Rebuild My ChurchBuilding  our  Future

Throughout  history,  ministry  has  been  at  the  center  of  decisions  to  build,  rebuild  and  expand.    It  is  often  said  that  church  is  more  than  bricks  and  mortar.    Guardian  Angels   parishioners   also   believe   this,   but,   more  importantly,   we   understand   that   our   buildings   are  necessary  to  provide  space  and  support  for  the  many  ministries  that  are  central   to  our  mission  to  worship,  teach  and  serve.    

Rebuild  my  Church!The   Guardian   Angels   Catholic   community   has,   for  over  a  century,  felt  a   strong  connection   to  St.  Francis  of   Assisi   and   the   Franciscan   order.     While   many  people   may  be   familiar   with   St.   Francis’s   afDinity   to  animals  and   nature,   a   fascinating   story  exists  and   is,  perhaps,   the   very   thing   that   brought   the   man   who  would  later  become  St.  Francis  to  his  ministry.    As  a  young  man,  Francis  felt  a  strong   connection  with  

G o d ,   b u t   w a s   n o t   e n t i r e l y  comfortable   with   his   father’s  obsession   with   wealth   and   had  begun   to   question   whether   or   not  

he  could  continue  to  serve  God  and  money  at  the   same   time.    In   his   many   walks   around  As s i s i ,   F r anc i s   a lways  favored  a  dilapidated,  mostly  abandoned   church   dedicated  

to   San   Damiano.     On   one   of   his  walks,  he  felt  an  urge  to  pray  inside  the   old   church   and,   while   praying  

before   a   large   icon   of   Jesus   on   the  Cross  painted  on  one  of  the  crumbling  church   walls,   he   heard   the   voice   of  

Christ,   “Francis,   don’t   you   see   that   my  house  is  being  destroyed?    Go  then  and  rebuild  it  for  me.”  Immediately,   Francis   began   repairing   the   San  Damiano   church,   not   realizing   until  much   later   that  God  was   asking   him  to   reform   the   spirit   and   soul   of  the  church,  not  merely  the  bricks  and  mortar.      Many  churches,   including   the   one   of   San   Damiano,   were  repaired   in  the   ensuing  months  and  years  during   the  time   in   which   Francis   was   discerning   God’s   true  message.    While  none  of  us  alive  today  could  have  had  the   fortunate   opportunity   to   speak   to   St.   Francis   or  the   many   people   who   helped   him   repair   those  churches,   there   is   no   doubt   that   God   still   made   a  profound   impression   on   these  men  and  women  who  poured   their  blood,   sweat  and  prayers   into   re-­‐laying  each   brick   and   stone   as   they   rebuilt   the   houses   of  worship,   not   to   mention   the   epiphany   that   each  laborer  must  have  felt  after  seeing  the  impact  of  their  work  on  the  universal  Church!With   our   rich   Franciscan   heritage,   it   seemed   only  Ditting   that   our   Capital   Campaign   be   christened,  “Rebuild My Church.”     Parish   leadership   certainly  understands   that   God’s   plan   for   us   is   not   to   build  

grand   temples   that   stretch   toward   the   heavens   –  rather,  we  are  called  to  serve  one  another,  especially  in   times   of   great   personal   need.     We   are   called   to  teach  our  children  about  ethics  and  values  that  build  strong  Christian  men  and  women.    We  are   called  to  create   spaces   that   allow   people   to   worship,   learn,  and  work  in  a  space  that  is  safe,  warm  and  dry.    We  are   called   to   preserve   for   future   generations   what  our  ancestors  have  saved  for  us.    

Serving  our  PeopleAll   too   often,   one   thinks   of   church   as   a   “Sunday  Morning”   activity   without   giving   thought   to   what  happens  on  the  other  six  days  of  the  week.    Ministry  is  a  24-­‐7  endeavor  that  happens  365  days  of  the  year  at  G.A.    Besides  the   important  work  of   the  Liturgy,  Guardian  Angels   prepares   people   for  marriages   and   baptisms,  counsels   those   who   are  p l a n n i n g   f u n e r a l s   a n d  provides   education   for   kids  from   preschool   through  eighth  grade.    Faith  Formation  is  offered  from  cradle  to  grave  –  with  little  ones  learning  how  to  make   their   Dirst   confession  and   rece i ve   the i r   D i r s t  communion   and   providing  programs   for   older   teens   so  that   they   understand   what   it  means   to   be   conDirmed.    Young  adults  learn  how  to  use  the   bible   in   their   daily   walk  with   Christ   and   how   to  i m p r o v e   u p o n   t h e i r  understanding   of   God’s  Word  through   bible   studies   and  spec ia l   gues t   speakers .    Parishioners   reach   out   to  those   who,   due   to   physical  restrictions,   cannot  be  part  of  our   celebrations   by   offering  Eucharist   to   those   who   are  h o m e b o u n d ,   s e n d i n g  packages   to   those   in   the  military,   and   providing   a  loving  presence  for  those  who  might   Dind   it   difDicult   to   face  another   lonely   or   challenging  day.      Volunteers  serve  as  the  face  and  hands  of  Jesus  Christ   as   they   answer   phones,   clean   pews,   cook  meals,   greet   guests   in   the   ofDice,   school   and   in  church.      Job  coaches  meet  with  job  seekers  who  are  unemployed  and   underemployed  to   hone   skills  and  provide  assurance.    These  ministries  are  just  a  few  of  the  many  ways  in  which  Guardian  Angels  is  making  an   impact  on   our  community.    The   list  of  ministries  grows   each   and   every   year,   as   does   the   need   for  greater  outreach  and  greater  impact.    

Continued on back...

Overview  of  ImprovementsOur   buildings   have   been   serving   the   needs   of   our  parish   and   school   for   many   decades   –   some  reaching  over  100  years  in  age.      While  incremental  maintenance   has  helped,  we  have  not  done  major   repairs   to   some   buildings   for  many  years,  and  as  a  result,  we  are  at  risk  of  losing  the  ability  to  host  vital  ministries   in   our   facilities.     The  sheer   size,   age   and   historical  signiDicance   of   our   buildings  require   a   sizable   investment  in   infrastructure.     Tuck-­‐pointing,  or  the  repairing  of  the   brick   “skin”   over   all   of  our  buildings  on   campus,   is  a   major   undertaking   and  has   already   begun   so   that  we   could   stabilize   the  damage   occurring   due   to  t h e   p a s s a g e   o f   t ime .    Another  big   investment  that  we   need   to  make   now   is   to  our   roof   structures   before  further,   more   costly   damage  occurs   to   internal   spaces.     As  we   have   made   improvements  over   the   past   decade   in   our  heating,   venti lation,   and   air  conditioning   systems   in   the   church,  ofDice,   and   school   buildings,   it   has  become  apparent  that  our  window  systems  have   outlived   their   useful   life   and   each   month,  hundreds   of   dollars   in   energy   escapes   from   our  buildings  due  to  drafty  windows  and  doors.    Lastly,  we  hope  to  make  signiDicant  improvements  to  our  parish  kitchen  located   in   the   school.    This  facility  has   been   in   use   and   largely  unimproved   since   the  mid-­‐1950’s  and   needs  to   be   upgraded   in   order  to  meet  the   needs   of   an   increasing   number  of   events  held   in   the   gymnasium   space   by   both   parish   and  school   groups.     As  these   improvements  are   made,  we  know  that  we  will  also  need  to  upgrade  systems  to  meet   code   requirements   as   well   as   increased  infrastructure   requirements   (i.e.   power).     These  upgrades  are  included  in   the   overall  campaign  goal  of  $2.4  million  (approved  by  the  Archbishop).While  much  of   the   improvements  we  plan  to  make  with   proceeds   from   the   capital   campaign   involve  infrastructure,   parishioners   will   see   immediate  results   and   improved   facilities   as   the   repairs   are  made.     Brick  tuckpointing   makes   a   striking   visual  improvement  to  the  facility.    Rooms  will  be  warmer  in   the   winter   and   cooler   in   the   summer   when  outdated   windows   are   replaced   with   energy-­‐efDicient   units   that   also   bring   in   more   natural  lighting   (further  enhancing  energy  savings)  and  are  architecturally  accurate   for  our  historic   buildings.    Roof   leaks   will   be   repaired   and  walls  and   ceilings  repainted.    Events  held  in   the   gymnasium,  such   as  the   Beef   and   Sausage   Dinner,   Fish   Fry   Fridays,  AngelFest,   ConDirmation   Breakfasts,   etc.   will   see  improvements  in   the   quality  of   food  and  service   as  we  upgrade  equipment  and  make   the  space   a   safer  and  more  comfortable  space  to  work.    

Please  Give  GenerouslyWe   are   asking   each  parish   family  to  make   a   three-­‐year   pledge   to   the   “Rebuild  My  Church”   campaign  that  is  over  and  above  each  family’s  current  level  of  

giving.     Please   prayerfully   consider   the  sacriDice  you  can  make   in  order  to  ensure  that   Guardian   Angels   Parish   will   be  able   to   continue   offering   the   many  ministries   for   the   next   150   years.    Parish   leadership   understands  that   this   campaign   has   a   lofty  goal   and   one   that   will   take  much   effort   to   achieve.     We  take   pride   and   humility   from  our   ancestors   who   sacriDiced  much   in  order  to  rebuild   the  church,  after  the  1902  Dire,  in  just  one  year’s  time.    We  see  the   promise   in   the   eyes   of  each  new   Dirst   communicant  as  they  proudly  process  back  to   the   pew,   where   they   will  one  day  witness  their  children  receive   Eucharist   for   the   Dirst  time.     Guardian   Angels   has  served   as   a   place   of   comfort,  solace   and   celebration   for   so  many   families   for   many,   many  

years.     Now   it   is   our   turn   to   show  future   generations   how   much   our  

church,   our  faith,  our  future  means  to  us.    At  the   back   of   church   this  weekend,   you  will  

Dind   a   “Rebuild   My   Church”   packet   that   has   been  prepared   especially   for   your   family.     Please   give  generously   to   the   campaign.     Our   future   depends  upon   your   prayerful   discernment   of   the   sacriDice  that   you   can   make   for   the   current   and   future  generations  who  call  Guardian  Angels  our  spiritual  home.    Thank  you!

Have  Questions  about  the  “Rebuild  My  Church”  Campaign?    Come  to  one  of  the  Town  Hall  Meetings  (to  be  held  in  the  church):

Monday,  April  11th7:00  p.m.  –  8:30  p.m.Saturday,  April  16th9:00  a.m.  –  10:30  a.m.Monday,  April  18th7:00  p.m.  –  8:30  p.m.

Members  of  the  Capital  Campaign  Committee,  staff  and  parish  leadership  will  be  on  hand  to  answer  your  questions.    You  may  also  visit  www.GAChaska.org  for  more  information.