Vision for the Future Campaign

Father Nicholas Vetter and the parishioners of St. John the Baptist in Beach have recently embarked on a fundraising mission. 
 
 he effort is called the “Vision for the Future” capital campaign. It aims to raise funds required to address improvement needs. The campaign officially began with a presentation by Father Vetter on the weekend of Sept. 7-8.  The campaign, which has seen significant support from parishioners and the broader community, is focused on four projects: replacing the roof after a hail storm, tuck pointing the 111-year-old church building, replacing concrete around the parish, and installing a new HVAC system.
 
Thus far, the campaign has neared the halfway point to the minimum goal of $750,000, thanks to the generosity and commitment of supporters. The current beautiful church needs continued exterior upkeep to maintain the historic church built in 1913. A traditional cruciform church rising above the prairies of western North Dakota, the current building needs tuck pointing to repair and replace any brick and mortar that needs repair. Saint John the Baptist is a proud symbol of the Catholic faith, which will remain for many years to come. For more information on the Vision for the Future campaign and giving options, go to stjohnbeach.com/vision-for-the-future-capital-campaign.
 
History of the parish 

The parish of St. John the Baptist has been part of the Beach community since 1908. The present church was finished and dedicated by Bishop Vincent Wehrle on Sept. 26, 1913. The first pastor was Father A. J. Vanden Heuvel. Nine priests have served the parish: Fathers Heuvel (1908-1909), Otto Wolpers (1910-1918), William Hake (1918-1950), Msgr. John J. Heinz (1950-56), Gerard Finnegan (1956-70), Thomas Knopik (1970-1978), William Fahnlander (1978-1991), Bernard Krebs (1991-1994), Jerome Schommer (1994), David Morman (1995-2002), David Richter (2002-2010), Russell Kovash (2010-2012), Daniel Berg (2012-2023) and Nicholas Vetter (2023-present). The parish membership is currently 129 families.
 
—Staff report