Building Our Future: A Sacred Presence

Help Write the Next Chapter of Our Story

A Message from Fr. John

"It is an exciting time at Our Lady of the Lake Parish. We are growing. Over 100 children each week participate in the Children’s Liturgy of the Word during Sunday morning Masses. Our outreach to those in need and activities for spiritual growth are in full swing. We are truly the Body of Christ, doing His good work: Loving God, loving others and making disciples of Jesus Christ.

Please respond in some way with pledges of time, talent, and/or treasure. For the sake of future generations, this request is not about equal gift amounts, but equal sacrifice. Please consider a three-year pledge. This allows families to maximize their commitment by spreading it out
over monthly, quarterly, or annual payments.

Consider this as an act of faith. Please pray, asking how God is calling you to participate."

- Rev. John Kerns, Pastor

Fr. John's Full Letter

The Campaign Goal is $10M

As of January 15, we are at $8,000,000, this is 80% of our goal!

Current number of families who have submitted pledges: 277

Pledge Now

Funds raised from this campaign will go directly to support all development costs and contingency funds.

WHAT YOU ARE SUPPORTING

New Foyer + Entrance

Refreshed Sanctuary

Updated Cemetery

New Space for Adoration

Renovated Kitchen + Parish Hall

New Foyer + Entrance

The doors of Our Lady of the Lake are open to all — but difficult to find

We want to give our church an inviting entrance where all feel welcome and where we have space to greet one another before and after Mass. We will:

• Build a new entrance facing the parking lot and the parish center that is well-lit and welcoming.

• This will include an added foyer to handle the flow of people up to the church and into the hall.

• Add a wider stairwell and central elevator so that all who arrive can enter the narthex together.

• The new stairs will be visible from our parking area, thus encouraging people to come in and move up to our worship space.

• Create an environmentally friendly green roof with skylights over the new vestibule.

Refreshed Sanctuary

Our sanctuary has needed a refresh for some time

Technological updates will enhance the worship experience for those present and online. Together we will:

• Add seating and create and designated music space in the East transept. Our altar will be more accessible for those with disabilities, making it easier for all to participate.

• Update the technology throughout by adding audio-visual equipment and sound support, enhancing worship.

• Improve access to the loft by adding stairs to create a structurally sound, safe, and flexible space.

• Shorten the altar area to add seating in the sanctuary. Add more accessible seating.

• Repair the stained glass windows as necessary with new flashing.

• Overall refresh of the worship space.

Updated Cemetery

Our Sacred Heart Cemetery has been in place since long before Lake Oswego was a city

Many of our parish pioneers and generations of current parish members are resting there. In fact, George Rogers is buried in our cemetery along with other family members. We need to expand for our future. Together we will:

• Zone the property as a cemetery in Lake Oswego

• Build on to the existing road allow us to develop the back portion of the property we acquired years ago.

• Upgrade the property with sprinklers and proper drainage, lighting and utilities.

• Create fetal and infant burial area with memorial

• Purchase movable canopy covers for cemetery services and burials

• Add meditation areas for family members

• Purchase a plot of adjacent land

New Space for Adoration

We will create a chapel dedicated to adoration

A space for one person or several to sit in quiet prayer in the presentee of Blessed Sacrament, uninterrupted by the regular workings and events in the main church. This reminds us of the centrality of the Eucharist in Catholic Life and it allows for the possibility of Perpetual Adoration (24/7). This chapel will be on the ground level and will feature:

• A separate accessible entrance from the parking lot

• Secure, coded entry

• Seating for about 10 people

• A private restroom

Renovated Kitchen + Parish Hall

Our parish kitchen will be reconfigured to allow for maximum efficiency and ease of use

Together we will:

• Create a user-friendly kitchen with zones for storage, prep and service, cooking and dishwashing

• Provide ample and combined storage spaces so that our various ministries will have access to what they need to serve our community

• Reconfigure the dining area of the hall for better flow, maximum seating, better egress and more light

• Upgrade separation walls to allow for private meeting spaces, including video technology

• More and better meeting space

• Relocate the restrooms into one accessible, convenient area that can be accessed without entering the meeting spaces

• Move and enlarge the all purpose room next to the relocated restrooms. This can be used as a Bride’s Room or for other activities as needed.

• Add a portable stage for presentations, performances, and lectures

• Upgrade systems including the HVAC, electrical and fire alarm/supression systems

Read Full Details Here

Your contribution will make a difference for these ministries and more:

Mercy Teams Outreach
St. Vincent de Paul Council Activities
Funeral Luncheon Ministry
Knights of Columbus Charitable Activities
Adult Faith Formation
Men’s Groups, Women’s Groups, Mom’s Group
Family Faith Formation
Youth Ministry
Sacramental Preparation
Respect Life Advocacy
Pastoral Care
OLL School
Recovery Groups

“Give and gifts will be given to you;

a good measure, packed together, shaken down,

and overflowing, will be poured into your lap.

For the measure with which you measure will

in return be measured out to you.”

~Luke 6:38

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will this take and where will we have Masses while construction is underway?

We anticipate it will be 16 months from groundbreaking to completion. We will soon learn if it’s possible to have Masses in the sanctuary while construction is underway in the kitchen and parish hall or if we will have masses in the gym.

Can we do this in phases? $10M sounds expensive.

Doing all the remodeling and construction at the same time is inconvenient, but ultimately saves time and money. Once we have cash and pledges to cover the entire cost, we will begin construction with a swing loan from the Archdiocese. Our goal is to complete the project without having to incur debt.

Why do we need an adoration chapel? Don’t we offer adoration in the sanctuary now?

We do offer adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at times and with the adoration chapel, we will be able to offer it 24 hours every day. We will no longer have to cancel it for an event in the sanctuary and those who sign up for adoration will have secure access.

I serve in the funeral ministry, where will we be able to provide this ministry to families while construction is underway?

We will make every effort to provide space for this important ministry in the parish center in one of the larger conference rooms.

I’d love to honor my family member or a Saint dear to my family as I make my gift. What naming opportunities will there be?

At OLL, we have an honor wall in the atrium of the parish center. We honor gifts of $25,000 and more on this wall with special tiles. With gifts of $100,000 and more, we will place a plaque near the entrance of that room or space with wording as you desire.

My children attend OLL School, how will this project benefit the work of the school?

Many activities for the school and for our religious education program happen in the parish hall. Students of our school use the church weekly for Mass and have speech contests and school family social gatherings in the hall. Our Children’s Liturgy of the Word gathers there each weekend with as many as 100 children or more.

Please make your pledge here:

All pledges to the Capital Campaign will be used exclusively for this parish improvement project.

Pledge Here

Thank you for helping to make our parish a more beautiful space!

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