The Need

Just as past generations made a commitment to St. John’s that is bearing fruit in our ministry, it is now our turn to do likewise. The Our Faith, Our Future capital campaign is our commitment to the future of St. John’s as a worshiping community. We begin the campaign trusting that God will continue to bless our ministry here and the ministry of generations yet to come.

Organ Replacement—$367,049

For 50 years, the backbone of St. John’s sacred music program has been our Wicks Organ. In recent years, the organ has encountered significant mechanical and electrical problems. After a lengthy period of discernment and study, the St. John’s Vestry voted unanimously to sign a contract with Quimby Pipe Organs of Warrensburg, Missouri.

Replacing the organ is a major undertaking that will secure our music program for another 50-75 years or more. After listening to the input of the congregation, the Vestry has approved this plan to complete the organ and beautify our worship space, enhancing accessibility and function in a historically cohesive way.

Quimby Pipe Organs is now in the process of building a new pipe organ for St. John’s that combines new materials and refurbishes some 80% of our current and stored pipe work. The total cost of the new Quimby organ is $573,514. Because of past bequests and other gifts, we have already paid more than one-third of the organ’s final cost.

Restoration & Beautification—$228,842

Water Damage & Bell Tower Restoration: $31,620
Cracks and water damage must be addressed before a new organ can be installed. In addition, while the St. John’s bell tower is an iconic feature of the Lafayette skyline, the inside of the tower is both an eyesore and a hazard. Leaks and water damage in the tower will be repaired, the steps will be reconfigured to create a more user-friendly entrance, and other features will be beautified and restored. An external striker will be added to the 1839 bell located in the tower, which can then be used regularly to call the St. John’s community to worship.

Flooring: $91,280
New stone flooring throughout the nave and chancel will enhance the overall beauty of the church and allow for the installation of a hearing loop system. This will also give us the opportunity to reconfigure the choir space and provide more room and flexibility to our growing choir. New flooring will be carefully chosen to address safety, durability, and beauty.

Carpentry & Electric: $90,262
Along with the new organ, an essential piece of the campaign is to beautify the church for us and for generations to come. Plans include replacing woodwork throughout the church to match new organ casework; restoring exterior and interior doors and doorways; and repairing cracks in plaster throughout the church. Lighting controls will also be updated

Hearing Loop: $15,680
To help those parishioners who use hearing aids, we will install a hearing loop tied
directly into the church’s audio system. This technology is now being used widely in churches, classrooms, and auditoriums as a supplement to hearing aids.

Campaign Expenses. In addition to the costs of the projects themselves, there is an additional expense of $46,109 for the management and implementation of a campaign of this size. Costs include short-term financing, construction management, campaign events, and administrative expenses.

Total Campaign Goal—$642,000