September 2014 Bulletin: Rectory Project Update

The new rectory, nearing completion

Lead article from the September 2014 bulletin, online now. For a history of the rectory project in photos, "like" the St. Michael Catholic Church Facebook page at www.facebook.com/stmcatholicchurch.

It is with great joy that I update you on the status of the rectory project.  Last year at the St. Michael Fall Festival, our Council officially kicked off the rectory campaign, launching this bold initiative. So at the one year anniversary of the project, I am very excited to report that this year’s Festival will be a significant milestone for the Rectory Building Team. That is to say, as of late August the interior of the rectory will basically be 100% complete and by mid-September the entire landscaping should be completed. So our Council, which has led the construction management, planning, provided many of the contractors, and made a substantial investment in the funding, will be able wind down our involvement in the project.  

The rectory team, including numerous Knights
and past Grand Knights from Council 4174

First and foremost: all credit for the success of the rectory project needs to be given to God. The entire parish placed their faith into the hands of a few to be good stewards of their gifts, and God made sure this project would not fail. Honestly, I am surprised about how few setbacks we experienced Every time an obstacle arose, the team would pray about it, and in no time the issue would be resolved.  

Personalized pavers from donors
 lead up to the steps

When we launched the project last September, we hoped to break ground in late fall if we could find a way to fund the initial $120,000. After that we would hope for mild weather so we could have contractors work through the winter. When we did not reach our funding goal to begin construction in the fall, we worried if we could raise enough money to even start the project. We prayed a Novena to St. Joseph, and then it happened: an anonymous donor stepped forward and offered a matching grant of $10,000 to get the ball rolling.  So at the beginning of Advent we began the paver campaign.  As Christmas and New Year’s neared, God answered our prayers again.  Actually, He kind of tidal-waved our prayers!  At New Year’s Eve, John Bonham, fellow Knight and Parish Administrator, worked late into the evening entering paver contributions for the end of the year donations, which exceeded the expectations. Then, just to make sure we understood the project was in God’s hands, we had one of the longest winters in years. We were so fortunate not to have started in the late fall. Every time something came up, we gave it to God in our prayers, and He worked it out.

As construction began, everyone on the Building Team felt responsible to make sure we were good stewards of the generous donations. We wanted to make sure the parish would feel a sense of ownership and pride in what they created.

The altar in the rectory chapel

We wanted to make sure, like our magnificent churches, the rectory would inspire as well. Through the dedication of Rectory Team members, our Council 4174, the St. Henry’s council, contractors, benefactors, parishioners, and much of the surrounding community, the rectory really is a beautiful home. St. Michael Catholic Church has a long history of inspiring architectural work and has believed that the beautiful designs help us all draw deeper into the mystery of the Trinity and Heaven. The council can rest assured that the rectory will follow that tradition.  While the entire interior of the home is absolutely beautiful, the centerpiece of the home is the chapel. At the center of our Catholic identity is the Eucharist and so there is no better expression we could give our priests than to provide a magnificent chapel in which our Lord will be present in the Eucharist. This chapel will help draw our priests’ hearts and minds deeper into the mystery of God. 

This year as a council, our participation at the Fall Festival will be to give tours to the parish so they can see the fruits of so many people’s resources and prayers and the home we built. We will have council members acting as guides. I encourage every council member to come and see what you have helped create. I also need about 15 men to help us with tours.  If you’re interested, at the end of this article is contact information for Jim Shovelain. If you want to help, please email him.

By the time this article reaches the majority of you, the building of the rectory will be nearly complete. On behalf of the Rectory Team, I want to express our gratitude for all of your support. So many people made this project a success, but most certainly the project would not have happened without the strong support of the council. As a council, I hope each and every one of you feels a sense of accomplishment as we prepare to turn over all aspects of the rectory project to the parish. For it truly has been a home built by the Grace of God.

To help at the Fall Festival tour booth, please email Jim Shovelain at shovelain@juno.com.

In Christ,

Mike Engel

Dei Dome Gratia Project Lead

Past Grand Knight

February 2014 Bulletin: A Great Year So Far -- Let's Keep It Up!

Lead article from the February 2014 bulletin, online now.

Wow, can you believe that the fraternal year is half over already?

My, does time go by fast! Looking back on the first half of the year, we accomplished a lot. During the summer we participated in two parades, made pretzels and hosted a Catholic Man Night. We were able to enjoy each other’s company at the chili and football event … and yet again, the Vikes didn’t show up on that night. We hosted the St. Michael Fall Festival German Dinner, blood drives, and a major degree in September.

Our youth have been busy with our council’s first-ever Soccer Challenge, the resurrected free throw contest, and a poster contest. We hosted the pro- life dinner and the Marriage Love and Respect series. Our council also hosted the All Saints and St. Nick parties. We sold out the Christmas tree lot three times and closed the lot a week early. We were able to help the Hanover Food Shelf with the two cases of coats from the Coats for Kids Drive, and they were gone in just a few days! We also had another successful toy drive for this year. We were able to celebrate together at our council social, and it was
nice to see the strong turnout; hopefully everyone had a good time.

And let’s not forget the biggest initiative yet: the St. Michael Rectory Project. If you haven’t heard we have surpassed our Phase 1 goal of $120,000 and should be breaking ground in April!

I’m sure I missed a few things, but what a great council we have! None of this is possible without all you contributing in one way or another, and your works don’t go unnoticed! I hear all the time about what wonderful things the Knights do for our two parishes. I am deeply honored to be part of such giving and charitable council and look forward to all the upcoming events.

With all of these activities and more, we are still in need of a council director and a family director. We could also use a round table for this council. The Council director works with the officers and helps to lead a few events during the year, the biggest being the tree lot. The family director works with the officers on family events such as the St. Nick party, Father Daughter Dance and Father/Son Fun Day. The round table chair would meet with the priests of both St. Albert and St. Michael parishes and see how we can better serve them. If you are interested please contact me or any of the officers or
directors. God Bless!

Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 
– 1 Corinthians 15:58

Rectory Matching Gift: Donate Before the New Year!

We have received word that through an anonymous benefactor we have a matching gift of $10,000 for the new rectory project through the end of the year. That means any gift given will be doubled up to $10,000 until the end of the year.

Please help us spread the word by sharing this on your wall -- and consider making a donation before the end of the year! Special thanks and many blessings to our anonymous benefactor!

December 2013 Bulletin: Rectory Project: Next Steps

Lead article from the December 2013 bulletin, online now!

Artist's rendering of the new rectory.

Dear friends in Christ,

Thank you for the pledged support you have extended to the Knights of Columbus as we move towards building our priests a new rectory. My apologies that many of you have not been contacted since you signed up at either the parish festival, the polka band fundraiser, or after mass during the fall, but we have been waiting for some things to be solidified before we sent out an update.

As it so happened we have decided to break ground in April 2014, which will allow us more time to consolidate resources and to raise awareness and funds for the project. As the scriptures relate in Luke 14:28, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” We have thus taken our Lord’s cue and begun to focus our attention on obtaining what we need to make the building of our priests’ rectory a success.

In order to make communication easier, clearer, and quicker we have created a website that will include regular updates on the project as well as let the community as a whole know what we are still in need of to build the rectory. You can follow the project and get more information on what you have signed up for by visiting www.stmrectory.org. The site includes more complete renderings of the planned rectory, current donation needs, and a pavers fundraising campaign, which enables donors to leave a permanent, personal message for our priests as part of the project.

God reward you for your generosity to ensure that our priests have a home that is comfortable, safe, and allows them to rest from their labors in the vineyard, both now and for generations to come.

Brother Jim Shovelain

Rectory Project Volunteer Coordinator

October 2013 Bulletin: Dei Dome Gratia: Home by the Grace of God

Lead article from the October 2013 bulletin, online now!

The proposed new rectory is a rambler with a living room, dining room,
kitchen, lounge, chapel, mudroom, and bedroom on the upper level
and more bedrooms below.

Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain.

– Psalm 127:1

Brothers Knights,

As a member of Council 4174, I can say I am very proud to be a part of such a dedicated council. If you reflect on all the ways our council supports the parishes we serve, you quickly begin to see all we do. Sometimes we have the opportunity to support our parishes and community in very tangible ways. Most of you are aware of all the work the council has done to support Cornerstone Women’s Center including significant financial donations, an ultrasound machine, and countless hours donated to complete the renovation of their building.

This year, we have the opportunity to give back to our local priests in a very specific way. Our council is leading the effort to build a new rectory for our priests, present and future. Dei Dome Gratia (Home by the Grace of God) – a new rectory for our priests in St. Michael – will provide for the material needs our priests. This effort has the strong support of Grand Knight Jim Wiegers and council officers: as a council, we will provide the leadership and support to make this project a reality.

For many of you, this may be the first time you have heard of the project and you may have some questions.  We want to explain the reasoning for a new rectory and what each of you can do to help make this a reality.

• So why build a new rectory? There are a few main reasons. The current living conditions of our priests are substandard – well below those of most of us. We could take several pages detailing all the issues our priests endure on a daily basis, but to save space, let’s just say the rectory is in rough shape and needs a lot of work. The repairs needed to bring the rectory to satisfactory condition would also cost a great deal of money. Location is another reason. As Saint Michael has grown over the last 20 years, the intersection the current rectory occupies is one of the busiest in the area. Because of the active “night life,” sleep is very difficult. Finally, and most importantly, our priests are an extension of our family. So many lives are impacted by these great men, and they deserve the living conditions we would want for our own family.  
• Why are the Knights of Columbus leading this project and why now? For several reasons, but first and foremost, to show our appreciation to our priests for their leadership and to provide for their material needs. We also have a large and dynamic council who can provide the expertise and thousands of volunteer hours that will be needed to complete the project. We also have some financial strength and are well known in the community, which reassures people who may want to contribute time and financial support that the project has a high probability of success. Finally, the project is not intended to be part of any parish building process. The long-term planning and concern of Fr. Richards and the parish is to someday have a school and social hall at our Frankfort Parkway location. Fr. Richards is also much too humble to ever ask for a new home, but we shouldn’t expect our priests to live in the current conditions. With the cost of fixing the old rectory, it makes sense to invest in a long-term solution for the parish, not a temporary fix. Finally, we have a unique opportunity to obtain much of the building materials at significantly reduced costs, as Fr. Nathan has family members who are heavily involved in construction. We have been fortunate enough to receive many sizable donations already because of his connections.  When you look at all these factors, it becomes clear that our council should help lead this project, and the timing is right to make it a reality.
• Where will the new rectory be located?  The parish owns a small piece of property at Frankfort Parkway and Cottonwood Avenue near our current church. This location makes sense, as it moves the rectory near the church. It uses property already owned by the church and moves our priests away from noise and traffic and into a residential neighborhood. Someday in the future a new school and social hall will be built at the Frankfort location, so having the rectory nearby makes logistical sense.
• What will be done with the existing rectory?  This is probably the biggest question most people have. The first thing to make sure everyone understands is that we are not planning to do anything with the Rectory. Prior to Fr. Richards and Fr. Michael Becker moving back into the current rectory, our priests had not lived there for some time. The Knights’ priority is simply to help build a new home that shows our appreciation and support of our priests and provides reasonable living conditions. It seems likely that nothing will be done with the existing rectory until long-term planning is discussed by our parish committees and priests.
• What does the timetable and building process look like?  God willing, we will begin this project in the very near future! There are many factors involved in setting a project schedule, but right now our hope is to begin construction before winter. Through the generosity of several donors including a $20,000 donation from our council, we have secured the earthwork and enough money for the foundation to be completed in late fall. Our hope is to get the structure framed before winter. This would enable volunteer tradesmen and laborers to work through the winter when they are less busy. The project will be modeled after Habitat for Humanity, in which just about every aspect of the build is done through volunteer labor – and all Knights and parishioners are invited to help. Once we finalize the start date, we will create a building timeline and expect the project to take six to nine months to complete.  Again, nearly all the labor will be donated, and after framing, we will have two or three build days per week. This will make it easy for everyone to know what days they can show up and help. There are many moving parts to navigate before we can set a schedule and break ground, but we will continue to send updates so people know when they can help!
• So how can I help?  We need three things to make this project a success. First, we need prayers. Like anything worth doing, it’s worth praying for, so please pray for the success of the project. Second, we need men and women to help build the rectory. It will take an estimated 2,500 hours to build the house. The Habitat for Humanity model uses all the labor it can get, so even if you don’t have construction experience, we need your help. No one should feel they cannot pitch in. We will need people to help provide food. We will need help making sure everyone who shows up has signed in and has read the safety rules. We will need people who can hammer, saw, sweep, dig, and haul away trash. We need you!

Finally, if you have the financial ability and think our priests deserve better living conditions, I ask you to consider making a donation. As I mentioned previously, the project needs to be led by the Knights because the project cannot pull financial resources away from the parish. With that said, the project will need some large donors to help offset the material costs. We are putting together a registry that should be ready by late October.  This registry will be much like a bridal registry, in which you will be able to purchase materials to be donated to the project. If you feel called to contribute something to the project, you will be able to. Maybe you’re a plumbing contractor and can’t contribute all the plumbing fixtures, but could consider a donation in the amount of one of the bathrooms. Maybe you want to donate $1,000 toward the project. Again, please let us know.  

We have a great opportunity to show our support for our priests. If you want to help our Council give back to the men who give so much to us, please contact us.  If you would like to volunteer to help, you can contact Jim Shovelain at shovelain@juno.com.  If you have any further questions, you can contact me at mengel6672@hotmail.com.

Fraternally in Christ,

Mike Engel

Trustee First Year

Busy Weekend: Rectory Fundraiser, Soccer Challenge This Saturday

Brother Knights examine the renderings for a new rectory at the
St. Michael Catholic Church Fall Festival last weekend.

This coming weekend is a busy one for Council 4174. Don't miss your chance to get involved!

This Saturday evening, St. Michael parishioners and anyone else who is interested is invited to join Council 4174 and the Marv Nissel Band at Neighbors Eatery and Saloon in Albertville for a special event to raise funds and awareness for the rectory project for Saint Michael Catholic Church. The project was announced at last weekend's parish Fall Festival and already is garnering strong support in terms of donated materials, expertise, and labor.

The band will play from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. -- no cover; freewill offerings will support the new rectory. Enjoy great polka music, food specials, and fun, and learn more about how you can help support a great cause: a much needed new home for our priests!

Also, a reminder: earlier on Saturday we have the Knights of Columbus Soccer Challenge on Saturday, Sept. 14. All boys and girls ages 10-14 are invited to participate in the local level of competition for the 2013 Knights of Columbus Soccer Challenge.  The local competition will be held on Saturday, Sept. 14, at 1 p.m. at the St. Michael Middle School East soccer fields.  In the event of inclement weather a rain date has been set for Sunday, Sept. 15, at 1 p.m. at the same location. Knights and their children who are interested in volunteering can sign up online today!