Dear St. Philip Family,

When we first launched our Capital Campaign, we had $0 and a big dream: God was calling us to beautify our place of worship, inspire people with the hope of heaven, and draw more souls to Jesus. We prayed that this would not simply be a building project, but a moment for our parish to grow closer together and closer to God. We prayed for all those tasked with the renovation, for their integrity and gifts, and in thanksgiving for the incredible generosity of our parishioners and friends who would make acts of faith through their prayers and financial contributions. Today, exactly one year later, I can tell you stories of interactions with workers—conversions, holy moments, and inspirations to come back to the Lord and change their lives. I can tell you stories of parishioners and even people outside the parish who were moved and proud to be part of this great effort to glorify God and bring hope to souls. We prayed that this Campaign would not simply be successful, but fruitful. And the fruits abound! Thank you, St. Philip Family, for this amazing journey and for your generosity in your prayers, your pledges, and your joy! We are so blessed to be here for a time such as this!

Our original goal was $1.8 million—enough to reconstruct our failing subsurface drainage system, add additional bathrooms and renovate our sanctuary. Then something extraordinary happened. In just four weeks, we raised more than $1.5 million! Because of the incredible response, we decided to dream even bigger. We expanded the project to include a complete renovation of the church, including new flooring throughout, painting of the entire church, and brand-new pews. To do this, we increased our campaign goal to $2.4 million... AND WE CRUSHED IT!!!

I am incredibly proud to announce that today, our total pledge amount is $2,566,567! Even more remarkably, we have already received more than $1.5 million in cash! Thank you. Your generosity, sacrifice, and love for our parish have made this renovation possible. This is an incredible time in our parish history!

The cost of materials, labor, and construction has increased significantly from the time we began this journey in 2023. The final cost of the renovation is now $2,748,817.67 and we have a plan! Part 1 - FAM JAM!! Fam Jam 2026 proceeds will be dedicated to closing the renovation gap! Come join us for a great family celebration, invite your friends, and help us close the gap! Part 2 - FINAL COUNTDOWN! We anticipate Fam Jam will contribute approximately $120,000 which will leave us with a remainder of $62,250.

IT’S THE FINAL COUNTDOWN! If we can close this final $62,250 gap, the entire renovation of our church will be fully funded through the Capital Campaign! And this is absolutely within reach. If 625 people give $100 we are there! I am going to personally add $1,000 to my pledge amount… now the gap is $61,250! No gift is too small: Every gift moves us closer to the finish line! 

I am grateful for each one of you and I love you very much. May God bless you and your families in complete abundance. Know of my daily prayers for you! Let’s Complete the Dream and Open Heaven!

In Christ,

Fr. Andrew Rudmann