A Message from Fr. David, August 21, 2022

With 2023 marking the 100th anniversary of St. James the Apostle Church, we enter this Centennial Year of celebration grateful that the Holy Spirit has guided this faith-filled community.

Although the impact of the pandemic presented challenges to our parish, it also helped reflect its strengths.

Our parish is thriving in many ways. Our ministries are alive and active. Our community outreach, youth religious education and adult faith formation programs continue to flourish, and many new and young families are finding a spiritual home here at St. James. We are blessed and foresee a bright future ahead.

This is a unique time in the life of the parish and our centennial provides us the perfect time to creatively, courageously, and collectively think about our present needs as well as our future needs.

A major necessity that has become evident is the need for an accessible, spacious, versatile, and attractive area to gather in fellowship for events, meetings, and parish activities as well as providing administrative space.

In consultation with the Pastoral Council, Finance Council and Parish Trustees, we are embarking on a Feasibility Study. This study will allow parishioners to provide their input in helping us determine our capacity to conduct a parish Capital Campaign and obtain the necessary financial support to achieve the goal of the construction of a New Parish Center.

Every registered household should have already received a mailing inviting you to participate in the feasibility study that is intended to solicit your thoughts and perspectives regarding this project. The parish leadership and I want to know your thoughts of the prospects for the Capital Campaign in meeting the related construction costs.

As a parish, we will not make a decision to conduct any efforts to raise the funds until the feasibility study is completed and all the results are reviewed.

The goal to construct a beautiful, new parish center is dependent on your participation, your involvement, and your commitment.

As a preliminary step and to help us in this work, we are partnering with the Office of Development and Stewardship at the Archdiocese of Newark, and the office’s Director, Thomas J. Smith on this feasibility study. Please know that our parish will not incur the expensive costs usually associated with retaining outside counsel for these services.

Please read the letter and the case statement enclosed in the mailing and then consider participating in the feasibility study by responding accordingly. Copies of the feasibility study mailing materials are available from the parish rectory office upon request.

A visual rendering of the proposed parish center will be on display in the narthex of the church starting Sunday, August 14th and is also enclosed in the mailing.

We look forward to your prayerful thoughts and participation.

Friends, THANK YOU for all that you do for our parish and for making St. James a special place to worship God! God bless you!