As you've probably noticed, the blog has been quiet recently. This has actually been intentional, as the blog was conceived to give parishioners and friends of St. Stan's parish a glimpse behind-the-scenes into the making of a Parish Center. With the curtain now raised, the preparations are complete.
Next Sunday, April 13th, is Dedication Sunday. Following the 11:30am mass, which will be celebrated by Bishop Carlson, the St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish Center will be formally dedicated. There will be a procession to the building following Mass, a short prayer, the official ribbon cutting, and a reception in the new center until about 3pm.
That such an official event is called a "dedication" is absolutely appropriate, because it represents the hard work and dedication of a great number of people. From the building committee and architects who worked so hard on the design, to the construction crews who lovingly constructed it, to the dedicated men and women of the parish staff, to all of you who have helped make this dream part of our shared parish reality, the story of our parish center is a story of dedication. We thank you all.
The backstory is complete; it's time to let the rest of the story of our Parish Campus write itself. We hope you will join us!
Week 45 - Safe at Home!
Home Sweet Home. There truly is nothing like it.
It's always chaotic whenever there's a move, and inevitably there comes a period of adjustment as you get used to a new place. For new homeowners, it requires getting used to the new sounds and feels of a new home. If you're moving to a new area altogether, sometimes it takes awhile to learn the routes, and what is the most efficient way to get from here to there. And there's certainly a lot of boxes to go through! Still, that first moment, when you can settle back in your chair and look around and sigh and say "We're Here" really feels special.
Moving an office is really no different, as the Parish Staff found out this week. It was chaotic getting everything from A to B that needed to move. There were new sounds and feels, including the climate controls which will require some learning and patience on the part of the staff. And oh, the boxes!
The adjustment period will continue -- for the parishioners as well as the staff -- but for now, our parish family can sit back and have that sigh. We're here.
It's appropriate, then, that our new modern parish office should come with a new modern parish website. Just as with the parish center, the new look is ready, but the last of the features are still coming online, so please be patient. It will be worth the wait -- the new site brings with it new email addresses for the staff, a new electronic parish calendar, and an electronic archive of past bulletins, as well as up-to-date information on the groups and ministries around the parish.
The next phase in the journey of our parish family is now beginning. There will still be some adjustments to make, some final tweaks to complete, and some necessary changes in how the parish operates, but with your help, cooperation, and patience, we will accomplish great things!
There's no place like home!
Week 44 - Moving Day!
As the last of our missing pieces fall into place, it's time to begin the process of moving into our new home!
The Parish Offices will be closed the middle of this week while we make the transition. Your best bet is to call ahead. We thank you for your patience and cooperation as we learn where all the light switches are, how to turn the heat up to a reasonable level, and overall adapt to our new surroundings.
Stay tuned, because the next few weeks will bring some exciting changes to the parish!
Week 43 - Making Lemonade...
As our area recovers from the worst storm in nearly thirty years, allow me to offer a constructive alternative to the snowblower.
I'm referring to snow statues, one of the premier activities in the snowy tundra that is the Upper Peninsula, where I'm spending my weekend. If ever there was an example of making the best out of a bad (weather) situation, Michigan Tech has it figured out. Enjoy the pictures, even if they're not related to the Parish Campus Project...
..or are they? Certainly, in the building of snow statues, we can witness a community coming together to accomplish a massive project, much as our parish has come together to construct our beautiful new Parish Center. Whether the bricks are clay or snow, use mortar or ice, or finished with paint or an iron, the result is the same: a great example of teamwork.
There's another opportunity this week to get a look at the result of that teamwork. The parish center will be open for walk-throughs this Wednesday, from 5:30-7:00pm. If you weren't able to join us last weekend, be sure to come out on Wednesday to see the place in history we've carved out for ourselves!
Week 42 - Looking Ahead!
Today, the Parish got its first glance at what the completed Parish Center will be.
Although photos from the event, make it look as though the Parish Center is ready for business, there actually remains a fair amount of work to do before we can move in and open the doors. Still, it was wonderful to see the reactions as people viewed the building interiors for the first time.
I was particularly encouraged to see the number of people with mobility restrictions who were able to join us to take part in the event. The Parish Center represents a truly welcoming, accessible resource for ALL of our parish family, regardless of mobility.
We had a spectacular turnout today, and all of the comments, questions, and suggestions were appreciated and well received. As we continue towards the dedication of the building in April, we appreciate your continued support and interest. We look forward to the day we will open the doors permanently, and usher in a new era for our parish.
Stay tuned!
Open House Details
This week's blog entry will be delayed until Sunday evening, when I'll have exclusive pictures from the Open House.
The Open House will take place from 12:45-4:00pm THIS SUNDAY, February 3rd. Stop over and walk through the building, have some light refreshment, and see what we've been up to!
Week 41 - Getting Ready for the Big Game
In Arizona, the best that football has to offer is getting ready for the biggest show of the year. The cables are getting run, the grass is freshly mowed, and the media frenzy is reaching a fever pitch. The Big Game is but a week away!
Here at St. Stan's, we know the feeling. It's nearly time to show off the fruits of our labor, and we're just as excited! Plans are being made, the last of the furniture and fixtures are heading into place (see the album for examples), and the intensity is running high.
In just one week, it's showtime!!
I'll have the official details of the Open House very soon, so stay tuned!
Week 40 - Finishing Touches
If you're a person who likes to watch home improvement shows, or even cooking shows, you understand the importance of the "finishing touch" -- the last few details added right near the end that really help make a design or a recipe look complete. Whether it's a throw pillow, a painting hung in just the right spot, a little bit of landscaping, or a garnish alongside the entree, these finishing touches add excitement and anticipation for the finished product.
This week, just as the Parish was putting the finishing touches on the Christmas season, the crew was busy adding finishing touches to the building, in the form of bathroom accessories, final cabinetry, wall sconces, and a good thorough cleaning of the entire building.
All of these help add to the finished look of the building, but none more so than the stained glass windows, which were installed this week. The original windows from the Blessed Angela Room have gotten a facelift, having been repaired and expanded to fit the building. A full set of pictures, including the stained glass, are available in the photo album.
While we're not quite done yet (there's still some trim, a few accessories, and some touch up work to be completed), we're getting close. Before long we'll be able to "Move that Bus!" and open the doors to reveal our Extreme Makeover: Parish Center Edition!
Week 39 - Labor Pains
If you're an expectant mother, Week 39 is an exciting week, because your baby can arrive any time. Even though you know there's going to be some discomfort and some screaming involved, you're on the verge of something great.
As it turns out, Week 39 is also exciting if you're building a Parish Center. Our baby has been growing week by week, and it's just about to full term. You can see this week's sonograms in the photo album.
Of course, before we can share in the joy of the new addition to our Parish family, we have to get through the discomfort and screaming phase, which will come any time now (next week, actually) in the form of the "punch list" of wrap-up items for our contractor to address.
We're on the verge of something great too. And we won't even have to worry about midnight feedings!
Week 38 - Feedback can be Yummy!
I get a lot of comments about the blog, and all of them are appreciated. But the strangest has to be the one I received this week from the makers of Dove chocolate candies. I can only assume this candy wrapper is feedback from my Christmas post:
This week, we moved ever closer to the completion of the building with a lot of visible successes, as evidenced in our photo album. There's the installation of kitchen equipment. There's the flooring, which is almost 100% done. There's the arrival of the office furniture. There's the activation of our plumbing systems. Lastly, there's the completion of our front patio ceiling, which just got finished today.
In another week or so, we'll be having our punch list walk through, which means occupancy can't be too far away. I'm getting excited -- not just because I'm anxious to throw open the doors, but also because of what this building means for our parish. Still, it's worth taking the time to get things done right now.
If we didn't, I'd hear about it...probably from another piece of candy.
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