Dear Parishioners of St. Elizabeth Seton,

In the weeks to come you will see one of these two impressive trucks pull into the parking lot of St. Elizabeth Seton!  At the wheel will be Gary or Marvin who have been with the Marshall Company their entire careers, building, delivering and installing church pews and furniture. 

While the exact date of delivery is still unknown, we will be ready to welcome this team to our wonderful parish as they will be part of our St. Elizabeth Community for almost two weeks.  During my visit to Payette, Idaho, I had the opportunity to meet with Gary and Marvin.  They are skilled craftsmen who shared how a delivery is made.

On the truck the component parts of the pews are carefully stacked on racks for transportation.  Each part is labeled and a specific number is assigned to the pew to allow for the exact placement in the nave.  We have shorter pews, longer ones, and each of these has a specific number.  The layout is set prior to manufacturing pews, and each one is carefully measured and set.

Once the shipment is received at St. Elizabeth Seton, the component parts will be placed in the exact position on the floor, prior to any assembly.  The assembly is a key component as they must be carefully constructed and then secured to the floor. 

It is unfortunate that we cannot invite everyone one in to see the process, but this work needs to be done without onlookers or an audience. However, many pictures and videos will be made available to highlight the process and share the transformation. 

While the arrival of the pews may signal that we are getting close to moving back to our church, we still have approximately 12 weeks of work to complete. This includes installation of railings, balancing the air handlers, adding the new wireless sound system, installation of new furniture in the confessionals, and receiving the new narthex and choir seating. Cleaning the church is a three-step process but critical to our successful return to worship in our church.  

The delivery of our pews is filled with blessings, one after the other, representing the generosity of our parish community, the willingness to refresh and renew our church, and finding a wonderful partner in the Marshall Company.  May we proudly welcome the big 18 wheelers into our parking lot, as they are filled with love and blessings!

In Christ and with Gratitude,

Dr. Kathleen H. Goeppinger
Jubilee Chair