July 26, 2006

DIAMONDS in a NEW SETTING...a series of summertime meetings of the various committees set up to promote the understanding of and a forum for the discussion leading to our future new church.

Presenting a ROMANESQUE GLOSSARY of terms which will likely be used throughout the meetings; these should assist our readers in their familiarity of the different particulars of a church building. If a need is found as the meetings progress for more terms to be defined, we will do so.

APSE: area of circular or polygonal shape ( a closed plane figure bounded by straight sides ) covered by a vault, which is located behind the altar.
BAY: sections into which the nave of the church is divided.
BENEDICTINE: plan of a church in which the apse and the chapels are parallel.
CHANCEL: the area reserved for the clergy behind the high altar, in the extension of the nave. It is where religious chants are sung and often includes the choir area.
CROSS / CROSSING: parts of the church where the central nave and the transept join. It can either be covered by a dome or dominated by a tower.
NARTHEX: part of the church opposite the apse, originally used to house the faithful who had not yet been christened.
NAVE: main part of the church with a longitudinal body, located between the entrance and the sanctuary, where the faithful collect.
SANCTUARY: sacred part of a religious building. In Christian churches it also includes the chancel and upper altar.
TRANSEPT: the crosswise part of a cruciform church, crossing the nave at right angles.
VAULT: an arched structure of stone, brick, or reinforced concrete, forming a supporting structure of a ceiling or roof.

#1 Meeting Date: 07 / 26 / ’06 @ 8:00 p.m. in the parish hall. Pastor Father David Hemann opened the meeting with the introduction of Brad Mollett of Mollett Architects from Sioux City IA. This was followed by an opening prayer after which all present introduced themselves and their committee/s.
F = finance; B = building; D = demographic; H = history...others are specified.

Parishioners present were John Blanco [B] – Jean Burns [F] – David Forbes [F / B] – Peter Goldsmith [B] - Mike Hittle – Sherry Hittle [D / Worship] – John Kallin [F / B] – DarleneAnn Lansink [H / Parish Hall-Kitchen / Gathering Area] – Dixie Lansink [Parish Hall / Kitchen] – Merle Lansink – Ken Newquist [B / D] – J. D. Parks [F / B] – Diane Patera [B / D] – Jolene Riessen [F] – Leneé Sinnott [B / D] – Mike Stover, Pastoral Minister [F / B].

Prior to this meeting, Father and a selected few members with major roles in our new church met with the architect. Those who chose to come to the open invitation for members of various new church committees were privileged to meet the architect, Brad Mollett. He seemed to be a very friendly, knowledgeable person with a sincere interest in those present and in the ideas they presented.

The Diamonds in a New Setting theme even seemed evident in the seating arrangement; tables were in somewhat of a diamond formation with everyone having everyone else within their sight range. The meeting was specifically determined to be for the purpose of a non-graphic design. The aim was to have a wonderful church and likewise, a wonderful church hall.

Worship Space...this was tossed and re-tossed and tossed around again. It was determined that our present church has thirty-four pews with a general capacity of eight per pew. Christmas and Easter are times when as many as seventy extra people attempt to attend a particular service, with some not able to find a place; therefore, returning at another time for Mass. A church cannot be built for those two special occasions, but does have to keep in mind that often times weddings and funerals call for a rethinking of how many we can comfortably seat. The choir loft is not a place where most folks prefer to attend Mass. Putting up extra chairs along and between aisles is not the answer; besides, it is a fire and safety concern. We cannot build to provide for that larger group. There must be a “fixed” seating capacity determined. This can be 400 with an overflow area for an additional 100...or it could be for 350 with an additional 150 for the extra allowed. There is a correct way to set up an overflow area; all factors need to e considered. It seemed as though having our seating capacity at 400 had the edge, but then one must keep in mind the cost, including that of maintenance, etc.

Also, when considering worship space, there are aspects such as seat size, pew spacing, etc. Seat size is set by a code, that being eighteen inches allowed per person...this is also the same code used by the NCAA. Then when it comes to how much space there is between pews...that can range from 2’ 10” to 3’ 2”. One must remember that the more space allowed, the larger the church must be and the more the cost will be...all necessary factors for cost considerations. Other aspects for discussion are the sanctuary size along with the fixed seating and the size of the nave. Add to this the greeting / gathering hall. And other considerations would be if the baptismal font would be in the entrance area or the overflow area, preferably the entrance as explained in the narthex. The tabernacle, though, would be front and center. In another size department, it was learned that the aisles would range from 8’4” to 8’6” in width. All of the above requires a very conscious decision.

The handicapped...there has to be accommodations made for them whether it be in the church proper or their access to the restrooms. Some churches are widening several pews for their parishioners with wheelchairs, crutches, walkers, etc. In the building of a new church, we truly need to respect the needs of our handicapped parishioners and visitors.

We must envision the broader view which includes the fact that there is constantly a decrease in the number of priests. That makes for a more compact schedule for Masses and as these are consolidated, so too, our churches will have to be perfected for the accommodation of such.

Mr. Mollett said that after three more two-hour meetings with him we should have a general conception of our new church; this includes the various rooms, pews, furniture, lighting, sound system, etc. Also the placement of the choir, the gathering room, the restrooms and other needs. The focus of one of our future meetings will be the Music Ministry.

The shape of the church received many comments with no decision reached. Rectangular, circular, fan-shaped...all mulled over. Examples of fan-shaped churches included St. Michael’s in Leeds / Sioux City and Holy Spirit in Carroll IA. An example of a semi-circle nave was the new St. Rose of Lima at Denison. Father did emphasize that NO one would be behind the presider . The group was informed that we are looking at a Romanesque Church. It was noted that St. Mary’s, Storm Lake, looks like a church from both the inside and the outside. Even the absence of a center aisle was discussed, but for liturgical and processional purposes, there is a definite need to retain the center aisle. Besides, it maintains participation in ways that are familiar. Mention was made to keep the side pews close to the sanctuary allowing a central view from all areas. Discussion centered quite a bit on the Cruciform shape, in other words, the shape of the cross. The side sections could be used for chapels and overflow and these wings would include doors. The people should be at an angle, not in block style. To most in attendance, there was revealed for the first time that in actuality, the altar and the presider are to face east. At Sacred Heart, that would mean facing the rectory and religious education center. The placement of the altar may well be decided by the bishop. As for entrances, a north one is not recommended due to the cold north winds of Iowa. Father envisions a courtyard to the north of our new church. All matters considered, the parking area is still up for discussion. One must consider what we now have, what space we can afford to pave, and how all will impact our present ball diamond area.

Other rooms in the church presented the group with a lot of “thinking matter”. How and where the gathering room is placed...will there be a bell?...the placement of the restrooms...nursery...offices (were advised that both the pastor and the parish secretary should have and office off the gathering area). Other areas to consider were storage rooms, a Parish History room which could double as a Quilter’s Room (Sacred Heart does have a Quilters Group), an adult – orientated conference room, a retreat room, rooms for various ministries. In some areas, it may be wise to provide a hearth along with couches.

Our architect let us know that we have no bad ideas...yes, some may not be feasible, but none are bad. He stated that his presence was to let us know what we can / cannot do. We need to ask ourselves if we are really committed to the time that it will take. On the money end, $3,000,000.00 is a BIG CHUNK.
But then again, taking care of God’s people is a priority. One of these priorities is the new hall because besides the worship ministry in church there is the fellowship ministry in the parish hall. [[Those on the Parish Hall / Kitchen Committee were advised to check out what they would find to be needed for an efficient structure for the benefit of our parishioners and those of our visitors; our guests at funeral dinners and wedding receptions, etc.]] When it comes to “needs” vs. “wants’, what is affordable is of utmost importance. We must prioritize our needs. And in order to have an effective fund-raiser campaign, we must define our needs. Basic needs cannot be compromised. People need a vision in order to raise the money. They need to know what problems need to be solved. An assessment of our “needs” needs to be made, along with some possible “wants”.

As the meeting was coming to a close, it was suggested that those who could visit other churches should do so. They should take pictures and put together a report for the full-group meeting. Several there agreed to do so and we hope to let you know in future reports what they revealed about their visits and pictures. Upcoming dates for meetings in our parish hall, which should last no more than two hours, were set. They will be at 7:00 p.m., unless otherwise noted. They are:
Tuesday........01 August.........without Brad.
Tuesday........08 August.........with Brad
Wednesday...16 August.........without Brad.
Tuesday.........22 August........with Brad
Sunday...........27 August........without Brad (this one at 11:30 a.m.)
Tuesday.........05 September...with Brad
The meeting was adjourned with prayer at around 9:45 p.m. Members then picked up copies of the night’s agenda from the rectory.