Week 13 – 31 March
Martin Painting has finished painting the ceiling & ribs and is now working on prepping, patching, sanding, and primer-painting the walls of the church. Claypool has been cutting out holes in the ceiling to receive the new LED light fixtures that will be installed. Muralworks continue the decorative floral painting on the ceiling bosses and spandrels… this continues for most all of April. Corna will insulate the restroom and reconciliation room walls and should begin hanging drywall later this week! 

Below are images of: spotlights that have been installed atop the column capitals that will shine down to illuminate the stations of the cross on their new gothic frames (note the column itself has not yet been painted); spandrels in various stages of decorative floral painting; and the final floral boss in the center nave… this will be done 5-6 more times down the center nave with the flowers being rotated each time so each floral boss looks different.

Week 14 – 7 April
Muralworks continues the decorative floral painting on the ceiling bosses and spandrels… this continues for most all of April. Corna will finish the hanging of drywall in the new restroom areas and reconciliation room. Worthington Air should finish making final connections for the furnace in this area. Martin Painting continues to work where they can to patch, sand, and prep the walls of church for painting. 

Week 15 – 14 April
Muralworks continues the decorative floral painting (in stages) on the ceiling floral bosses and column spandrels… this continues through April and into the first part of May. Martin Painting continues to work where they can to patch, sand, and prep the walls of church for painting. Claypool continues electric work. This week they energized the LED spotlights that illuminate the sanctuary, front side walls where the side shrine will be, and the stations of the cross. It was wonderful to see lights proper to the church being used to illuminate the upper church after several months of only mobile work flood lights of various color temperatures! By the end of this week, Corna should have the walls of the new restrooms and confessional room primed and painted.

Week 16 – 21 April
Below are a few pictures of the progress Martin Painting is making on stripping, sanding, and refinishing our church pews. The warm chestnut colored stain will be lighter than the previous stain to show more pew carving details and the natural grain of the wood.

Week 17 – 28 April
Muralworks continues the decorative floral painting (in stages) on the ceiling floral bosses and column spandrels… this continues into May. Martin Painting continues to work where they can to patch, sand, and prep the walls of church for painting. Claypool continues electric work inside the church and for some new exterior lights outside the South Entrance and Sacristy. Corna has framed the walls in the sacristy for a bathroom and additional closet. Progress continues in the new restrooms with the installation of lighting fixtures by Claypool. Jones-Schlater Flooring is installing the tile flooring and tile wainscoting this week into next week.

On Wednesday we visited Bent Tree Woodworking, where Steve our craftsman, has been working on a number of wood pieces for our church’s beautification. You’ll see a couple images of the lower section of the main reredos from the sanctuary — but it will look a bit different! You’ll find it has been elevated on a frame structure below to accept the Altar of Repose that will be constructed out of red oak later this month to match the style and stain of the existing reredos. Does the gothic canopy that has been inset into the old reredos look familiar to you? (it is the top of the blessed sacrament tower that stood in the North side nave of church previously) Beneath it, in the illuminated area, will sit the marble and gold Altar crucifix that had most recently been in the main reconciliation room – but previously stood atop the high Altar in the original sanctuary reredos. Beneath that, in the empty square area, will be secured the existing tabernacle from church. (see a blueprint image to see this illustrated) You’ll also see decorative gothic accent pieces: crockets, oak leaves, and finials that will be placed on the arches which will house the paintings and the spires (see a blueprint image below to see this illustrated also). When the main reredos is complete, you won’t be able to tell the new woodwork from the old. Additionally various parts will be accented with gold paint. You’ll also find a mock-up in poplar wood of one of the side shrine details. The facade pieces of wood are mock-ups for review… the final side shrines will look very similar and will be crafted out of red oak and stained to match the main sanctuary reredos. Lastly, you’ll see the gothic frames in progress for our existing stations of the cross. These will be stained in a color in the same family as the other woodwork in the church.

Week 18 – 5 May
Muralworks continues the decorative floral painting on the ceiling floral bosses and column spandrels… this continues into mid-May. Martin Painting continues to work where they can to patch, sand, and prep the walls of church for painting. Claypool continues LED lighting work inside the church as well as recessing speaker wires and power lines into the columns so they will no longer be visible on the exterior. Jones-Schlater Flooring continues installing the tile wainscoting in the new restrooms this week. Corna has continued work in the 2 new confessionals in the East part of the nave with the installation of insulation and a jack post column for support of the upper wall of the church. There is no structural concern above the confessionals, this support jack is just there to sit beneath the window sill so it cannot bow in the future.

Week 19 – 12 May
Muralworks continues decorative floral painting on the ceiling and spandrels in the nave… they’ve needed more time on this project than they expected, so this continues now until closer to the end of May. Below you’ll see what the floral bosses look like for the side aisle ceilings. Claypool continues electrical work in the church most all the wires and external outlets on the pillars have been recessed. Corna’s crew is working to install wood furring strips on the brick walls of the nave in preparation for the installation of the wood wainscoting.. hopefully beginning next week. They are also working on constructing the coffered ceilings in the main vestibule and quieting room. Jones-Schlater Flooring should be finishing the tile installation in the new restrooms this week. Work slowly continues in the sacristy bathrooms with the installation of a small heater, exhaust fan and the beginning of drywall work.

Week 20 – 19 May
Muralworks continues decorative floral painting on the ceiling and spandrels in the nave… Claypool continues electrical work in the church… Corna’s crew is working to finish installing furring strips and should begin installing the wood wainscoting this week which will continue thru June with construction and on-site staining. They are also working on constructing the coffered ceilings in the main vestibule and quieting room. Jones-Schlater Flooring has finishing the tiling work in the new restrooms. We could see the installation of some of the bathroom plumbing fixtures this week. 

**This week the painted images of St. Peter and St. Paul that flanked the image of the Assumption in the former/original reredos were found!

Week 21 – 26 May
Good news! Matt and his artists from MuralWorks have finished all but a few small details on the floral embellishments on the ceiling bosses and column spandrels. Yesterday, Safeway began dismantling the scaffolding system above the pipe organ, choir loft and in the nave… the dismantling continues this week and next in the nave. Scaffolding will remain in the sanctuary for a few more weeks for the painting of ceiling stars and wall embellishment. Corna continues the installation of the white oak wainscot on the walls of the nave and the crafting of the coffered ceilings in the main vestibule and quieting room.

Week 22 – 2 June
Safeway continues dismantling the scaffolding system down the nave. Scaffolding will remain in the sanctuary for a few more weeks for the painting of ceiling stars and wall embellishments by Muralworks. Corna continues the installation of the white oak wainscot on the walls of the nave and finishes crafting the coffered ceilings in the main vestibule and quieting room. Muetzel has worked this week on digging a trench to connect the new bathroom in the sacristy to the existing sanitary line under the parking lot. The lanterns have returned… they’ve been polished and outfitted with LED lights… one has been hung and the others should go up this coming week or next.

Week 23 – 9 June
Muralworks continues their decorative artwork in the sanctuary — the painting of the stars on the blue ceiling should be completed early this week. Then work will begin on the embellishments on the upper sanctuary walls before the sanctuary scaffolding comes down the later part of next week. Walls are being framed out in the confessionals (see image below) and wainscot install continues by Corna. Most of the lanterns have now been hung by Claypool and are illuminated (they are still wrapped in protective plastic). They are also completing the final pieces of the new fire alarm and monitoring system install. Martin Painting is working on painting the center nave columns, side wall columnetts, South entrance walls and sacristy walls. Work is being done in the ceiling of the South entrance and with new lighting to brighten the Annunciation window since some of it, covered by the addition, doesn’t get sunlight.

Week 24 – 16 June
Muralworks continues their decorative art work in the sanctuary — the stars have been painted on the ceiling and they continue the pattern embellishment on the sanctuary walls. The remaining scaffolding system in the sanctuary is scheduled to be removed on Wednesday. Corna continues work on the wood wainscot installation in the nave and the trim work for the coffered ceilings in the main vestibule and quieting room. Martin Painting is continues painting the center nave columns, side wall columnetts, South entrance walls and sacristy walls. Work was done in the ceiling of the South entrance and with new lighting (to be added yet) to brighten the Annunciation window since some of it, covered by the addition, doesn’t get sunlight.

Week 25 – 23 June
The last of the scaffolding system is down! Mobile scaffolds will continue to be used as Muralworks continues their decorative pattern embellishment on the sanctuary walls. Corna continues work on the wood wainscot installation. Martin Painting has been working on the last of the painting… the South wall of the nave has been painted and the North wall of the nave will be painted this week. Corna and our flooring company are working to remove the marble floor tiles and rails where the tabernacle tower was in preparation for that raised platform to be demolished. Next week, they’ll begin re-working that area to match the South side nave in preparation for the side shrines. 

Week 26 – 30 June
This week, Muralworks continues their decorative pattern embellishment on the sanctuary walls and a few remaining spandrels. Corna continues work on the wood wainscot installation. Martin Painting finishing the last of the painting. The nave flood floor will be sanded and refinished over the course of this week and next. The front left side of the sanctuary and old tabernacle tower platform area will be reworked following last weeks demo, new framing installed, and new marble laid so it will better match the right side. New flooring will be installed in the choir loft. A new ceiling and lights will be installed in the sacristy.

Week 27 – 7 July
A lot of big and little things are going on in church this week! Some more noteworthy: final painting of remaining walls and decorative painting continue and wrap-up; interior wood door re-varnishing and prep for the return of 2 of 3 exterior door sets and the last set to leave for refinishing; finish floor framing and laying new marble on the left side of sanctuary and nave where tabernacle peninsula was; wainscot work and baseboards; new LVT flooring in sacristies and choir loft; and the refinishing of the wood floor under the pews. Steve, our liturgical woodworker, installed wall anchors for the stations of the cross and brought a plywood template to hang at each spot on the wall so accent lighting could be appropriately aimed before the pews are re-installed. The existing stations of the cross with new gothic wood frames will be just under 8 feet tall. Also below are pictures of some of the wood liturgical pieces in Steve’s shop taken by our architect, William Heyer in a visit last week to check progress. The LED can lights for the nave ceiling have arrived and will be installed over this week and next. 

Week 28 – 14 July
As for bigger things going on in the church: Martin Painting continues final painting in a few areas in the church; Claypool continues installation of LED can lights for the nave; Corna continues work installing the wood wainscoting along the side nave walls; Final flooring wraps up the refinishing of the wood floor under the pews. There are more and more little projects unfolding now at this time in the beautification process. Hope to have some pictures to share next week to highlight some things.

Week 29 – 21 July
As for the larger happenings this week: Now that the wood floors are finished, the refinished pews are returning to the church. Pieces of the reredos are being delivered from Steve our carpenter from BentTree Woodworking this week. Matt and his artists from Muralworks are applying gold accents to the wood reredos in places to highlight its gothic features before it is assembled. Claypool is finishing up can light installation in the nave and also installing new gothic light fixtures in the main vestibule, narthex, and outside the main doors of the church. Corna continues work on the trim for the wainscoting, work in confessionals and ceiling work in the sacristy. Peebles-Herzog is cleaning out the organ case of all dust and preparing to begin re-installing the two thousand and some pipes later this week and next week.

Week 30 – 28 July
This will probably be the last week of updates for our parish church’s beautification.
Many things continue to unfold this week — some bigger and some smaller. As with most projects, there is always crunch time near the end — many crews are putting in extra time so most everything can be finished when we return to church for the Assumption. Some smaller things will need to be completed after the Assumption. Peebles-Hertzog continues work on the re-installation of our pipes; one of our artists continues the installation of his pieces and adding some last-minute details he was inspired to do since his time here; Corna continues work on the wood wainscoting with Martin following behind doing the staining (toner and clearcoat still to come); the pews are all back in the church and back in order – soon they’ll be attached; marble work continues in the front of church on the sanctuary steps and to the left side where the tabernacle peninsula was; final work in the expanded bathrooms; final ceiling work and painting in several areas; some final electrical and lighting by Claypool; Muralworks continue gold accent painting on the reredos to highlight gothic features and some statue touchup; and final work in the main sacristy with ceiling, lighting, sound system, and the new bathroom. 

COLOR PALATE FOR CHURCH BEAUTIFICATION
The below colors will give you an idea of the colors that have been chosen under the guidance of our architect, William Heyer. The samples below do not reflect the various paint finishes that were chosen or a blend of two colors that will be used for the ribbing — but this at least gives a very good sense of the paint colors for the church beautification.