Beloved Parishioners,

I wish to dedicate this week’s Pastor’s Corner on some of our parish financial needs. The highest of them all is the situation of the church air conditioner units of which I have spoken to you in the past. However, before I go into that, I would like to thank everyone for the significant increase that has been recorded in the weekly plate collection.

As many of you can see, the monthly summary indicates a significant increase which helps us to meet our monthly expenses. I say a BIG THANK YOU to all. If there are those who have not stepped up to increase their offering, this is the time you may consider adding something to what you have given in the past.

The various committees, like the Parish Council, the Building Committee with the help of the Finance Committee recently compiled a list of the various parish financial needs and the aim is to assist the parish in the effort to become more proactive in providing for our current and future needs. I would make the list available in the coming weeks so that anyone who is touched can look at the items and see where he/she can assist.

In the past few weeks, I have been sharing with you the state of our air conditioning units in our church, which are more than twenty years old and right now at the brink of total collapse. As I said in my first address to you, it is an emergency, and they need to be replaced as soon as possible. We have obtained multiple proposals from local air conditioning contractors and the lowest bid to replace both units is about one hundred and sixty thousand dollars, $160,000.00 as opposed to the $240,000.00, which was the initial proposal we received, that I told you about in the past. But we received a good bid that agreed to do it for us at a very discounted price. Half of the amount must be submitted when we sign the purchase order. The balance of it would be due when the installation is completed. It is estimated that the unit will be received in approximately six months. Installation will take approximately one month.

Unfortunately, we do not have adequate cash reserves to provide for this necessary expense. As a result of this situation, I am appealing to everyone as we wish us to embark on a second collection once a month which would be used specifically for this purchase. We may need to take a loan to allow us to place the order. Our hope is that the funds from the second collection will accumulate quickly to reduce the amount of interest we will need to pay on the loan. As of October 28th, the total amount we have received for the air conditioners is $25,051.38.

I wish to thank many of you who, being aware of this need, have made significant contributions to assist us in taking care of this need. Your positive response is highly appreciated while I sincerely appeal for more support in this regard. It is not difficult to notice that our parish has other immediate financial needs which require our attention. As the second collection accumulates, part of it would be used to address some of these needs. Many areas of our parking lot are in bad shape and some of our pew kneelers are falling off, so also the stucco. As I said, with time I would make available the list of our highest priority needs of the parish so that people are free to choose which one they wish to support. Everyone will have the opportunity to decide.

Finally, I remain ever grateful to you all my beloved parishioners for your constant support in various ways for the good of the parish while I appeal that you do not get tired in your support as I know that the world economy right now is hard on everyone but with God on our side and your support we would get over it.

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