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Dear Parishioners,

Years before modern harbors were built, a ship had to wait for a flood tide before it could make it to port. The Latin term for this situation is “ob portu.” The English word “opportunity” is derived from this original meaning. The captain and crew had to be ready and waiting for the moment the tide would flood. They knew that if they missed it, they would have to wait for another tide to come in before making it to port. We at St. Thomas More are facing the opportunity to remodel and add to our present facilities. If we fail to act now, it may be sometime before we have this same opportunity.

For over 35 years, St Thomas More has met the challenge of increasing and improving our physical plant to meet the needs of our community. We have grown into the largest Catholic parish in the Archdiocese of Denver. Now, we are facing an opportunity to remodel the original buildings, namely the church, mission room and church gym. The parish leadership has spent the last two years developing a plan to complete the master plan that began with the building of the Parish School in 1994 and the Evangelization Center in 1999 under Father Michael Walsh. A “Facilities and Needs Assessment Research” process done in the spring of 2004 helped us realize the scope of the work that remains to be done. More than 300 families were polled and the need for a new rectory was clearly identified along with substantial improvements to the church, mission room and church gym.

In the fall of 2005, after going through a lengthy civic approval process, the parish received the approval to add a new façade to our church entrance including a bell tower reaching a height of 68 feet. I believe this new construction will be a signature addition to our church. A new adoration chapel will be added to the church so that a single tabernacle will serve both the sanctuary and the chapel. This will give Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament the location and the respect that he deserves. Much of the project will be directed to remodeling the interior of the church. The sanctuary will be completely redone with a crucifix and tabernacle centrally located; arches will frame the main altar, the true focus of any church. New stained glass windows will give needed color while still preserving glimpses of our glorious mountain views. The pews will be replaced and new kneelers will be a must! The old stained glass windows and the resurrected Christ will be preserved and relocated over the new baptismal font at the entrance of the church.

The main entrance to the church will be dramatically different. A large lobby space, called the narthex, will accommodate the hundreds of parishioners that gather and greet one another before and after Mass. An elevator will be conveniently located for those who choose not to ascend the stairs leading to a new baptismal font with free flowing water suitable for immersion baptism at the Easter Vigil. The narthex will lead the faithful to other destinations as well. The parish library will be located in this space where its expanded holdings will be more available. A devotional cove will have dozens of racks of candles burning before our popular religious icons. Hopefully, anyone will be able to find an unlighted candle when visiting the church. The lobby space will also lead us directly to the newly remodeled parish hall and into a corridor to the relocated restrooms and also to the remodeled Cloister Cove.

The current mission room and gym will be transformed into one large banquet hall renamed McCallin Hall, in memory of the late Father Fred McCallin, the founding pastor of St. Thomas More Parish. This high honor recognizes “Fast Freddy’s” spirit and determination that still drives this parish to the present day. McCallin Hall can be divided into three independent spaces, McCallin One, Two and Three. McCallin One will be closest to the narthex and will have a more formal space with specialty lighting and access to the Cloister Cove. McCallin Two can be transformed into a half-gym accommodating volleyball and basketball practice. When used formally, the portable basketball hoops will conveniently be hidden away. McCallin Three will have curtains and a stage for performances and plays. Superior sound and lighting systems will be available throughout. The Padre Restaurant will be accessible through new doors leading directly to the area where food will be served for the many dinners planned throughout the year. A complete makeover is planned for the Padre kitchen and the senior high youth center will see some needed improvements as well.

The tired space underneath the Padre will undergo a complete remodeling, providing our Knights of Columbus with the necessary space to continue their outstanding service to the parish and the community at large. The Discovery Job Network will jockey location with an expanded large meeting space and remodeled restrooms. Some needed life safety items will also be addressed. The basement under the church also will be remodeled allowing the elevator from the narthex to go downstairs. The main parish offices will expand into the old St. Joseph hall. New restrooms will be a welcome addition for the staff and visitors.

The original rectories that now look like modular homes will be replaced with a modern, more substantial building in the same location. Built in a style compatible with the church, the new rectory will allow the priests to live in joint apartments with a large common room, a central kitchen and a formal dinning room. An elevator will be a welcome addition with the added touch of meeting the needs of aging priests who serve the parish as parochial vicars. Guest rooms for seminary interns and visiting priests will also be available. The underground garage will add a distinctly clean look to the building matched only by a privacy wall providing for a much needed back yard.
The meditation garden outside the adoration chapel will be located on the other side of the rectory wall. This open, outdoor space will provide a memorial site for the unborn while providing a clear view of our majestic mountains. Exterior landscaping and new walkways will also be added with special emphasis on the parking lot adjacent to the youth center. Trash enclosures and new landscaping will provide a transition to the new parallel church façade that will greet our visitors coming to this entrance. A second baseball diamond and dugouts will also be added to our ball fields.

All of these plans are the result of dozens of listening sessions with hundreds of parishioners and dozens of staff serving in leadership positions. The plans grew and grew and have culminated in the master plan that we have today. In 2006 we are beginning the fund drive to raise the estimated $11.9 million needed to accomplish the necessary improvements. Many of these changes will correct life- safety problems and replace old, failing or inadequate systems. We all leave a legacy of some kind when we pass on; we can leave the burden of unfinished and tired buildings or we can leave a legacy with a bright future. True to the meaning of the word opportunity, waiting for another chance may be a long time coming. Waiting will only mean that what we are now proposing will be considerably more costly in the future. Now is the time to bring our parish into port, so to speak, to the harbor of an enduring heritage. Let our parish of St. Thomas More bring to completion the work started by Father Fred McCallin 35 years ago. Let us take the opportunity to leave a lasting inheritance by remodeling and adding to our wonderful parish.

Sincerely in Christ,
Rev. Andrew Kemberling