Dear Fellow Parishioners:

I have been asked several times in the past few weeks if it is true that the Vestry is planning to undertake a capital campaign in the near future. The answer is yes.

Several factors have contributed to the decision to move forward now.

Master Plan overview
As has been reported the past few years, the Vestry has been working on a master plan of the campus to provide for anticipated future needs. Elements of that plan include:

*renovating the Fishpond Garden to allow for more gathering space between the rear east door of the church and the Murphey Gallery;

*renovating the Plaza to be a gateway to the church from the intersection of Campbell Avenue and River Road, as well as making it a more welcoming space for worship, recreation, and contemplation;

*expanding the Columbarium Garden to add more niches for future use and to provide an outdoor altar and worship area; and,

*the renovation of La Parroquia to be a community center, counseling center, and library.

General maintenance projects—completed
Maintenance of the buildings, grounds, and equipment has not always kept pace with the unseen decay that naturally occurs.

To that end, in 2023 a maintenance forecast known as the “R3M Study” (Repair, Replacement, Refurbishment, and Maintenance) was prepared. That study was made possible through the combined efforts of the Preservation and Endowment Foundation Board (P&E), the Buildings and Grounds Committee (B&G), Vestry, and facilities management staff.

The study was adopted to guide annual project planning, funding, and execution. Monies from P&E and grants totaling approximately $1.2million made it possible to complete the following projects:

*the church’s historic roof was re-tiled

*a new roof was installed on Building 1 (which houses the Bloom Music Center, Atrium classrooms, and Catalina Hills Preschool & Kindergarten)

*HVAC units have been replaced

*pews have been refinished, other structural repairs have been made, and more.

Urgent projects—to be addressed
Despite these efforts, several urgent projects remain unaddressed due to lack of funding. Most acute among these are:

*reinforcing and stabilizing the south wall of the church;

*re-roofing the sanctuary, office, and Murphey Gallery;

*installing a drainage system to move excess water from the Perry and Fishpond Gardens; and,

*refurbishing the organ.

The estimated cost for urgent projects
The highest priority project is to reinforce and stabilize the south wall of the church.

While re-tiling the church’s roof last winter, a sizable crack was discovered in the plaster that abuts the choir loft (where the organ pipes are). Further investigation revealed that the south wall (where the great arched doors are) is leaning 6” out of plumb. The likely cause is decaying adobe in the wall.

The engineered repair is projected to cost $400,000—or more. Reroofing the office and Murphey Gallery is likely to cost $160,000, and the drainage work to move water away from the Perry and Fishpond Gardens is estimated to cost $155,000.

Future projects
Master Plan projects that are less urgent but of significant importance include the Columbarium Garden expansion, and improvements to the Fishpond Garden and parking lot. The Plaza improvements and La Parroquia renovation fall into the “desired but not crucial” category.

Next steps
You will hear more about the capital campaign, “For Generations to Come” in the new few weeks, with detailed cost projections for the various projects. We are developing campaign materials that will explain ways to contribute and provide more details about individual projects. The campaign will launch formally on Sunday, November 2.

Please know the work we are doing is to be good stewards of the gifts that were given to us by prior generations—and to assure we leave Saint Philip’s for future generations to cherish just as we have.

Faithfully,

—John Bremond