YOU'RE (ALWAYS!) WELCOME!

Just like in your home or business, first impressions are everything.  While there were a lot of good things happening...the ongoing food drive for the local food pantry, posters of events, flyers, flowers, sign ups, prayer cards, displays, decorations, and more, there were times that our entrance off of the parking lot was pretty much of a mess.  Walking in was somewhat overwhelming....you didn't know where to look or what you might find!

 

We wanted to create a "Welcome Center" as this is the first place that parishioners and visitors enter as they come into our church. We knew it was important to create a feeling of hospitality.  Another consideration was that there is a trend for the chapel to be used for visitation prior to funerals, and frequently people gather in this space to visit or to wait in line.  It was a little cramped!

Many things went into this room's transformation.  The beautiful quilt that was created by various parish ministries in 1992 for the 150th Anniversary of SFDS received a new acrylic cover (the old one was cracked and broken).  We decided to move the quilt to a larger wall (with better lighting) into the Parish Center.  We moved the food pantry items to baskets in the Parish Center.  The old sign with the push on letters announcing the Mass times was removed and the brochure holder was moved across the way. Probably the thing that had the most impact was taking down the wall where the library used to be. This really opened up the space making it bigger for a better flow.  An added bonus was exposing this original stained glass window which had formerly been behind the door.

We designed an area with glass cabinets to display artifacts from our parish's 175 year history.  We purchased a piece of furniture that opens into a table for groups to be able to sell tickets etc. without interrupting the traffic pattern of people coming and going. (It closes up into a cabinet to save space when not being used!) We added a big screen TV that scrolls SFDS news and upcoming events, eliminating the need for paper posters and cutting down on the clutter. (The TV can also display photo slide shows and live stream Mass).  The wood cabinets now hold the lost and found and store other items neatly.  We re-purposed some of the marble that had been on the walls in the sanctuary and had it cut to size for the counter top/backsplash. New electric outlets were added.  New carpeting, ceiling tiles, and lights completed the makeover!


SFDS Volunteer Groups can now display their upcoming events on the Big Screen!

While the space looks great, of course it's the people that make the biggest difference!  We have some wonderful greeters who welcome people when they arrive for Mass.  If you would like to join this important (and fun!) volunteer group (you just need to arrive about 20 minutes before Mass begins) please stop in to the Parish Office and sign up!