Scafolding taking over Holy Trinity

Kevin Autenrieb and company are still hard at work, preparing Holy Trinity for a much needed face lift. Much of the church is now covered in scaffolding, enabling the workers to start chipping the paint off the church ceiling. In a few weeks, Kevin will paint a small section on a wall with various paint samples allowing parishioners to see some possible painting options for the church. The congregation will then hold a meeting after church on a chosen Sunday and vote on the best look. The date of the paint decision will be posted as it is decided. Everyone is invited to attend this important viewing and the decision meeting afterwards.

Even though work has started, all the necessary funds for the 'repairing and refreshing' of Holy Trinity are still not in yet. Please continue to show support by donating to this project. Also, the holidays are just around the corner and the R & R committee is still selling Rada knives, card sets and calendars as a fundraiser. These are great gift ideas that also support a beautiful cause! If your interested, please contact Bev Henn at 217-454-2967 or email at holytrinity@consolidated.net. Also, another opportunity to show your support will be this Sunday, October 31 at the Halloween Breakfast. This yummy meal will consist of pancakes, sausage, biscuits and gravy, orange juice, milk and coffee. The event is from 7:30-11 a.m. and is open to the public. Donation is $6 for adults and $3 for children under 10.

Few more pictures from Saturday's dinner...

Nancy Mateer, Jim Unser and Tony House watch over the pork Saturday afternoon before the dinner.

Tony House, a neighbor of the Unser's who has volunteered his services at past Holy Trinity events such as the Steak Dinner and Fish Fry, helps Jim Unser out with roasting the pork. The 2 men worked from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. making sure the Autumn Dinner was a success!

Stirring the finished product, Nancy Mateer and Bev Henn prepare to serve the pulled pork.

Keeping the tables cleaned up and cleared off, bus boys Jack Curtin, Will Walton and Carter Walton volunteer their services at the dinner.

Autumn pulled pork dinner held last Saturday night

The Autumn pulled pork dinner was held last Saturday, October 16 at the hall. Many parishioners, along with their friends and family, managed to come out and support the R & R project by means of a tasty dinner.

Pulling apart the pork, several men of Holy Trinity worked tirelessly to make the meal a success. Standing left to right are Dale Mizuer, Rob Holthaus and Brian Henn and sitting towards the bottom right is John Enlow.

Several ladies of the parish also put forth a hearty effort to pull off the scrumptious dinner. Nancy Mateer, Lori Roethemeyer, and Beth O'brien served up the pulled pork, coleslaw, baked beans and applesauce. It was decided that the few leftovers that remained from the dinner be saved for Kevin Autenrieb and his workers as next week's lunch for a few days.

More dinner pictures

Parishioners of all ages enjoyed the meal, along with all the delicious, homemade desserts!

Not only was the dinner delicious, but the decorations further accented the Autumn theme. Orange placements and fall flowers as table centerpieces really set the tone for the fall dinner.

Collecting the money at the entrance Doris Mizuer (center) assists Fran Eson (left) buying a raffle ticket. Church secretary Bev Henn (right) helps with the transaction.

Enjoying the meal, Elizabeth and Ben Curtin take a break from eating to pose.

The Holthause family also poses after finding a seat.

Scaffolding set up

Over the last week, Kevin Autenrieb and his crew of workers set up much scaffolding throughout Holy Trinity in preparation for painting and plaster repair. Although the church is now officially under construction, mass will still be held regularly. Extra chairs have been set up in the back of church to accomodate for a few pews that have been squeezed together so the scaffolding can be set up properly.

This is the view of the scaffolding set up from the front of the altar. The bottom picture is the view from the balcony of the church.

Construction has started!

The day we have all been waiting for is finally here! Kevin Autenrieb began interior work on Holy Trinity Church yesterday. Scaffolding was set up over the weekend and church services were still held, as they will be throughout the entire construction process. Work is estimated to take anywhere from 6-8 weeks, therefore the interior of Holy Trinity should be finished just in time for the advent season. What a precious Christmas gift that will be for everyone who helped make the Repair and Refresh project a reality! Keep checking the blog for pictures and updates of the construction as it takes place the next several months!

Also, do not forget about the Autumn Pulled Pork Dinner that is happening this Saturday, October 16 from 5-7 p.m. in the Hall. The R & R committee will be serving pulled pork (with or without the bun), baked beans, 'steak dinner coleslaw,' homemade desserts and drink. Come out and enjoy the delicious pork that will be roasted over charcoal grills the day of the dinner. YUM! Bring your friends and family--this event is open to the public. Tickets are $8 for adults, $5 for children and under the age of 5 eat free. The R & R committee hopes to see you there!

Even though the major phase of redecorating Holy Trinity is taking place, the committee is still in need of more donations. Please continue supporting this amazing cause and pray that God will continue to guide and bless this project until its completion!

Pet Blessing Pictures

More Pet Blessing Pictures

The circle drive of Holy Trinity was filled with all kinds of canine critters and even a couple furry felines last Sunday. Parishioners from the 3 churches brought their favorite pets for a blessing led by Father Hunter and Deacon Dan. After the short ceremony, owners walked their pets around the churchyard and gathered for walking tacos, cookies and drinks. Take a look at the great pictures above!

Come furry, feathered friends!

Mark your calendars this Sunday for a pet-friendly celebration! Holy Trinity will be the sight of a tri-parish social event on Sunday, October 3 at 4:30 p.m. There will be a pet blessing in honor of St. Francis of Assisi on the circle drive behind the church. A pet parade will then follow the ceremony along with refreshments afterwards. Holy Trinity will provide walking tacos, St. Mary's will bring cookies and St. Rita parish is providing drinks. Plan to come in your Sunday best...and that goes for the pets, too! There will be a contest for cutest pet/owner look-a-like! Everyone is invited to enjoy this one-of-a-kind event...even if you don't own a pet!

We have a start date!

The Repair and Refresh comittee is happy to announce that the start date for Kevin Autenrieb to begin interior work at Holy Trinity has been set for Monday, September 27! An alternate start date of October 4 has been set in case anything unforseen comes up. The contract will be signed this week so work can commence as soon as possible. Kevin's plans are to plaster and prime the walls first, and then he will present the congregation with various paint options after mass one Sunday. That date will be announced at a later time so all parishioners can be sure to attend. The painting is scheduled as an 8 week project. As major work begins, it is still very important to keep donating to this project!

Also, the R & R committee recently held their monthly meeting on September 15. Here are some of the highlights:
1. The Chuck Wagon is no longer in operation. It has made a profit of $2,844 with expenses still pending.
2. A Pulled Pork Dinner has been scheduled for October 16 from 5-7 p.m. Meals will cost $8 for adults and $5 for chidren under 10 and free for children under 5 years old. Stay tuned to the blog for more information.
3. Travis Norville has started on 2 more Stations. There are still 2 more stations that need to be sanded and primed for Travis before he can begin painting them.
4. Bids are still out for window repair and tuck-point work on the church foundation.
5. Appropriate lighting is being discussed for all the changes around the Altar of Sacrifice, Reredos, and statues in the Sanctuary--which will require moving or adding additional electrical wiring.

There are many up and coming events planned at Holy Trinity. Keep checking the blog for all the latest information!