St. Ignatius Catholic Church and School in Concord Hill is asking community members in southern Warren County to help the parish recover from financial difficulty to plan for a strong future.

The parish is running a campaign to raise $165,000 from community contributions. Organizers are appealing to both the history and future impact of the parish with their slogan, “generations of faith, pathway to our future.”

Bob Koch, co-chair of the fundraising appeal, said St. Ignatius is among many churches that are struggling due to low attendance during the COVID pandemic. Collections during Mass are an important revenue source that helps support the church and school, so low contributions were a serious cause for concern, Koch said.

“Within a few months, we were going to be dipping into reserves just to operate,” Koch commented.

But Concord Hill and the surrounding area has a strong tradition of supporting the church and school, so Koch and other parish volunteers went to work asking the community to correct the financial shortfall. They set a goal of $165,000 to send a message that they’re working not only for this year, but the next – the parish’s 165th year – as well as all the years beyond that.

About half of the contributions will be used to stabilize the parish’s finances, making up for lost revenue and extra expenses needed for the school during the pandemic, Koch explained. The other half will contribute to long-term needs such as facility maintenance and student textbooks.

As of last week, Koch estimated that the fundraiser had passed its halfway mark. Donors who contribute at different levels will have brick pavers or other permanent monuments installed, Koch added.

He said he wasn’t surprised to see a number of families making large contributions, because they’re adamant that they won’t let the church or school fail.

“Our parents and grandparents kept it going, and we’re going to as well,” Koch said.

School Principal Arlesa Leopold commented that some families have had six generations of children attend St. Ignatius School. This year was one of the most challenging, because the school hasn’t been able to do fundraising events while also needing to spend more money for students.

Leopold said the school last fall accelerated its plans for every student to have a laptop or tablet that they can take home with them.

“It was something we were thinking about in the long run doing, but we definitely didn’t plan on having to do it all this year,” Leopold commented. That expense was on top of usual costs such as yearly textbook replacements, which can cost $8,000 or more.

“The school would not be able to exist without the support of the parish community,” Leopold said. “If they want the school to continue as it has been, I ask that they are generous and help the cause.”

Pastor Steve Robesen said he’s grateful that the community has already provided enough support that the parish won’t have to spend its savings to continue operating. He said while money is the least important gift a Christian can give, it still has its place.

“The gifts of the Holy Spirit – faith, hope, love, all the works we do out of love – those are more important than money,” Robesen said. “But if we’re sharing those gifts of faith ... people will say ‘Of course ask us for money. It’s the easiest thing to give.’”

Anyone who wants to support St. Ignatius can call the parish office (636) 932-4445 to find out how to donate. More information is available on the parish Facebook page, facebook.com/StIgConcordHill.