St. George Catholic Church in Linn is nearing its funding campaign goal for major church and school renovation projects.
More than $500,000 of the desired $595,000 has been pledged to complete an array of projects to improve upon the church and school buildings, creating a better space for learning and worship.
The Rev. Dan Merz invites friends of the more than 150-year-old parish to visit, see the progress already made and possibly contribute to completing what has become a large endeavor.
"(The church) is over 40 years old, and there's nothing really that's been done to it," Merz said. "To any Catholic parishioners out there who grew up in Linn, are alumni of our school or friends of the parish, I invite them to come back and take a look at the church and see what's going on - and, if they are so inclined, to contribute to this project."
The parish of more than 500 families is among the oldest and largest in the area and operates the Good Shepherd community outreach and assistance program.
The original project included five main goals: installing a new roof on St. George church, cleaning and sealing church bricks, asbestos removal and new flooring in St. George School, interior renovation of the church and installing solar panels on the church's roof to offset electricity costs.
The school renovations have allowed the basement once used for storage to be converted into classrooms which allows the pre-K through eighth grade to be housed in the same building.
The project has since expanded in many ways, such as installation of all LED-efficient lighting; reupholstering the church pews; installing new ceiling and floor tiles; and working on the heating, cooling and ventilation system.
Local woodworker James Voss is crafting locally donated walnut wood into a new altar, ambo (raised lectern), baptismal font, tabernacle stand, cross and stands that will support newly acquired statues of St. Joseph and St. Ann.
"It's going to be a much greater feast for the eyes. Catholic churches are traditionally very rich (because) we proclaim the gospel with the word but also with the arts - with statues, with paintings, with our rituals. So the renovation of the church will add two additional statues in the sanctuary," Merz said.
The parish purchased the St. Ann statue from a company in New York. The St. Joseph statue came from a church in Neiere, Missouri.
"They just had it in their closet and were looking for someone to give it to. It was very convenient," Merz said.
The church renovations are expected to be completed in March and the solar panels planned to be installed in summer 2018.
Merz said he appreciates the patience of the parishioners during the ongoing renovations. Scaffolding was standing in the chapel until Thursday.
The renovations and capital campaign have been going well, and he hopes parishioners will keep in mind that as the church improves externally, they should think about how they can improve internally, Merz said.
"It is important to renovate the church building, to keep the building in good shape and to make it beautiful, but the real goal is always our real spiritual moral renovation," Merz said. "The externals that we are doing here are meant to touch our internal spiritual life."
For more information or to pledge support, contact the St. George rectory at 573-897-2293, email [email protected] or visit church.saint-george-parish.org/St-George-Church/capitalcampaign2016.