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Pardon our dust

Church construction is taking place across the diocese

The interior of the new Family Life Center at St. Margaret's, Lawrence shows the shape the finished structure will take, mirroring the roof slope of the existing church. The building will provide space for classrooms, meetings and additional worship services. It will be completed by Easter. Photo by Melodie Woerman

By Melodie Woerman

Editor, The Harvest       

Last fall during a meeting at Grace Cathedral, Bishop Dean Wolfe’s comments were interrupted by the sound of a power drill. He smiled as he said, “I love that sound. That’s the sound of growth. Whenever I smell paint or hear power tools in church, that is a great sign.”

Great signs like that are springing up in parishes large and small, as congregations explore how they can expand or upgrade their facilities to meet the needs of their community.

St. Margaret’s, Lawrence

The largest project currently underway is a new building adjacent to St. Margaret’s. The congregation is adding a Family Life Center to provide needed space for classrooms, meetings and worship. The current church building seats 300, but sometimes that’s not enough for everyone at the four Sunday services, according to the Rev. Darrel Proffitt, St. Margaret’s rector.

The new building will offer four classrooms, two offices, a youth lounge and a multi-purpose space that can be arranged for worship or divided into classrooms or room for meetings as needed.

Proffitt said the building will be used for the first time on Easter.

Canterbury House at KU

Construction crews also have been in place at Canterbury House on the campus of the University of Kansas in Lawrence. They already have torn out the building’s kitchen and bathrooms, and some new fixtures are in place.

Exterior renovations have included expansion of the parking lot, which will be paved in asphalt to provide about 25 spaces.

These renovations have been funded by a donation from an individual who wishes to remain unnamed but wants to make the work of the Episcopal Church on the KU campus more effective.

The renovations will make it possible for the first group of campus peer ministers to live in the house beginning with the fall semester. Juniors and seniors selected for this ministry will assist in ministry to other students on campus in exchange for their living quarters.

St. Thomas, Overland Park

New parish offices now are in place to greet visitors and members at St. Thomas. Uninviting spaces have been transformed into an area interim rector the Rev. Nicolette Papanek called a sacramental space.

“Whether or not our surroundings are welcoming enough for people to come, pleasant enough to encourage people to stay and grow, and exciting enough to challenge people to serve God is what is sacramental about our process,” she wrote in the parish newsletter.

St. James’, Wichita

St. James’ currently is exploring parish needs as it decides on a long-range plan for its facility. Membership in the parish has grown from 586 in 2002 to 936 in 2005, and its rector, the Rev. Kate Moorehead, said church services have become so crowded they may not be welcoming to visitors.

In addition restrooms are inadequate for the number of people using the building, and the parish kitchen “needs work,” according to Moorehead. How to address all these needs is something the congregation is wrestling with, she said. It might result in a new building adjacent to the current structure, remodeling existing space or some combination.

The question for Moorehead is, “How much can the congregation withstand? How much can the existing beloved sanctuary be changed and still make things work?” Once plans are finalized, Moorehead said construction should begin in the fall.

St. Timothy’s, Iola

St. Timothy’s has grown in the last year, and although it remains a small congregation, it, too, is seeing stresses from increased numbers. The Rev. Jan Chubb, vicar, said average Sunday attendance has gone from 16 to 21 in the past year, and those new people include several children.

The church doesn’t have enough classroom space, and there is no private office for meetings. In addition, restrooms need to be made handicap-accessible. Chubb said if fundraising goes as planned, construction will begin by fall.

Trinity, Lawrence

Trinity also needs more classrooms, for children and adults, and desperately needs to replace a too-small parish hall and kitchen. Renovations would allow for greater fellowship and expansion of the parish’s food pantry. A new heating and air conditioning system also is a need, along with replacing the electrical system.

A capital campaign has raised part of the needed funds, and the parish is exploring how next to proceed, according to senior warden Andy Pitts.

Grace Cathedral, Topeka

And what about that power drill that interrupted the bishop last fall at the cathedral? All the restrooms in the building were gutted to make them handicap-accessible and allow for improving the fixtures. New plumbing also was installed throughout the building. Now people using the Great Hall for events will have access to restrooms that are as nice as other cathedral facilities, according to verger Kent Wingerson.