My Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
It is with great joy and thanksgiving that I write this letter to you. This moment has been a long time coming. As a parish, we’ve explored various ways to minister to the needs of our expanding congregation. Now, we stand at an exciting new juncture. With the World Golf Village and the surrounding neighborhoods expanding rapidly, it’s time for Our Lady of Good Counsel to move forward with the next phase of development to meet the needs of our faith community.
If our parish’s journey were a movie, this would be our “Act II.” Nearly 25 years ago, a small community formed Our Lady of Good Counsel as a mission church of St. Ambrose in Elkton. Then, in 2008, we became a parish with fewer than 300 families. These founding families paved the way for the facilities we enjoy today. Now, it’s our turn—all generations—to continue that legacy. This time, we can’t rely on just a few parishioners. It will take the united effort of everyone in our parish.
Our first campaign, “Together We Can,” allowed us to build the facilities we have today. We are now a parish of approximately 700 families, and it’s time for “Together We Can – Act II.”
Act II has three key goals:
Scene 1: Renovate and renew the interior of our existing sanctuary, making it more welcoming and conducive to worship for our growing congregation.
Scene 2: Upgrade the infrastructure—water, sewer, fire protection and electrical systems—to support both our current facilities and our future expansion. These upgrades are critical for constructing a new ministry center and, ultimately, a new church.
Scene 3: Expand our mission of service. A new building will be constructed to provide a dedicated space for our food pantry, flexible meeting areas for Bible study, religious education and community events fostering connection, formation and spiritual growth.
Act II is designed to meet our immediate needs without overextending our resources. But to succeed, we need everyone’s participation. There are no understudies or stand-ins in this production—every parishioner is a vital part of the cast.
Our goal for Act II is $3.2 million. Given our hope and generosity as Catholics, this target is within reach. (Note: In Act I, a parish less than half our current size raised $1.3 million in 2008.) You will hear more about our plans as we move forward. In the meantime, I ask for your prayers—for you and your family, our parish family and the success of this campaign. Together, let us bring Act II to a close with joyous applause and heartfelt alleluias!
May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you,
Father Guy Noonan, Pastor
EXPLANATION OF UPGRADES ASSOCIATED
WITH THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
Our current septic system is over 25 years old and has served us well, but it's time for a transformation to meet the needs of our growing community.
A new dedicated space for our food pantry, allowing us to serve those in need without disrupting our sacred worship.
Flexible meeting areas for Bible study, religious education and community events that foster connection and spiritual growth.
A versatile area capable of hosting Vacation Bible School, meetings and parish social gatherings.
The space will also function as a family center or youth center when the new Formation/Ministry Center and Mother Church are built.
Supports larger community events like Bingo and Trivia Nights, which contribute significantly to the parish’s operating account, raising over $34,000.
Protects the renovated church by moving community functions into this new, purpose-built area.