Fix Mary's Roof!

As of August, 2017, the goal has been reached!  Thank you, everyone, for your help in keeping Mary's Church beautiful!

------------------------------------------------

The Roman Catholic Church of Saint Mary in the small town of Hague, ND, needs your help!  Our roof needs replacement ASAP!

Here's a little history
When the German Russian settlers first arrived in the area near Hague in the late 1800s one of the first things they did was build a church. Their first church was a small, wooden structure, located west of what would become the town of Hague. Before long the congregation had outgrown that structure. The town of Hague was growing. So in 1906 a large, beautiful, brick church was built on the south side of town. Sadly, this church was destroyed by fire on Ash Wednesday in 1929. But this did not deter or dampen the faith of those pioneers. They immediately set about building, in very hard economic times, the extremely beautiful church that still stands today, nearly 90 years later, in the little town of Hague. For these faithful pioneers, it was only the best for God!

The need for a roof
As with any building, the Church of Saint Mary has needed some care and attention over the years. Thanks to the very generous support of parishioners and others who have donated their skills, equipment, time, and finances, the church is well maintained. Yet, there are still areas of the structure that need immediate attention. The most urgent need, and the reason for this letter, is that the roof of our church must be replaced.

When it was built, the church's roof was covered with something like a slate tile. By 2008, after 80 years, it was due for replacement. Asphalt shingles were installed at that time, but there were problems from the beginning. Right away, they began to blow off. Leaks have been a constant problem.




We have been repeatedly patching the roof since. In short, we need a more permanent solution to our roofing problem. If we do not fix this, the beautiful interior of the church (restored in 2012) won't last.


To address the issue, the parish pastoral council and I, the pastor, investigated various options for a new roof. We looked at numerous contractors and considered five different roofing materials. After weighing the costs, warranties, appearances, and likely durability of the various materials, we have chosen to hire Western Products, a contractor based out of Fargo, to install a slate roofing system. I've personally worked with this contractor over the years on another project and have been very pleased. This material, too, looks very nice and should last. Surprisingly, this slate roofing system is less expensive than some metal roofing that we investigated. We hope this will restore the church to something like its original appearance and preserve it for generations to come.

The cost
The cost for this roofing project is estimated at $212,000. That is, I admit, a great deal of money for a small parish like Saint Mary's. To ensure the success of this undertaking, we are asking for your prayers and financial support. Your help is vital, and we cannot do it without you. I do realize the farm economy is not doing well, that taxes are going up, and so on. It's not the best time to try to finance such a large project. Yet, it must be done to preserve the church. The need remains. And I have faith that if this church could be built in the trying times of the depression, it can be re-roofed today. Please pray about this project, and do what you can to support it. Every gift will help, large or small.

Support the project!
To support this project, donate here via GoFundMe or make checks payable to the Church of Saint Mary and mail them to PO Box 156, Hague, ND 58542.

If you have questions about this project, don't hesitate to contact me.

Sincerly,
Rev. Jason R. Signalness, pastor