1. What is the difference between the offertory, building fund, and the capital campaign?
The weekly Offertory is a fund that pays for routine operations of the parish. It includes salaries, rent/mortgage, maintenance, utilities, and day-to-day expenses.
The Building Fund is an ongoing and long term, regular savings account to which parishioners contribute and have contributed to since the Mission was formed in 2002 – and will continue even after this project is completed. It funds building, and improvement projects, but most of the funds will be used to build a permanent Church. The current account balance is about $500,000.
Our Capital Campaigns have been designed to raise funds rapidly to build a permanent Church. Parishioners are asked to pledge an amount that can be paid at once or over a period of up to 3 years. The expectation for a Capital Campaign is to raise significant amounts quickly, like a burst, as opposed to routine, weekly or monthly contributions.
Funds from the Building Fund and our Capital Campaigns will be used to build a permanent Church.
2. How can I contribute to building our new church?
We ask that you complete our SKD Cornerstone Campaign Pledge Form on the website and make payments via ParishSOFT, the weekly offertory, or by mail.
Cornerstone Campaign I and II Information
- Pledge form required for funds to be included in the campaign. If no pledge form received, funds will be directed to the SKD Construction Fund
- Do not combine payments for the two campaigns (separate checks). Checks should be made payable to SKD Cornerstone Campaign or SKD Cornerstone Campaign II to be applied to your pledge properly.
- Funds received for SKD Cornerstone Campaign II will be deposited into a separate account to be used for the future construction of the offices
Questions? Email our business manager, Lori Trout trout@saint-stephen.org
Here are related additional links.
3. Can I use ParishSOFT to make SKD Cornerstone Campaign contributions?
Yes, it’s the most convenient way to support our church. ParishSOFT allows you to link payments to bank accounts and/or credit cards. You can schedule payments to automatically occur monthly or you can make them on a one time basis. Please sign up at ParishSOFT.
4. What happens if my financial situation changes and I can’t fulfill my pledge?
Don’t worry. Give what you can, when you can, if your financial situation changes.
5. How does our status as a Mission versus a parish affect construction of a permanent Church? When will we become a parish?
Our status as a Mission does not affect our project. We will become a parish when the Mission exhibits enough support (membership and financial) to warrant the appointment of a full-time priest by the Bishop.
6. What is being done to expand the number of registered SKD families?
A significant number of families living within SKD boundaries attend Holy Trinity Church, All Saints, and St. John the Evangelist in Warrenton. We plan to continue outreaching to area families who are zoned to attend St. Katharine Drexel Mission.
7. How much more money is needed to add the Offices?
TBA
8. How can I get involved?
We would love for you to be an active part of our growing church community! To get involved, please contact Tim Freeman, Chairman of the Building Committee at tbfreeman@aol.com. To get involved with our various church ministries, please see our Ministries and Organizations page.
9. Will there be a school, community hall, a larger Church?
The Special Use Permit approved by Prince William County proscribes 2 Phases: 1) Phase 1 has been permitted to be a combination Parish Center (which is effectively a small church) and other support space; 2) Phase 2 is permitted to include a school (K-8) and a larger church (up to 1,000 seats). Based on our priorities and affordability, Phase 1 resources will be focused initially on constructing a space for worship (i.e., a small church that can later be converted to a parish center after Phase 2 is constructed).
10. How can I get more information and what if I have more questions?
The website is frequently updated to provide the latest status. For additional information, please contact Tim Freeman, Building Committee Chairman at tbfreeman@aol.com.
