Dear Parishioners of St. Elizabeth Seton,
Have you ever remodeled a house or even a room? Once completed, it may make other rooms stand out as “less finished” and almost a little dingy. The same happens when remodeling a church! As we proceed with our renovations both inside and outside, we keep finding new areas that need improvement.
For example, in the church, we are improving the Ministry Room with new cabinets and counters. However, we did not anticipate needing new cabinets in the Sacristy. In evaluating the condition of the Sacristy cabinets against the newly painted walls and tile, it became apparent we need to freshen up this space too.
And while we initially thought the laminate flooring would work in the Sanctuary and Choir area, we found that it could not be properly applied to the steps leading up to the Sanctuary and the new ADA compliant ramp. A careful decision was made to do these areas in real wood, which will enhance the church for many years to come. There is an authenticity about wood in spiritual spaces and it is found to have superior acoustics as wood absorbs and diffuses sound and is known to eliminate echoes. And our new pews, Altar and Ambo, are natural wood.
And again, it is the little things that continue to add to the cost of our Jubilee renovations. New kneelers at the shrines and in the Confessionals and a complete railing system at the exterior ADA ramp on the north side of Church are some of the projects that while are not major expenses needed to be completed to make the church safe and welcoming to all.
Why share all this information? We may need your help once again. The generosity of this parish has been overwhelming and so many of you have contributed to our overall Jubilee renovation budget. But as we enter the next phase of transformations, our contingency fund is running very low. If you can help once again, please consider a gift to St. Elizabeth Seton Jubilee Renovations Fund. All gifts will be put to good use, and if by chance we have any excess, we will ask our parishioners to decide the next improvement project.
Additionally, once the exterior church and courtyard was freshly painted, it was apparent the rest of the campus walls and walkways needed to be cleaned and painted too. As these areas are out of the scope of the Jubilee Renovation budget, these funds were covered by the parish operating budget. What began as a minor project has turned into a major renewal that will last us for many years.
Thank you for your prayerful consideration. The renewal and refreshing of St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church is in its third month of construction and much has been accomplished. But our journey is not finished and your continued prayers and support are needed as we together honor the legacy and faith of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton who said, “Go to God with faith and confidence”
May we all be faithful and confident.
In Christ and with Gratitude,
Dr. Kathleen H. Goeppinger
Jubilee Chair
