CHURCH RENOVATION

Town Hall Meetings

August 16 & 17, 2025, after each (English) Mass

St. Mark hired Architect Chris Castrop to provide advice on renovating our church, which is now 21 years old. At town hall meetings in the parish hall after each English-speaking Mass on August 16 and 17 proposals will be presented and questions will be fielded by Msgr. Offutt; Chris Castrop; Denis Greene, the fund-raiser; and representatives from Straub Construction. The following is a summary of repairs and renovations under consideration. 

NAVE (Main Sanctuary)

Issue: Carpeting needs to be replaced, and church pews should be refurbished or replaced. While pews are being refurbished or built, it is an opportunity to enhance the worship space.

Proposals: 

• Replace carpeting in the aisles with tile. 
• Pews will be either refurbished with new seat and back covering or replaced with new wooden pews or new wooden pews with padded seats.
• The stone wall behind the altar will be enhanced with stained wood. There will be a new tabernacle, and the crucifix will be lowered.
• Move the stone altar from St. Ann Church from the chapel to the Sanctuary.
• The Baptistry will remain, but the adjoining floor might be altered to improve safety.
• Enhance the existing Stations of the Cross with a soffit above them containing directional lighting onto each station.
• The walls, trim, and acoustic panels might be repainted to brighten the Worship Space,
• Existing lighting will be revamped for better intensity.
• Enhanced acoustics should make the Sanctuary a livelier space for the Spoken Word and music.

OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE

St. Mark and the wider Independence community have seen the Hispanic community grow. It is only right that the Nave includes a Shrine to Guadalupe, which includes an image (stained glass, a statue, or a painting), a place for candles and a place to pray. The location has yet to be determined.

NARTHEX (Gathering Space)

• Replace carpeting with non-slip tiles. 
• Repaint the Narthex to match the Nave. 
• Repair and refurbish the East doors since they are showing the effects of prolonged exposure to the sun and weather.
• Lighting might be enhanced. 
• New doors with closers from the narthex to the nave will be considered.

Cost estimate for Nave and Narthex: $2,200,000.

CHAPEL

Besides serving as a convenient place for weekday liturgies, smaller weddings and funerals, the chapel is especially useful to serve the rather unusual circumstances of our parish. The chapel is of great utility to the respective, and somewhat different, devotional requirements of our Spanish-speaking and English-speaking populations. While there has been much discussion about the potential advantages of enlarging the chapel, the current thinking is to leave it at its present size and location. However, we intend to brighten up the currently dark space with new floor and wall colors. The lighting will also be professionally evaluated.

Cost Estimate: $150,000.

BELL TOWER

Issue: The 1,500-pound, bronze bell in the tower at St. Ann Church was salvaged. Restoration of the bell is nearly complete. Question: Where will it be located? 

Proposal: One option is to reinforce the existing Porte Cochere (covered drop-off) at the north entrance of the church and construct a 60-foot-tall bell tower on top of the drop-off. This would greatly enhance the visual and sonic presence of St. Mark Church today and tomorrow.  

Cost Estimate: $600,000.