The Need

We share the responsibility to reflect on our commitment to Saint Ann’s; to restore and grow our endowment for the future; and to maintain and renew our church with worship, community, and accessibility in mind. Projects will be addressed in the following order:

Restore the Endowment
Saint Ann’s has been blessed over the decades with an endowment, established through the generosity and foresight of parishioners who came before us. Our stewardship of the endowment requires that we replenish all funds that were advanced to pay for the initial phases of our capital campaign. Therefore, the first priority of our capital campaign is to restore those funds so the endowment continues to grow and is available for future generations at Saint Ann’s Parish.

Capital Maintenance & Improvements
Good stewardship requires that we create a reserve fund that will enable us to address our current maintenance needs and unanticipated future repairs or improvements without diminishing the principal of our endowment. Our plan is to repair and repaint the exterior of Saint Ann’s and the interior of our Sanctuary to restore our traditional Connecticut church to its original appearance of classic simplicity.

Expanded Narthex and Entrance to The Sanctuary
A well designed universal access ramp, steps and front terrace will be created for the narthex entrance. Attractive and accessible assembly space for the congregation will be provided by the terrace and utilized before and after services, coffee hours, ceremonies and special events. Landscaping will create a distinctive and welcoming entrance to Saint Ann’s throughout the year. The narthex entrance will be expanded to provide space for our clergy and ushers to greet our parish community. The new space will allow us to provide name tags, hang coats, present a guest book as a sign of welcome, offer brochures and install an announcement board which will provide easy access to all church events.

Improve and Reorganize the First Floor
Saint Ann’s new Shore Road entrance to the offices and public spaces will be a face of welcome for our parish and community. This will enable use of the Griswold Room for events that connect seamlessly to the exterior spaces, bathrooms and sanctuary. A reorganized first floor will provide for two ADA compliant bathrooms. Our parish offices will be relocated to provide better access, adjacency and efficiency. The flow into the offices and Griswold Room will be improved with direct access from the new entrance.