Information Statement
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Proposed Parish Community Center & Church Enhancements

St. Perpetua Parish is blessed with extremely committed leadership and an active parish family.  Indeed, it is precisely because St. Perpetua is such a vibrant worship community that a very pressing need must be addressed at this time. 

Our dynamic faith community is home to so many groups and events that the demands on our current Parish Hall are overwhelming.  This tremendous demand is exacerbated by the fact that our current facility is too small, outdated, and inadequate - many events have to be postponed, cancelled, or simply not held because there is no room available or because the group is too big to fit. 

After considerable study and analysis, our 2005 Survey, and the listening sessions held by the Pastoral Council over the past year, it has been proposed that St. Perpetua should go forth with plans to build a Parish Community Center and make enhancements to our church.  Parishioners believe that by having a more adequate and inviting place to gather we will strengthen the existing bonds of community and attract new members to our parish.  At the same time, our proposed church enhancements will enrich the liturgical experience for all who worship here. 

• Parish Community Center

The 9,500 square foot, two-story Parish Community Center will be a central component of our life at St. Perpetua, and many of our primary parish, social, and school activities will take place here - e.g., gatherings, celebrations, performances, assemblies, etc.  This new facility will bring the entire parish together under one roof.  In essence, it will provide much needed space for our many organizations and committees to gather while further enriching our entire social and community experience. 

The Community Center will be built in the area next to the church, towards the hillside.  The current hall would be removed, and the existing church would become its own building; a central courtyard uniting the two buildings would be built.  The ground floor of the new Community Center would have a large gathering space featuring a retractable stage and movable partitions, a commercial kitchen, storage, other support areas, and restrooms.  The upper floor would offer a center with a digital theater, study area, and support spaces.  The new facility would enable us to offer the following:

• Parish ministries - Faith Formation, Adult Education, Youth Ministry, RCIA, funeral receptions
• Social gatherings - Crab Feed, pancake breakfasts, celebrations (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Weddings), dinners, potlucks and fundraisers, artistic and musical performances
• Religious Education (CCD) – classes, parenting programs, sacramental preparation, catechist meetings and training sessions
• Youth - a place for parish teens to gather for socializing and faith-sharing
• School - performances and events, music program, dances, plays, rainy day lunches
• Outreach - shelter meals, food/clothing collection,  charity fundraisers, Winter Nights
• Community Service - CYO, Blue & Gold Banquet, Scouts and Brownies, civic outreach

• Church enhancements

While not eliminating our goal of building a new place of worship, these enhancements to our church would allow the liturgy to be more accessible and attractive to our parish family.  The proposed enhancements include:

• Enhancements for the Liturgy                                       
• Heating and air conditioning
• Enlarged space for Music Ministry
• Seating reconfiguration
• New flooring

St. Perpetua’s history vividly demonstrates its continuing commitment to the enrichment of our entire Christian community.  Our facilities have provided a sense of community, spirituality, and devotion for our entire parish family.  Accordingly, to ensure that we can continue to adequately respond to both the present needs of our parish and its continued enrichment, we must address these needs at this time.