St. John Neumann
Catholic Church

Page Index

The Tally...

Have you noticed the red and yellow lines in the parking lot?

Meet Terry Biglow - September 2008

Constructor Selected - August 2008

Parish Update – June 2008

Launch Weekend - May 17, 2008

1. Build the New Church: Still the BLF centerpiece, the new worship space will be our priority. Although the new church will have to be somewhat smaller in square footage than the original plan, it still will seat comfortably over 850 people, including the choir. This is approximately 300 more seats than our current church. As the number of weekend Masses is reduced, the larger seating capacity will allow us to accommodate the increase in the number of worshippers at each Mass.
2. Finish a Portion of the Lower Level: The space below the new church will be completed in phases. First, we will finish the lower lobby, stairs, elevator, and restrooms. The rest of the lower-level space—primarily meeting rooms, brides room, nursery, and choir rehearsal area—will be left unfinished until additional funding is raised to complete the build out.
3. Construction of the New Chapel:  We plan to build the attached chapel as it was originally designed, at a later date when funds become available.
4. Conversion of the Church to a Parish Hall:  We will convert our current church into a parish hall when additional funding and/or resources become available. When the conversion begins, we believe that much of the project can be accomplished using volunteer effort and comparatively low-cost materials.
5. Conversion of Lind Hall into the Lind Youth Center: As with the parish hall, conversion of Lind Hall into a new youth center will have to wait until funds are available. Volunteer labor and cost-savings on materials will help speed the project along once conversion gets underway.

• Architect completes “pricing set” documents – late June
• Contractor selection/pricing process is conducted– late June through approximately July 21
• Contractor is selected – approximately August 1
• Construction documents/pricing complete – early October
• Groundbreaking – early December
• Opening of the new church – Christmas 2009!

Building A Legacy of Faith Update 12-15-2007

• Monsignor David assembled a Steering Committee for BLF this fall. Its mission statement reads: “As the Steering Committee for the ‘Building a Legacy of Faith’ campaign at St. John Neumann Parish, we prayerfully and humbly come together to provide leadership and oversight for the project, make the necessary decisions for moving it to successful completion, ensure open and ongoing communication with parishioners throughout the project, and serve as worthy stewards of the treasure the parish family has entrusted to our care.”

• Steering Committee members are Monsignor David; co-chair Joe Creighton; Frs. Young and Armando; Deacons Gary Womack. Mike Byrne and, Greg Ollick; Joe Augustine; Stark Harbour; Dennis Kelly; Berney Kirkland; Dave Krysiek;  Bill Marten; Patti Miller, Jay Wolverton and Hilda Zamora.

• Last month the Steering Committee hired a consulting firm to direct our fundraising effort. Guidance in Giving has joined our team and is already laying the ground work for the financial aspects of BLF. We’ll introduce Darren Moore, our on-site campaign director, in an upcoming bulletin. There will be much more news to share as GiG gets the funding campaign underway.

• Since Building a Legacy of Faith officially begins on January 5, Monsignor David has closed the funding campaign on the building program that was launched in 2004. Contributions to that campaign remain in a parish account and give us a strong start on the BLF campaign. All pledges to the previous program are considered complete now. In a personal letter, Monsignor has thanked those who contributed to the previous effort, and has invited them to continue their financial commitment under the banner of Building a Legacy of Faith.

• Work is progressing on the architectural design of our new church. Talk about generating excitement! Architect Terry Biglow meets on a regular basis with the Design Review Committee to ensure that his design meets our expectations— and fits our budget. Watch the bulletin and SJN webpage for news as the design work continues.

Parish Survey Results - September 2007

Parish Design Committee Report Complete - March 2007

Parish Design Committee Meeting - November 2006

• Attendance at weekend Masses – Do we know the average attendance? Is it dwindling? Chairman Creighton responded that ushers counted for six consecutive weeks in the spring and the average attendance ranged from 3,500 to 4,000 people. Mike Chavez offered to have the ushers count Mass-goers again for a month to get an updated count. The committee accepted the offer. No specific timeframe was identified for conducting the count.
• Current parish finances – With below-budget contributions in the weekly offertory, the parish is not covering its operating expenses month to month. Can the parish afford to build a new church and other needed facilities? Chairman Creighton replied that the committee’s charge is not to determine how much building the parish can afford. Rather, the PDC is called upon to recommend a proposed design for a new church. Dennis Kelly added that the Archdiocesan approval process protects the parish from agreeing on a church design it cannot afford to build or maintain.
• Funding for the building program – Should there be a parallel fundraising effort during the design phase of the new church? Chairman Creighton responded that without a detailed drawing of the proposed new church it will be very difficult to raise any significant capital for funding the construction. At the appropriate time the fundraising committee will be activated to begin raising the necessary funds.
• Input gathered from surveys and parish ministries – Will it be considered in recommending a church design? Chairman Creighton assured the PDC that all input received previously will be considered.
• Need to increase enthusiasm for the project – Ideas were shared for using visuals and other materials to keep the parish informed of the PDC’s work and ultimate recommendation. Visibility and transparency will be important in raising both awareness and confidence in the committee’s work. Committee members recommended using the SJN Web site to share with parishioners information and minutes from each PDC meeting. Berney Kirkland volunteered to keep the minutes of each meeting and prepare them for publication on the Web site. In addition, regular articles in the SJN Bulletin and an information table after Sunday Masses were recommended as other communication vehicles. Chairman Creighton asked for anyone with experience in marketing/public relations who would be interested in helping in these areas to contact him.
• Desire to hear the wishes of more parishioners – Dave Krysiek offered to conduct research in the broader parish to gather input from more people as to what they would like to see in the new church. Soliciting input from Hispanic members of the parish will be encouraged. Tom Neumann volunteered to assist Dave with the project.

Update from Parish Presentations

August 27, 2006

During all Masses on July 29 and 30, members of the St. John Neumann Building Committee presented the proposed “master plan” for the parish’s new facilities. Following Mass, committee members were on hand to answer questions and to collect written comments or questions. Two “listening sessions” gave parishioners more opportunities to ask questions about the plan and provide feedback to the Building Committee. The following are responses to the most common questions and concerns we heard.

Does St. John Neumann parish really need to build a larger church?
Yes, according to three consultants who were recommended by the Archbishop to look at our parish needs. In separate visits, each one told us that what SJN needs is a larger church—not only because of expected parish growth, but also to meet the needs of the people already here. Our church, built for 800 families, now serves close to 3,000 families. There are 11 Masses each weekend. Three Mass locations are used at 9 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday due to the large number of worshippers, and all are crowded. Three priests must cover all 11 Masses. In all likelihood, SJN parish will not be able to keep three priests due to the decline in vocations. We may have only two priests, or perhaps one, in the not too distant future. We need a larger church so we can reduce the number of Masses and give our priests a manageable schedule as well as foster unity around the altar of the Lord.

What makes the new building plan a better one for our parish?
The previous building program was designed to meet several of our facility needs. It included a chapel, meeting rooms, a parish hall, a dedicated youth center, and space for the music ministry. It stopped short of what has always been our most pressing need, however—a larger church. The new building program will provide all of these needed facilities. The plan provides something to benefit everyone in the parish, and we feel it will help unite us as parishioners in our growing congregation.

Will the recent relocation of the Hispanic mission impact our need for a larger church?
Probably not. The new mission in Lilburn, Our Lady of the Americas, brought a large congregation with it from Doraville. From what we understand, the church is at or near its capacity already. While some parishioners may choose to join the Mission, our growth will continue and we will need the larger church.

A lot of detail was shared in the “master plan.” Does that mean decisions have already been made?
No, not at all. The “master plan” is nothing more than a “footprint” showing how the facilities we need might be arranged on our current property. The Building Committee thought it was important to show that we could build all of the facilities we need on the land we have, despite the fact that almost half of it is in a flood plain and cannot be used for buildings. A lot of the property is already taken up with the current church and the school. Still, the architect was able to position a church big enough for 1,100 people on this site, along with a courtyard connecting it to the current church, which would become our parish hall. His master plan also makes the church easy to access from the handicapped and general parking areas.
We do have a good idea of what the basic shape of the church will be, however. The architect has proposed a structure that fits the property well and, like our present church, promotes the feeling that we are a worship community where the focus is on the altar. It is significant that the new plan includes features that link SJN’s proud past with our exciting future.

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Summary of Input from Parish Informational Meetings

July 14, 2006

On May 8, 11, and 16, three parish informational meetings were held to discuss proposed changes in the building program for St. John Neumann Church. Close to 100 people attended, representing newcomers to the parish as well as charter or long-time members. Representatives of the Building Committee and the Finance Committee, the project architect, and the priests of the parish were present at each meeting to answer questions and listen to input.

The following is a compilation of the questions asked and the suggestions voiced during the three informational meetings. More such opportunities for parishioner participation will be provided as planning continues on addressing our facility needs as we build the Body of Christ at SJN.

Input and questions from the meeting fall into five general areas:

Master Plan
Need for Space
Plan for Funding Capital Improvements
Design of New Facilities
Other

1) The Master Plan: Common questions or comments made regarding the overall building plans included the following.

When we will see the master plan? Preliminary plans from the architect are anticipated to be shared with the Building Committee in mid-June, with a proposal available for parish review at the end of June or in early July.

What is likely to be included in the master plan? The experts in church facilities who advised us recommended that we address our most critical needs by building a new, larger sanctuary first. Additional facilities most likely would include a chapel, a parish hall, and meeting rooms and offices for parish ministries. The value of having a master plan is that it will tell us what the parish will need over the next 15-20 years. That will allow us to construct what we need in a systematic and cost-effective fashion, rather than taking a piecemeal approach to providing the needed worship and meeting spaces.

Where will the new sanctuary and other facilities be located? We will know the answer to this question when the architect presents the proposed master plan for the parish’s consideration. The master plan will show the locations of all of the proposed facilities, taking into account the limitations of the current property. Approximately one-half of the existing acreage cannot be built on because it is a floodplain. The structures already on the site also must be taken into consideration. Since soil testing and site surveys have already been completed, the architect has a lot of good information to go on in designing a master plan that will meet the county’s land-use and planning requirements. That will save us time and money in the planning phase.

Will the master plan address parking needs? The number of parking spaces is determined using a mathematical formula based on the size of the sanctuary. The tentative projected seating capacity of the new church is approximately 1,100. We will have a better idea of the location and number of parking spaces we will ultimately have when the master plan is completed.

2) Need for New, More Spacious Facilities: Participants asked about the projected growth in parish membership in the coming years and the rationale behind the proposed changes in the building program.

What is the projected size of the parish in the years to come? From the beginning of the parish, St. John Neumann Church has been too small for the size congregation it serves. Designed for 800 families, the parish opened with 1,200 families registered. In the 1990s, two additional parishes (St. Stephen’s and St. Marguerite d’Youville) were created from the original St. John Neumann parish to address overcrowding. Still, growth continued and the facilities and clergy were stretched further and further. Projections for the county overall indicate population growth will continue for the foreseeable future, and a number of the new residents will be Catholic. While it is difficult to put a precise number on the projected size, there is ample evidence that larger facilities are needed to serve the current membership, as well as those expected to join the parish year after year.

What is the capacity of the current sanctuary? The current church provides seating for 521 worshippers. At the present time, the schedule of weekend Masses includes seven Masses in English and four in Spanish. The three full-time priests assigned to the parish must cover all of these Masses every weekend. In addition, weddings, funerals, baptisms, and other sacramental or ministerial duties must be performed by three priests, with the support of only two deacons. It is unlikely that additional priests will be assigned to the parish in the foreseeable future. In fact, there could be fewer priests in coming years. Therefore, it is becoming crucial that a larger sanctuary be built so each Mass can accommodate more people, thereby reducing the number of Masses needed.

Why not expand the current sanctuary or add a balcony? Those possibilities were explored with architects in the past but were found to be cost-prohibitive.

Will space be provided for other programs and ministries? Participants asked about facilities for programs such as pre-school classes and the youth program. Assurance was given that the space needs of those programs and others are being taken into account in developing the master plan. The current Neumann Center will continue to be used for parish activities. Rooms in the SJN school building that used to be available for parish needs have been transferred to school use only. That lost space will be recouped in the new capital program. The architect is considering all the needs of the church in designing a master plan that the property can accommodate and that will meet our needs well into the future.

3) Plan for Funding the Capital Improvements: A fair amount of discussion centered on the financial aspects of the proposed building program. Attendees expressed concern that a low percentage of the approximately 2,500 SJN families consistently contribute to support the parish. They would like to see greater participation in a capital campaign among all members of the parish who benefit from use of the facilities and their involvement with the worship community at SJN.

How much will the new plan cost? A budget for the new master plan will be developed along with the plan. The architect is crafting his preliminary design with a general budget figure in mind so that we do not end up with an extravagant plan the parish cannot afford to build.

Will there be another capital campaign drive? Funding the new plan will require more money than we currently have collected. When the final plans are approved, the Finance Committee will reactivate the fundraising campaign. The goal will be to generate excitement so more families beyond the “core” 700 to 800 families will agree to contribute to the campaign. The campaign will focus on the “community effort” needed to provide our parish the facilities it needs. A goal of at least 69% participation among registered families is the target. Participants agreed that how the capital campaign is rolled out will be important. A number of people expressed their support for the new plan, saying they have not participated up to this point, but the larger sanctuary and other facilities are a plan they can and will monetarily support.

Will the Archdiocese help us financially? The Archdiocese is supportive of the proposed new direction at SJN. Once the master plan is approved, the Archdiocese could be a source of a low-cost construction loan to augment what funding is already available. The parish has been approved for a $4 million project so far. More than half of that amount has already been collected from parishioner pledges to the former capital campaign. Contributions to the building fund continue to be strong every month.

4) Design of New Facilities: Attendees made a number of suggestions regarding design elements of the new sanctuary in particular.

Among their recommendations were:

• The sanctuary should feature a crucifix above the altar.
• The chapel should provide an intimate worship setting.
• The chapel should be situated so that it opens into the sanctuary and could be used for extra seating in the sanctuary if necessary.
• The tabernacle should be located where it is visible from both the chapel and the sanctuary at the same time.
• The church should include a cry room.
• The chapel design should lend itself to the encouragement of Perpetual Adoration at SJN.
• Handicapped accessibility issues must be addressed, from wheelchair access to the altar and the choir area, to the need for an elevator, to the need for audio support for hearing-impaired parishioners.
• The current stained glass windows should be preserved and have a use in the new facilities.

5) Other: Additional questions, comments or suggestions heard included:

Will the current sanctuary be usable during construction? (Yes.)
Credible, consistent communication during the roll out of the new building plan and capital campaign will be extremely important.
Outreach to Hispanic parishioners needs to be a priority.
The Building Committee needs broader representation of the groups that make up our parish family. (Hispanic and female members are encouraged to make known their interest in the Building Committee so the group can be made more representative of the parish itself.)
Rumors must be stopped as soon as possible with good communication. (For example, it is not true that the current sanctuary will be torn down, nor is the projected cost upwards of $16 million! Both of these statements are rumors that are false and are causing unnecessary concern.)

Monsignor Giusta and the Building and Finance committees are eager to hear from parishioners regarding the new capital plan and the campaign to fund it. Be watching for additional information on the SJN Web site, in the weekly parish bulletin, and in announcements from the altar on a continual basis. If you have a question or a concern, please send it to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it You will receive as prompt a response as possible.

Summary respectfully submitted by

Berney Kirkland, SJN Parishioner

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Pastor's Update

June 3, 2006

Dear Parishioners,

On May 8, 11, and 16, three parish informational meetings were held as a follow-up to the recent announcement about proposed changes in our church building program. I want to thank the parishioners and the members of the Building Committee who participated in one or more of these informative sessions.

Close to 100 people were in attendance over the three nights. They represented the broad spectrum of our parishioners, from those who helped launch St. John Neumann Church in the late 1970s to others who joined our parish family within the past year. The architect was present at all three meetings to hear first hand the questions, suggestions, and wishes of those who came to give us feedback. It was a valuable, helpful exercise. I envision there being more such sessions as we move forward with the new plan.

In keeping with our pledge to inform you at every stage of the new capital program, we will post on the SJN Web site a summary of the input received. I encourage all parishioners to review the summary at www.sjnlilburn.com. There will be more opportunities for input as planning continues on addressing our facility needs as we build the Body of Christ at St. John Neumann Church.

Thank you again to all who helped make these first informational meetings a success.

Yours in Christ,
Msgr. Frank Giusta

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Pastor's Update

May 7, 2006

Dear St. John Neumann Parishioners,

When I was first introduced as your new pastor in June of 2005, I was struck right away by the welcoming spirit of the parish family. I could understand why St. John Neumann (SJN) has been one of the most vibrant worship communities in the Archdiocese for many years. I also could see that the parish faces many challenges as it continues to grow. In fact, on my first day here I was asked what I intended to do about the church’s building needs!

I soon learned that a capital campaign was underway for constructing facilities the parish badly needed. I could find no fault with anything in the plan. A large parish hall, a chapel, meeting rooms, space for the music ministry all would be great assets to the parish. After discussing the plans with various groups within the parish, agreement was reached to move ahead with them. As work progressed on the final design, however, it became apparent that the plan lacked some important components. In addition, there were issues of liturgical appropriateness that we needed to resolve.

As a result, with the approval of Archbishop Wilton Gregory, I enlisted the help of lay consultants and clergy who have expertise in liturgical design and church construction. What we learned from them was unsettling at first, because a great deal of hard work and care had gone into developing what was thought to be an acceptable, appropriate building plan for this parish. It was not easy to hear the experts say that a better, longer-range plan was needed. But it also did not take the Building Committee and me long to know that they were right.

At all Masses this weekend, representatives of the Building Committee are sharing news about a significant change in the planned building program. The change is in keeping with a strategic direction that compels us to build up the Body of Christ at St. John Neumann as we develop a master plan to ensure SJN has appropriate facilities for worship and for ministering to the many needs of our faith community.
Guided by the Holy Spirit, the Building Committee and I unanimously believe that the direction we are recommending for our capital program is the right direction at the right time. We have encouragement and support from Archbishop Gregory to pursue our plans. We hope to earn your enthusiastic backing as well as we solicit your input to perfect the plan and then make it happen.

So what will be different? Most significantly, the proposed plan calls for the construction of a new sanctuary, a church large enough to accommodate over 1,000 worshippers. The long-desired chapel also is included, along with space for parish gatherings and meetings, and other practical necessities such as an elevator, storage areas and increased parking. The new plan provides all the parish improvements you said you wanted in the past, and more! Detailed information about the plan will be shared in the coming weeks.

I want to commend the Building Committee for taking this courageous step. The parish has been planning its capital improvements for the last several years, and you have patiently waited for construction to begin. I know that you will have questions, and I want to be sure you have an opportunity to have them answered to your satisfaction. So the Building Committee and I are holding three parish forums to tell you more about the new building program and to hear and respond to your questions. Please try to attend one of the meetings, as your input is very important to the Building Committee, the architect, and me. All comments will be noted and considered in designing a master facilities plan that will serve the parish’s needs for the next 15-20 years.

As the new plan continues to evolve, I pledge to keep you informed with up-to-date communications. The SJN Bulletin will run information on a regular basis, as will our parish Web site. The goal is to ensure that all parishioners know our plans on an ongoing basis.

As your pastor, I believe the Holy Spirit guided us to this resolution, and will bless our efforts moving forward. I ask that you prayerfully consider what you are hearing today, and that you take time to communicate your thoughts and ideas to the committee members about our plans for building up the Body of Christ at St. John Neumann Church by providing the parish facilities we need.

Yours in Christ,
Monsignor Frank Giusta

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Committee Update - December 2005

[Note: The following update represents an earlier set of plans that have been replaced with the May 7, 2006 plan. --Editor]

We all have been waiting patiently for the Building project to become a reality. And things are now starting to happen. So, where do things stand today? If you look at the plans in the vestibule, you will see that the building project really breaks down into three different sets:

• The Parish Hall, which will be at the end of what is now the Administrative Wing of the Church. Upstairs will be the Hall, capable of seating about 600, along with a food-prep “kitchen”. Downstairs there will be meeting rooms, the new nursery, and a much needed storage room.
• The second building project set will be the reconfiguring of the current Administrative Wing and Lind Hall. The various church offices will be shuffled about upstairs. Downstairs, what is now Lind Hall will be redeveloped for the growing numbers of youth in our parish and will be renamed the Lind Youth Center.
• The third building project will be the Music Room and Day Chapel, located in the area between the breezeway and the sanctuary on the upper parking lot side of the church.

The Parish Hall will essentially be one project. Soil testing is underway to determine foundational needs and the design is pretty much finalized. Work will start sometime in early summer.

The Administrative Wing/Lind Hall project will take place after the Parish Hall project is complete so as to minimize disruption of other Parish activities. The finalization of the designs for the Music Room/ Day Chapel part of the project is also underway.

The Day Chapel design is complex, in part because of the engineering and structural lay-out, but even more because of “liturgical” considerations. Due consideration is being given as to where the altar will be placed, where the Tabernacle containing the Blessed Sacrament is to be placed relative to other area of worship and community celebrations, just to name a few. The Building Committee is seeking advise from liturgical designers to determine the design of the Day Chapel. This goes well beyond the combined expertise of the Committee, and it just makes good sense to counsel with people who are skilled in this area.

So, where do we stand? We are looking to have design drawings in late winter, selection of a general coontractor by early spring, various county site and construction permits around that time as well, and starting construction—in very late spring or early summer. We will continue to keep you advised as the project progresses. We all thank you for your prayers, patience and continued support as we build for the future of our parish.

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Building Photo Library

Photo from 1979:

Sketch from 2005 Plan: