Dear Parishioners,
As you all know, we embarked on the journey of renovating our church last year. Thus far, the work has been primarily focused on the exterior structure; however, this week that has changed and serious renovation of the interior has officially commenced.
This work is going to have an effect on our area of worship for a time, it’s simply unavoidable given the scope of the project, but do not despair as we are taking every possible measure to minimize disruption to our services. Regular mass times will still be upheld and normal church operations will continue unimpeded. That said, we respectfully request that you demonstrate patience during this process, being certain to keep in mind the end result— a greatly improved place of worship.
As the work progresses, the areas of the church impacted by the construction will change; over the ensuing weeks this blog will be providing regularly updated information regarding the specific nature of the renovation work being conducted at any given time.
Since this is new to all of you, there are a few specific areas of concern we think are especially important to address:
- Please avoid areas that are marked with caution tape, or are otherwise cordoned off (this may seem like common sense, but it’s important that we keep everyone safe during this process). In the same vein, please avoid any areas that are actively being worked on, and as a general rule avoid touching anything that seems involved with the construction.
- We are doing our absolute best to reduce dust, but the work taking place IS messy. There is a possibility that you may come into contact with some dust, and that some of it may go home with you. We will be trying our hardest to mitigate the production of dust, but this may be something to take into account for wardrobe considerations.
- Pews are going to be moved as part of this process, so there will be inevitable temporary changes to the seating configuration. We apologize for this, but it’s a necessary part of the project.
- There will be a break in the work, beginning December 17th, so important holiday services and events will be in no way affected.
We express our sincerest gratitude for your continued patience as this work proceeds. Current projections estimate that the overall end date to all of the construction efforts will be sometime during summer next year, but we anticipate that the bulk of the interior work will be finished well before that. We assure you that when this is all said and done, the inconveniences associated with this project will seem minor in relation to the wonderful enhancements our place of worship will have received. Ultimately, these improvements are an investment in our future and will help create a spectacular atmosphere for worship to be enjoyed not only by you, but countless generations of Saint Michael’s parishioners to come.
