St. John Neumann
Catholic Church

Would You Believe?

As construction gets underway on the new sanctuary for St. John Neumann Church, parishioners might be interested to learn a bit more about the scope of the project. Over the next ten months, considerable labor and materials will go into this major improvement for our parish. Just how much might surprise you!

Before construction can start, the grading and site preparation takes place. This stage generates quite a bit of dirt, broken concrete, asphalt, and tree debris—an estimated 3,500 cubic yards of materials to be hauled away. That’s enough to fill approximately 300 dump trucks.

To complete the site preparation, the contractor must lay the utility lines - water, sewer, electrical power, gas, etc. This stage not only involves preparing for the new worship space, but also includes the second phase of the project, converting the present sanctuary into a parish hall. Thus, the project will require the installation of 2,000 running feet of site utility piping and lines

Meet Teresa Hamilton, Chairperson of Interiors Committee

"I Couldn't Say No"

Two qualities come through loud and clear when you talk with Teresa Hamilton... she wants to be involved and she knows what she is doing.

These factors combine to make her the ideal parishioner to lead the newly formed Interiors Committee, allied with the Sacred Space Committee, of SJN's Building a Legacy of Faith (BLF) campaign.

Teresa came to SJN via the normal abnormal route of a military family, as her father was a career officer in the U.S. Army.  Born in West Des Moines, Iowa, she was raised in St. Petersburg, Florida, and graduated from Florida State University School of Visual Arts with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design.  She has two sons, Ben and Nate, both presently attending colleges in Georgia.

As our new church began to evolve from desire to reality, BLF Chairman Joe Creighton asked Teresa to get involved. It was obvious that planning the interior of the new worship space was going to require a trained professional's eye, and Teresa brings that capability to her leadership of the Interiors Committee.

What is the function of the Interiors Committee, and how does its work relate to that of the Sacred Space Committee?

Meet Stark Harbour, Chairman of the Capital Committee

We often consider the various jobs required as part of the task of Building a Legacy of Faith, and we are all continually aware of the urgent need for building funds.

How many of us are willing to do the vital, yet sometimes awkward work, of asking for money... for any reason, much less for the new church building fund?

Enter Stark Harbour.

Tom Tarantino - Chairman

Tom Tarantino is the Chairman of the St. John Neumann Facility Committee and, as such, plays a vital role in the Building a Legacy of Faith project.

Tom's route to St. John Neumann was a circuitous one.  Born in Cleveland, Ohio, he grew up in Ft. Myers, Florida, as one of 12 children.  Tom's dad was a general contractor, and working with his dad positioned him perfectly for the construction business.

For the past 18 years, Tom has served Emory University, starting in the contracts department overseeing renovation projects.  He then moved to the engineering side of facilities at Emory.  His next step was managing capital projects, and he continues in that role today as senior project manager.  Tom's most recent project was Emory's $35 million School of Theology/Center for Ethics Building.Tom and his family have been members of St. John Neumann Parish for 26 years.  He and Meredith, his wife of 35 years, have two sons - Joseph and Jonathan, both of whom were married this past summer... to Erin and Hilary, respectively.

RAISE YOUR HAND* AND VOLUNTEER WITH OUR BUILDING A LEGACY OF FAITH PROGRAM!

We need any and all kinds of help with our church building program. If you think you can help in any way from providing input about our new building, to providing services or products at a discount, to joining one of the many sub-committees we will be forming, please contact Joe Creighton via e-mail at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call us at the main office and leave a message. Just say "I want to volunteer for Building A Legacy of Faith."