What is the GIFT-3D Campaign? The GIFT-3D Campaign is the third phase of our GIFT Capital Campaign to support our Master Plan of Renovation and Expansion, focused on the premise that our Holy Cross family is Destined to Develop Disciples for the future.
What is the goal of the GIFT-3D Campaign? The goals of the GIFT-3D Campaign are
Raise $3 million
3-year pledge period
100% parish family participation
What will GIFT-3D Campaign fund? GIFT-3D campaign will fund much-needed updates to our Holy Cross Parish campus including
The Discipleship Center
The meditation garden
The family fellowship area
An updated entrance sign
Parking and walkways
Funds raised above those needed for the construction projects will establish a building and maintenance Endowment Fund to care for the existing facilities of the parish and for future renovation or construction projects.
What is a Discipleship Center? The Discipleship Center is where the parish leadership is housed and where the current and future direction of the church is developed What is the prayer garden? The prayer garden is a peaceful outdoor space where parishioners can spend time in prayer and reflection. What is the family fellowship area? The family fellowship area is a partially-covered area in the courtyard where families can gather while their children enjoy a safe environment. Why are we doing this? We are doing this to provide a safe space for those responsible for the growing needs of the Holy Cross Parish family current and future operations. When will it start and end? It started with the announcements before and during the Feast of Holy Cross and will end when we have received $3 million in payments to the campaign. Can I give weekly, monthly, annually, etc.? You can give at your preferred time interval over the three years or you can give as many one time gifts as you like. Why are there donor levels? Aren’t all donations important? All donations are important and the goal is for every Holy Cross family to participate. Parishioners are asked to give sacrificially the amount suited for them. The levels are there for those who want suggestions. It’s common for organizations to associate names with donor levels.
Stop by the office to complete a pledge card in person or drop off your completed pledge card
Make your check payable to Advancement Foundation (indicating GIFT-3D in memo space), then drop it in the offertory or mail it to: Advancement Foundation, 201 Main St., Ste. 1198, Fort Worth TX 76102-3101.
What can I do? Discern, Discuss, Donate to the Give In Faith Today - 3D campaign
What is a capital stewardship campaign?
This is a church project that seeks pledges and donations from members and friends of the parish to pay for a major building construction project.
Is this different than the annual budget? Yes. A capital campaign goes above and beyond what parishioners give to the parish through their weekly offertory to support the annual operating expenses of Holy Cross Parish.
How much money needs to be raised in this capital campaign? This project consists of two major phases, construction projects and establishment of an endowment fund. The construction phase for construction of the Discipleship Center and other projects described in campaign materials is $3 million. Funds raised above those needed for the construction projects will establish a building and maintenance Endowment Fund to care for the existing facilities of the parish and for future renovation or construction projects. When will construction begin? The Diocese of Fort Worth will allow us to begin construction once we have collected $1.2 million (40% of construction cost) in cash donations and have raised an additional $750,000 (25% of construction cost) in any combination of cash or firm pledges. Must I be a member of Holy Cross Parish to pledge or donate? No. We have many friends in the community who are not members of our church who have made special donations in the past. Some of these non-Catholic friends attend services with us and tithe to the church. We appreciate these friends in our community and we are very grateful for their gifts of time, treasure and talent. How does the pledge process work? Members and friends of the parish may make a pledge commitment to this project over a 3-year period with payments to suit the donor. Payments may be made in 36 monthly, 12 quarterly or three annual installments. The Advancement Foundation will send reminder statements or draft a credit card or bank account based on the donor’s request. All gifts are welcome, whether a one-time, up-front donation or a pledge paid out over three years. Call the parish office at 972-625-5252 if you have questions or need guidance. Is this pledge in addition to my regular weekly giving and other offerings to the parish? Yes it is. A pledge commitment to the campaign should not interfere with your current, regular stewardship donations. What is my fair share for this campaign? The amount of your pledge should be based upon individual circumstances and prayerful discernment of an intentional sacrificial gift. See the ‘Giving Chart Guideline’ published with the commitment card. How long do I have to fulfill my pledge commitment? Donors are asked to structure their pledge payments over a period of time not exceeding three years. If I can't give a large amount, does my pledge really matter? Absolutely! All pledges matter and everyone should give as they are able. One of the great tenets of giving is the principle of ‘equal sacrifices,’ not ‘equal amounts.’ We ask that everyone pray for our campaign and support this project regardless of the size of your gift.
How are payments handled once I make a pledge? What forms of contributions are acceptable? Contributions may be made by cash, check made payable to the Advancement Foundation, or you may set up automatic payments from your checking or savings account, a credit card, donations of appreciated assets such as stocks, mutual funds, property, mineral interests etc. The campaign also accepts contributions from donor-advised funds (DAFs) or direct distributions from a qualified retirement plan (QCD), such as an IRA. For assistance with these types of donations, please contact Dianna Rhoads at the Advancement Foundation: [email protected] or 817-533-3174.
Will I be pressured into making a pledge? Absolutely not. Participation and amounts contributed are a personal matter. Ideally, we are hopeful that 100% of our parish families participate in some way; however, we understand that giving is based on each individual’s personal situation, so all members and friends of the parish have an opportunity to contribute to the extent of their ability and comfort. Why should I make a commitment? Your decision to support this campaign is a personal one and we respect that; however, the church buildings are where we gather as a Parish Family to do the work of ministries and missions and gather to renew our spiritual strength to continue the work of our Lord’s Kingdom. Your participation in some way can be your acknowledgment and affirmation of the importance of improving and maintaining our church family’s home. Is now the right time to conduct a capital campaign? It is exactly the right time to conduct this campaign. At any point in time there are challenges which could be used as an excuse for not acting now. It is important that we do this now before inflation runs construction costs even higher. Additionally, the present administration building was constructed in 1996 and has many issues that must be addressed now to avoid future problems. Will pledges and donations be confidential? Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may do so by indicating this when they pledge or donate. Unless you request that your contributions remain anonymous, all campaign contributors will be officially recognized by name, however, the exact size of each donor’s gift will not be publicized. May I make my donation in honor of or in memory of someone? Yes. Memorial and honorarium gifts are appreciated and will be appropriately acknowledged. Please indicate on the pledge form if your gift is in honor or memory of a loved one. May I donate or pledge to this campaign online? Yes. There is a form on on the GIFT-3D Campaign page of our church website to make a secure online donation or pledge to the campaign. Why do I make my checks payable to the Advancement Foundation? The Advancement Foundation is a 501(c)(3) Texas non-profit corporation, organized and operated exclusively for charitable, religious and educational purposes. As a separate corporation, it is an integrated auxiliary supporting the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, charged with receiving contributions intended to benefit supported activities and managing and distributing such contributions for the benefit of those supported activities, such as this capital campaign. Just as in past campaigns for the parish, the Advancement Foundation administers a Holy Cross account exclusively for donations to this campaign. This ensures that all funds collected for the GIFT-3D Destined to Develop Disciples campaign are used only for the purposes outlined in campaign materials. What happens to my donations if the construction never takes place? Although we fully expect these projects to move forward as planned, one of the advantages of keeping donations in a separate campaign account held by Advancement Foundation is that your donation will be promptly refunded to you in the event the construction does take place. What happens if my financial situation changes after making a pledge commitment? All pledges to this campaign are ‘non-binding,’ which means that if you have a situation arise in which you are unable to fulfill your pledge then you may cancel your pledge to the campaign without any penalties or consequences. We understand that situations change for individuals and families. Will I receive a statement for tax preparation purposes? All contributions are tax deductible as allowed by law and the Advancement Foundation will mail annual Tax Statements each January to every donor to the campaign. The Holy Cross church office will continue to provide your Tax Statements for your parish offertory contributions.
Will Holy Cross Parish go into debt for this project? We hope to avoid going into debt for the construction projects; however, it is also our intention to begin construction as soon as we have raised 65% of the project cost as required by the Diocese of Fort Worth ($1.2 million in cash/$750,000 in additional cash/pledges). Moving promptly may require that we structure short-term financing which is paid off as we collect pledges over the 3-year pledge period. How long is construction expected to take? Once we have sufficient funding, we will interview and engage a contractor.The contract pricing, scheduling, and building should take nine months to a year. Where will parish offices be located during the construction phase? The current plan is to temporarily relocate the parish office to rooms in the Parish Center. How much should I contribute? Stewardship is not about making ‘equal amounts,’ it’s about making an ‘equal sacrifice.’ The amount of your gift is a personal decision; however, you may want to consider these guidelines as you discern your pledge amount. The overall campaign goal is approximately four times the amount of our annual offertory. A pledge from every family of 3-4 times their annual offertory giving in addition to the fundraising activities and events would cover the cost of the project. Remember, payments of your pledge can be structured over a 3-year period with either monthly, quarterly, or annual payments. I supported the last GIFT Campaign, am I expected to give to this one? Our hope is that every member and friend of Holy Cross parish will participate in this new campaign to complete Phase 3 of our parish Master Plan.
I have been considering making provisions for Holy Cross Parish in my estate plans. Would that be helpful to the campaign? Planned gifts, such as charitable gift annuities, beneficiary designations on insurance policies or bank accounts, or bequests in a will, are appreciated. To discuss these opportunities, please contact Renée Underwood, CFRE, at the Advancement Foundation via email to [email protected] or by phone at 817-533-7242.
Will parish members and friends be informed about the progress of fundraising? Campaign progress will be communicated in numerous ways, including bulletin, website and displays in the Narthex. May I offer my comments, suggestions, and ideas for this campaign? We encourage all members and friends of Holy Cross Catholic Church to share any comments, suggestions and ideas for this campaign. You may call Tom McCall at the Parish office at 972-625-5252. He will return your call as soon as possible if he is not available when you call. Tom and/or the appropriate committee member will be available for phone calls and personal visits.
I am a licensed building contractor or tradesman. Can I provide services in lieu of or in addition to making a monetary donation? Please contact Tom McCall at the Parish office at 972-625-5252 for specific questions and discussions. He will return your call as soon as possible if he is not available at the time of your call. Where possible, we want to honor such requests, if we adhere to the operating guidelines and policies of the Diocese of Fort Worth, such as licensing, insurance and other issues, when approving contractors to work on this project. How may I prepare to participate? First, as you thoughtfully pray about your participation, ask yourself:
Does this project make a difference to me?
Will this gift change me and change my level of commitment to my church?
Am I making a prayerful decision while simultaneously seeking God’s will?
Did I invite God to be a part of this decision process?
Did I have a real conversation about this with my family?
Did I take a step of faith that deepens my own discipleship?
Did I learn something about myself as to making commitments and donations?
Also, pray for discernment, inviting God to show you what He wants you to do in and through you to accomplish His will and vision for Christ’s Kingdom on Earth. Consider saying the prayer for this campaign and reading the scriptures below: