our growth. The lead team consisted of Joseph Maguire, Carmel Klein, AJ Fricke, Kaitlyn Hart and myself. The parish council, ministry team and various ministry leaders were surveyed and a final report was presented to the parish council last summer with a recommendation to enter into a formal study, per approval of the Archdiocese.
Key findings of the informal study included the following:
1) Growth in young families has led to the desire for Catholic Day Care and School. This was taken to the Archdiocese and is now under review by the greater downtown Catholic Community.
2) The Garden Door Ministry to our homeless and poor neighbors has grown significantly and needs to be assessed for best service in the future including spiritual feeding.
3) Growth in various parish ministries has left us with limited space for meetings, social gatherings and devotions. Office space is also limited.
4) The rectory has a large amount of unused space that could be better utilized to meet these growing needs and needs to be modernized to meet the ministry needs of today.
5) A need to meet the needs of growing demographic of “empty nesters,” seniors and elderly including accessibility to meeting and office space, parking and ministry needs.
6) The city has grown around us and presents an opportunity for greater evangelization and interface with downtown Indy.
7) 60% of the parish is made up of young adults between the ages of 18-35. There is a growing need for spiritual feeding and community building among this large demographic of our parish.
8) The growth of the city is projected to continue to grow over 4000 new housing units planned for the next five years. Our parish growth is reflecting this change of residential city dwellers and continues to grow weekly (from 210 families in 2010 to 1285 families today).
To be proactive in meeting the needs of a growing parish, in July the parish council unanimously supported the hiring of a firm to conduct a formal study, per the recommendation of the leadership team appointed by me (Joseph Maguire, Carmel Klein, AJ Fricke and Dennis Dye) . They have done an excellent job of moving us to this exciting time in our parish life and in December interviewed three Indianapolis companies and have contracted with Entheos Architects to conduct the study over the next 4 months. Entheos comes highly recommended by the Archdiocese and is accomplished in its work with numerous churches, schools and properties in the greater Indianapolis area. We are excited to work with Michael Eagan and his team as we cast vision for future ministry offered by St. John's.
In the next few months there will be a complete assessment of the current offices and rectory including space utilization, infrastructure and needs assessment. Additionally, Entheos will assess the work of the informal study and interview us for insight into future needs in the areas of service including:
1) Our Homeless Neighbors
2) Young Families
3) Youth Catechesis
4) Young Adult Ministry
5) Empty Nesters & Seniors
6) Outreach to the Community
7) Church Spires and Roof
8) Office & Rectory Needs
We will look in depth at the use of all current space including the offices, rectory, parking lot and alley to assess how all areas can be utilized at the highest potential. There will also be a study to determine if any of the growing ministry can be done off site at a nearby location that could be acquired for long term use.
Thanks so much to all those who have contributed through second Sunday collections towards this feasibility study! We have received a matching grant from the Indiana Center for Congregations and all the expense is now covered for this phase. Additionally, we have money set back for some possible conceptual design and fund raising initiatives, if needed in the future.
Please let me or any of the leadership team know if you have any questions concerning the formal feasibility study. We seek to be as transparent as possible and welcome your questions, concerns and ideas! May God continue the good works He has begun in us as we seek to serve Him and His children.
In the Spirit of St. John the Evangelist,
Father Rick Nagel, Pastor
Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. John's,
Peace be with you! Over the past year our parish has conducted an in house, informal feasibility study to begin to assess future needs of the parish in light of our growth. The lead team consisted of Joseph Maguire, Carmel Klein, AJ Fricke, Kaitlyn Hart and myself. The parish council, ministry team and various ministry leaders were surveyed and a final report was presented to the parish council last summer with a recommendation to enter into a formal study, per approval of the Archdiocese.
Key findings of the informal study included the following:
1) Growth in young families has led to the desire for Catholic Day Care and School. This was taken to the Archdiocese and is now under review by the greater downtown Catholic Community.
2) The Garden Door Ministry to our homeless and poor neighbors has grown significantly and needs to be assessed for best service in the future including spiritual feeding.
3) Growth in various parish ministries has left us with limited space for meetings, social gatherings and devotions. Office space is also limited.
4) The rectory has a large amount of unused space that could be better utilized to meet these growing needs and needs to be modernized to meet the ministry needs of today.
5) A need to meet the needs of growing demographic of “empty nesters,” seniors and elderly including accessibility to meeting and office space, parking and ministry needs.
6) The city has grown around us and presents an opportunity for greater evangelization and interface with downtown Indy.
7) 60% of the parish is made up of young adults between the ages of 18-35. There is a growing need for spiritual feeding and community building among this large demographic of our parish.
8) The growth of the city is projected to continue to grow over 4000 new housing units planned for the next five years. Our parish growth is reflecting this change of residential city dwellers and continues to grow weekly (from 210 families in 2010 to 1285 families today).
To be proactive in meeting the needs of a growing parish, in July the parish council unanimously supported the hiring of a firm to conduct a formal study, per the recommendation of the leadership team appointed by me (Joseph Maguire, Carmel Klein, AJ Fricke and Dennis Dye) . They have done an excellent job of moving us to this exciting time in our parish life and in December interviewed three Indianapolis companies and have contracted with Entheos Architects to conduct the study over the next 4 months. Entheos comes highly recommended by the Archdiocese and is accomplished in its work with numerous churches, schools and properties in the greater Indianapolis area. We are excited to work with Michael Eagan and his team as we cast vision for future ministry offered by St. John's.
In the next few months there will be a complete assessment of the current offices and rectory including space utilization, infrastructure and needs assessment. Additionally, Entheos will assess the work of the informal study and interview us for insight into future needs in the areas of service including:
1) Our Homeless Neighbors
2) Young Families
3) Youth Catechesis
4) Young Adult Ministry
5) Empty Nesters & Seniors
6) Outreach to the Community
7) Church Spires and Roof
8) Office & Rectory Needs
We will look in depth at the use of all current space including the offices, rectory, parking lot and alley to assess how all areas can be utilized at the highest potential. There will also be a study to determine if any of the growing ministry can be done off site at a nearby location that could be acquired for long term use.
Thanks so much to all those who have contributed through second Sunday collections towards this feasibility study! We have received a matching grant from the Indiana Center for Congregations and all the expense is now covered for this phase. Additionally, we have money set back for some possible conceptual design and fund raising initiatives, if needed in the future.
Please let me or any of the leadership team know if you have any questions concerning the formal feasibility study. We seek to be as transparent as possible and welcome your questions, concerns and ideas! May God continue the good works He has begun in us as we seek to serve Him and His children.
In the Spirit of St. John the Evangelist,
Father Rick Nagel, Pastor
