GREENFIELD — Hand on the open door, he paused.
“This will be different, won’t it?” he said to the others.
Then they stepped into the new narthex and beheld the renovated and expanded St. Michael Catholic Church, minutes before a Jan. 30 Mass dedicating the new space.
“It was really nice, something that was needed for a long time,” Mike Arnold, who was among the group pausing to reflect before entering, said after the service. Born in the parish and growing up attending the church and St. Michael’s School, he’s seen the congregation grow over the years and facility needs expand along with it.
“They just had to keep building,” often barely keeping up with the need, Arnold said. He motioned to the narthex. “This is great.”
The narthex added to the east end of the church building provides a common point of entry and easier access from the parking lot, also located to the east. The space’s design, meant to also accommodate overflow seating, was put to the test immediately as distanced folding chairs allowed about 30 extra people to see and hear the service Jan. 30 as Indianapolis Archbishop Charles C. Thompson presided over a morning dedication Mass.
As multiple priests lined up for the procession into the redesigned space, Thompson reached out and patted the shoulder of Rev. Aaron Jenkins, St. Michael priest.
The 90-minute Mass that followed was rich in Old Testament imagery, such as Solomon dedicating the newly built temple, or the prophet Ezra reading the Book of the Law to Nehemiah and others who rebuilt Jerusalem’s wall.
It was also rich in symbolism. Thompson poured oil on the large black altar and spread it over the surface to consecrate it. Jenkins and other priests carried oil and spread out to anoint the walls.
“Churches are sacred spaces,” Thompson said in his homily. “Churches are intended to glorify God … to point to something greater than ourselves.”
The archbishop also walked the aisles sprinkling water toward the walls and toward the parishioners gathered, including those out in the narthex. He later lit incense and shook a thurible, a spherical censer on a chain, he and the other priests similarly making their way around the space to spread the scent.
“Let Your Church be fragrant with the aroma of Christ,” he prayed.
The service also reflected on the past, from previous church structure milestones in 1860, 1954 and 1966 to priests who have served or grown up in the St. Michael parish. Among the priests taking part in the service were Monsignor William Stumpf, pastor at St. Michael from 2011-2015; the Very Rev. Joseph Newton, interim pastor at St. Michael in 2015; and the Rev. Douglas Marcotte, pastor at St. Simon, who grew up in the St. Michael parish.
There were pieces of the future, too. Participating in the procession into and out of the service was James Hentz, a college student who grew up in the parish and is attending seminary classes. He said it was great to get to take part.
“I’ll probably never be able to do this again,” he said. “It’s beautiful. After being in the gym for a few months, it’s beautiful to come back to.”
The $3 million renovation included flipping the seating arrangement in the sanctuary. Since the building at 519 Jefferson Blvd. first opened in 1966, the congregation has faced east during Mass. Now parishioners face west, with the altar resting under the large stained-glass window depicting St. Michael the archangel, the church’s patron saint.
Mike Arnold’s wife, Terry, looks forward to attending a Saturday evening Mass with the light of a sunset shining through that window.
“It’s going to be beautiful,” she said. “I love this church … it was a beautiful Mass, too.”
The Arnolds and others took in the space after the service. Some took pictures of Thompson, Jenkins and others in the procession when they gathered for a group photo. Two women later stood to one side talking with Stumpf, who prayed with them.
Jenkins, who received a standing ovation when Thompson recognized him near the end of the service, commended parishioners for supporting the building project.
“You of course didn’t do that for me or Monsignor Bill. You did this for yourselves, your families — but above all, God.”
