We are approaching the 70-day countdown to our new building’s completion. Anyone who has been around our campus recently can see for themselves the amazing progress we’re making. Here’s a brief wrap up of where we are at this point.
The construction team has been working off of a day-to-day time-line from the first. This week some of our staff put together a similar time-line for our “move-in.” It begins on day “50,” Friday, July 21 and runs through our opening day, September 10. There is a dizzying amount of details to be organized and undertaken: installations for tech, lights, sound; liturgical and musical rehearsals; new procedures for ministers and staff; the list goes on and on. Obviously all of that can easily become overwhelming. But anticipating and scheduling them makes it more manageable (at least that’s what we’re telling ourselves).
As we move into our new spaces, more of our old space opens up for new uses. The most common question we get is “what are you going to do with the old church?” At some point this summer the pews will be removed and the space re-carpeted (the current carpet has been in place since the 80’s). The majority of this space will be a flexible, multi-purpose room we’ll use for the Time Traveler’s program, as well as our middle school and high school programs. We’re going to be calling it The Theatre. A portion of this space will also be carved out to form a Chapel for daily Mass, confessions, and a place of quiet prayer throughout the weekend.
The current Café-Pavilion will serve our 4th and 5th graders on Sunday mornings and be used during the week as an extension of our overcrowded office space. We’re calling it The Pavilion.
Our Sunday morning kids programs will take place in its current location in the Children’s Wing, the back section of which will be reserved for little kids. Kidzone and All Stars will be housed in this area we are collectively calling All Stars.
Other names to note: the new café will be The Vision Café, the new lobby will be called the Concourse, and the old lobby will be called the East Lobby. The new corridor between the two will be called the Glass Link. Still to be figured out this summer, how to arrange and use these spaces.
All this planning comes to an end, ready or not, on September 8, when Archbishop Lori will be dedicating the church and the altar. While this formal ceremony will be invitation only, plans are being made to live stream it. Meanwhile, everyone is invited to join us on Sunday, September 10 when we’ll be celebrating our first ever Masses in the new space and hosting a parish festival with food and fun and guided tours. Mark your calendars now.
