Dear St. John the Evangelist Parishioners and Friends,
We are now two weeks into our church renovation and much has been happening! Our crews began by removing the pews and kneelers so that scaffolding could be built. Many parishioners were able to reserve a pew to be used in their own projects at home. While the restoration of the pews for church use would have been more costly than the purchase of new pews, creative parishioners are giving new life to the 60-year-old hardwood and making beautiful furniture for their homes, ensuring pieces of St. John the Evangelist's original seating will live on.
A very visible change has been the demolition of the 36" brick casings of the support poles in the sanctuary. Removing these bulky facades greatly improves the altar sightline for worshipers. The transformation is dramatic, and the entire space feels larger and lighter.
After all debris has been removed and scaffolding built, work on the asbestos abatement in the ceiling will begin. The removal of the ceiling will also allow us to upgrade our lighting, install new energy-saving insulation in the attic area, improve the heating and air conditioning ducting, and improve the audio-visual wiring.
It's hard hats only inside the church as the entire space is being cleared in anticipation of our renovation transformation.
The massive 36" brick columns have been removed, adding a better sightline to the altar and tabernacle and between the side transepts.
The pews and choir area have been removed from the Blessed Virgin Mary altar transept. Scaffolding has since been constructed in preparation for the ceiling work.
Scout, a Golden Retriever from our parish family, approves of this pew reconstruction and the new prayer chair and bench made from one of the church pews. After being stained and varnished, these St. John the Evangelist pews will be used for years to come.
Thank you for your support and prayers for our renovation! Below, you'll find a prayer for all of the workers and artisans helping to make our renovation a reality. Thank you for lifting them up in prayer through the intercession of St. Joseph the Worker!
As we settle into the Parish Activities Center for the coming year, please remember to share suggestions or ideas you have to help us work out any kinks or bugs, especially for our Sunday Masses. God bless you all!
Sincerely in Christ,
Prayer for Our Church Renovation
St. Joseph, patron of craftsmen,
through your intercession,
may the Holy Spirit guide all who work to renovate our church.
May God provide them the grace to safely transform our sanctuary into a lasting, beautiful, and holy place of worship.
May they experience the presence of Jesus working alongside them,
as surely as you did in Nazareth.
St. Joseph,
patron of families and workers,
be with us as we undertake this journey together.
Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.