Dear Friends,
As you may know, the Church Foundation board plays a vital role in the life of the diocese. Your facilities may have been beneficiaries of a grant or loan from the foundation for emergency repairs and maintenance. The board also oversees the diocesan property, including stewardship and disposition of properties when a parish ceases to function.
The challenging economy has increased demands on the board and its resources. So that they might be better stewards, the board of the Church Foundation is requesting from each congregation various real estate documents. These will help the foundation quickly review funding requests or carry out its duties expeditiously if the church no longer functions. It is also helpful for the foundation to have a more complete, diocesan-wide picture of parish holdings in land and buildings.
I would appreciate you supplying copies of these documents to the Rev. David Getreu, Associate for Financial Management & Oversight of the Diocese, by December 1, 2021.
These documents include:
- Deed(s) to church property.
- Any leases applicable to those properties.
- Any mortgages applicable to those properties, including the promissory note secured by the mortgage.
- Geographic Information System (GIS) maps of the property, where available, or a recent survey, if available.
- Copies of the latest real estate tax information, if appropriate.
- Emergency contact information related to each building, including the sexton, the insurance agent, utilities serving the property, and governmental emergency contacts.
The Church Foundation requests this information when it receives grant or loan submissions. Having the information already on file will facilitate that process, making the work of the Church Foundation more effective and efficient.
While I realize this request might require extra time and work, those efforts will be appreciated by the entire diocese as we move toward fulfilling our diocesan strategic plan, particularly as it relates to the stewardship of our resources.
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact Rev. David Getreu at 740-334-9775 or dgetreu@diosohio.org. Thank you.
