Frequently Asked Questions

 

WHAT IS THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN?

The Capital Campaign is a prayerful response to the various upgrades, improvements and enhancements needed at the All Souls' Church campus. The Campaign seeks to involve all church members in committing to making these changes a reality by committing to financially supporting the Campaign. The Capital Campaign is being guided by a committee made up of volunteer members of the parish. Capital Campaigns raise funds for building and renovation, not daily operating expenses or regular maintenance needs.

 

HOW DO I DETERMINE HOW MUCH TO CONTRIBUTE?

That is a decision that is, of course, up to each parishioner. But it’s important to note that contributions can be made over a 3-year period. The church, with the assistance of the Episcopal Church Foundation, has compiled a chart that shows how a pledge can be broken down into payments over the 3-year period. A chart showing various amounts over 3 years is found on the Case Statement.

 

WHY IS THE CAPITAL CAMPAIGN BEING PRESENTED IN 3 DIFFERENT TIERS?

The goals of the campaign stem from the work of both the Compass Committee, the Vestry, and the Facilities Development Committee (FDC). The FDC took the work of the Compass Committee and translated it, with the help of the parish family and our architects (Architects Mosher Drew) into facilities needs/desires for the church campus. Those needs and desires have been broken into phases or TIERS. More details on what is involved in each phase can be found in the Capital Campaign Committees Case Statement.

 

I’VE HEARD THAT THE RANKIN ROOM IS GOING TO BE TORN DOWN. IS THAT TRUE, AND IF SO, WHY?

The Rankin Room (situated between Gooden Hall and the administrative building) was not constructed as rigorously as the other buildings on campus and is not as structurally sound as the two buildings on either side. As such, the room is settling and the south wall has a significant crack. The space currently enclosed as the Rankin Room will be transformed into the Rankin Patio which will provide a beautiful transition between the indoor space of Gooden Hall and the outdoor patio areas. Current plans anticipate the Rankin Patio will include a partially enclosed indoor/outdoor space opening onto the patio.

 

WHAT CHANGES WILL BE MADE TO GOODEN HALL?

Gooden Hall will receive a much-needed renovation. The stage, which is rarely used and has become a catch-all for storage, will be removed increasing the capacity of Gooden Hall and making larger group functions a possibility. With the stage removed, the main entrance to Gooden Hall will be from the newly designed Rankin Patio. We are also planning on installing an automated movable partition that will divide the room into two areas of differing size so as to maximize space when more than one group wants to use it at the same time and to offer appropriately sized meeting areas, as necessary. The room itself will be upgraded from floor to ceiling.

 

WHAT ABOUT THE KITCHEN? WHAT’S PLANNED THERE?

Our goal is to bring the kitchen up to code so that the County Health Department will award it an “A” rating. That way it can be used for meal preparation for on-site activities and for food preparation by caterers and bakers. Currently, the kitchen cannot be used in this way. Kitchen renovations will include replacing some appliances and making sure others (like the beautiful Wolf stove and the refrigerator) are in tip-top working order. Regulations also require an industrial dishwasher, stainless steel counters and shelves as well as special flooring, wall treatments, and the addition of a drain in the floor.

 

WHAT’S PLANNED FOR THE NURSERY?

The nursery will be reconfigured to include children's sink and toilet facilities which will allow nursery workers to remain in the room with all children while the nursery is open. In addition, we will install a door opening to the grassy area along Catalina which will be converted into an enclosed outdoor play area. A play structure will be installed in the play area and will be tall enough to be visible to cars passing along Catalina letting passers-by know we are a family centred parish.

 

WHAT CHANGES WILL BE MADE TO THE SHERMAN ROOM?

If our fundraising is successful, the Sherman Room (our parish living room) will be moved across the patio to what is now the break room and Peninsula Shepherd Center office in the Administrative Building. The current Sherman Room space will become the Sunday School room with a moveable partition allowing for two simultaneous Sunday School classes or other gatherings. Placing the Sunday School room directly across from the nursery will congregate all children in one location on campus.

 

WHY IS THE COMMUNITY BUILDING BEING DONE IN TIER ONE?

The TIERS were created in a sequence based on need and to organize the project in a logical manner to minimize the upheaval of construction. We believe the upgrades to our Community Building to be a vital part of living into our vision to be "the" community hub of Point Loma.

 

WHAT IS CONTEMPLATED TO ADDRESS OUR STORAGE NEEDS SINCE THE STAGE AND THE SPACE NEXT TO IT WILL BE GOING AWAY?

This is a very good question.  We continue to discuss this with our architects.  Areas under consideration include the outdoor space behind Gooden Hall as well as other areas around the campus. We are confident our storage needs will be met.

 

WHAT IS PLANNED FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE BUILDING?

TIER III contains a number of proposed changes to the administration building. These include multi-use space for our Youth, a renovated choir room, moving the Library, adding conference space, and making other changes to accommodate program and staff needs and to enhance the look and feel of the interior of the offices. As per code, a lift will be added to assist those who are unable to climb stairs or who might find climbing stairs a bit difficult. In addition, the Peninsula Shepherd Centers office will be moved adjacent to the Senior Lounge allowing the staff to be close to their clients and the Senior Lounge space will double in size.

 

WHAT IS A CHIME TOWER AND WHERE WILL IT BE LOCATED?

The Chime Tower is intended to be a central beacon to those entering our campus from either the parking lot, Catalina Blvd, or the Community Building. The tower will include programmable chimes intended to add beauty to the campus and the neighborhood. The current proposed location is very near the center of our Campus just outside the east wall of the columbarium. 

 

DO WE NEED TO CONSULT WITH OUR NEIGHBORS BEFORE WE START PLAYING MUSIC THROUGH THE CHIME TOWER?

Prior to the beginning of our construction, we would need to communicate our plans to our neighbors and assure them that they chime tower will not be a nuisance to the community but rather an enhancement to an already beautiful neighborhood.

 

HAS ANYONE CHECKED WITH POINT LOMA COMMUNITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OR OTHER LOCAL CHURCHES TO SEE WHAT THEIR EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN REGARDING CHIMES OR BELLS IN THE COMMUNITY?

No, we have not as of this time, but that is a good idea.

 

ARE ANY CHANGES PLANNED FOR THE COLUMBARIUM? IF SO, WHAT WOULD THOSE CHANGES ENTAIL?

Yes, the proposed changes include removing the gate and the two brick walls that do not contain niches. As a result, the entry to the columbarium will be modified. The area immediately surrounding the columbarium will be a bit lower than the patio and there will be a small bridge at the entrance to the columbarium. We are also considering other changes to make it more sacred, including a more natural hardscape and the addition of a few internal walls to accommodate more niches.

 

WHAT IS PLANNED FOR THE HUGE PATIO ALONG CATALINA?

The Facilities Development Committee sees this patio as a wonderful place to gather, with benches, some shading, and artwork. The patio will be raised to make a smooth transition into the church, eliminating the need for stairs and a ramp. Detailed plans are still being designed.

 

I’VE HEARD THAT SOME SORT OF BARRIER IS CONTEMPLATED ALONG CATALINA. WON’T THAT WALL US OFF FROM THE COMMUNITY?

Our hope is to more clearly define our campus and to create the sensation that our visitors are entering a holy space as they come onto our campus. However, because we want to both define our campus and be open and inviting to the community, the wall separating us from Catalina Blvd will be a short wall with benches and access points to facilitate entry to the church and patio.

 

WHAT CHANGES ARE CONTEMPLATED FOR THE PARKING LOT AND THE DRIVEWAY?

The plan includes removing some of the bushes along the right side of the driveway, enlarging the driveway and enhancing the signage making the entrance to our parking lot from Chatsworth both easier to identify and easier to navigate. You'd be surprised how often we hear from people who have difficulty locating the entrance to the church parking lot.

 

ARE ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES PLANNED FOR THE CHURCH BUILDING ITSELF?

No, the Capital Campaign does not include any changes inside the church building. To do so would cause us to address many building code changes and potentially change the beauty of the interior. Instead, we will be using our reserves account to perform necessary maintenance inside the church including upgrading the bathrooms and carpet.

 

WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO SERVICES AND OTHER PARISH EVENTS ONCE CONSTRUCTION IS UNDERWAY?

Services will continue as will parish activities. Since the church building and interior are not included our beautiful services, liturgy and music will not be affected. What may change temporarily is the location for Coffee Hour, meetings, and other events during construction. 

 

WHEN DO WE WANT TO HAVE EVERYTHING WRAPPED UP?

The Capital Campaign will occur in Spring 2018 and be wrapped up mid-year when we feel we have the maximum amount of pledges. Once we have an idea regarding the financial support we are able to raise, we will begin working with our architects to identify a contractor and begin construction. We want to begin construction as soon as possible to keep escalations in cost at a minimum.