St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Tour

Construction – January 23, 1992

Dedication – March 27, 1993

 

We share here some of the concepts involved in the design and space arrangements of the new place of worship. The very first step taken after the decision to build the new church was where to position it on the parish property. At least a half dozen placements were proposed. The one chosen was a site that had the church structure as the center of the parish property. It was from this stance that the importance of prayer and worship would dominate this community of St. John. All other aspects of parish life take their meaning, strength and direction from a people of faith, nourished at the table of the Lord. The structure is also set at a diagonal to Frame Road. Such a positioning adds a sense of movement, versus a static site design. The front entrance faces a southwest direction. A person driving the major roadway of Newburgh Road coming from Evansville is struck by the presence of this large structure, topped with a spire and cross. The thousands who travel that road daily will be reminded of the presence of God in their lives and our community. The bells, using technology of digitalized recording and computerization, will also call the people of God to frequent times of raising their minds and hearts to God. Entering the property off of Frame Road is designed to allow a person to begin to leave a world of care and business to a place of reflection and prayer. The trees, shrubbery, lawn and flowers bring a peaceful environment to sometimes troubled spirits. The middle of the angled main entryway, and the mid-point of the bellgate lead directly to the middle of the altar. The line is direct, as a visual guide to the mind and heart of the faithful. The bell gate itself holds the bell that has been part of St. John parish since the 1870's. The bell was cast in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1872. The bellgate serves also visually as a focal point drawing the person into the house of God. The front walkway takes a person through green lawn and flowers - God's beauty. The cares of the day begin to lighten as we begin that transfer of our burdens to our Lord. The front design of the church entryway is like that of arms outstretched in welcome. "Come into my house," says the Lord. "Come to me all you who are burdened... and I will give you rest."

 

The closer we come to the church, the more we begin withdrawing from the world of cares and concerns. We begin the transformation into persons whose connection bridges both the heavens and the earth. The cross shaped sidewalks between the bellgate and the front doors are edged with bricks, inscribed with names of living and dead parish members and members of their families or others closely connected with our parish. As we approach the doors we gain the feeling that we do not walk alone, but are supported and accompanied by many others. Four crosses on the exterior remind us that we follow Jesus in our faith. Entering through the air-lock of double doors into the narthex , we are struck with the expansive and high ceilinged area filled with light. The floor is a patterned quarry tile, with contrasting deep red and pumpkin colors. The colors seem to bring the outdoor sun into the gathering space. The area expands to the right and left, thus giving places for people to gather after Mass and share common life. The side areas are carpeted and lead to side rooms. This large narthex area is designed as a commons space where we can stay inside while it is cold or wintry outside, or steamy and hot in the summer. Above all it is a place to stand around and talk with one another. We all get so busy during the week that we seldom have or take the time to communicate or share stories. The area is light, bright and warm, inviting and pleasant. Bulletin boards are placed against the side walls, outside the major entry area. The boards allow various groups to keep us aware of their special programs, or fundraisers. This is community space. It is here that we may gather and thus leave the main church assembly area quiet for individuals to pray quietly after the Masses, or come early for prayer and reflection time preparing for the great prayer of praise and worship of our God. This same narthex area serves as the place to bring little ones if they are cross. We do not have a special cry room, as we commonly call rooms with glass fronting into the worship area. The doors leading into the assembly area of worship have glass inserts. There is a large glass window to the right side of the entry doors for viewing into the altar area. Speakers will keep those in the narthex in contact with song and word of the Mass. The area is not an enlarged playroom, but a space that may be used to walk or soothe the little one for a short while until you are able to re-join the congregation inside. To the right is a hand carved wooden statue of a Guardian Angel and child. This was obtained from St. Anthony Parish, Evansville, in the summer of 1991. The statue originates from St. Ulrich in present day Northern Italy. As we prepare to enter through the doors into the assembly area, we notice a standing holy water font at the base of the large central laminated wood support beam. This stone font was the baptismal font in the first St. John Church on Jennings Street. Many of our present parish members were baptized at this font as infants. A copper pan was inserted to insure against seepage into the stone. This font was being used as a flower pot in a person’s front yard since it along with other church furnishings were sold in the early 1950's as the parish moved to Frame Road from Jennings Street. Evangeline Herr, a native of Newburgh and St. John Parish, asked the owners if they would donate the font back, so it could be used in the new church. The owner graciously gave the font to the parish. The practice of blessing ourselves with the sign of the cross with holy water is a reminder of the cleansing waters of baptism that wash away all sin. The "living water" referred to frequently in Scripture is a symbol of the life giving presence and power of God and his Spirit in us. Thus we walk through the living waters, cleansed and renewed in faith as we enter further into the house of God.

 

Entering through one of the four double doors from the narthex into the assembly area, we are met with a sea of pews arranged in fan shape all leading the eye to the altar. There is seating for 818 persons in the space. The pews are solid red oak. The 20-foot pews were purchased from Good Shepherd Church, Evansville, when they purchased new pews for their new church in 1991. During construction of our church, the pews were stored in rented facilities in Chandler. The 17-foot pews and the shorter pews are from our previous church. During the first half of 1992, our pews and the Good Shepherd pews were taken to Dale Construction Company, Huntingburg, for stripping and matched staining. The Good Shepherd pews received new ends to match those of St. John. The aisles and staging area near the sanctuary are carpeted. The color is quarry. The floor under the pews is concrete. The natural concrete was covered with a grey sealant. The floor is sloped, flat, and then sloped again down to the sanctuary area which rises up three steps. The various areas of flat spaces provide multiple choices for seating for those who are wheelchair bound. The floor covering for the sanctuary and music ministry areas are grey ceramic tile. The focal point of the assembly space is the altar of sacrifice. Nearby to the right is the lectern or ambo , from which the Word of God is proclaimed in reading and broken open for the faithful in the homily. Both oak structures were crafted by parishioners Walter and Edward Reine and used in our former church. To the left and behind the altar are the chairs for the president of the assembly, the priest, and the ministers at the altar. The eyes drift upward to the right and left of the altar to the large windows that allow trees and sky to be viewed. They are God's creations and uplifting to the Spirit. The passage of the seasons of the year are constantly visible. As you pivot around, you notice that there are four other walls topped with clerestory windows, thus allowing a gracious amount of natural sunlight to enter the worship space. The subtle awareness comes that the window frames form crosses. The eyes continue upward to the pine wood of the ceiling. The structure is defined with five massive laminated wood beams that join at a steel collar some 45-feet above the floor in the mid-point of the area. The same wood of the ceiling drifts down the wall to surround the windows. The wooden casing is edged with a darker oak border, which is echoed in the chair rail. The lighting is all indirect, both the overhead chandeliers and the wall lighting. Halogen bulbs provide the light. The chandeliers are cross shaped, thus repeating in the structure a sacred image in various ways. The walls are a simple antique white. Below the chair rail and sweeping up the entire wall behind the altar the color becomes a soft light tangerine. Thus the color tone and feel of the interior becomes warm and inviting.

 

Dominating the front left wall area is the crucifix , which helps define us as a people purchased by the blood of the Lamb of God, Jesus our Redeemer. This crucifix has its own journey and story. Father Henry F. Flaherty, pastor of Sacred Heart Church, Evansville, gave the crucifix to Father James Rogers to take with him upon his appointment in 1948 as pastor of Holy Angels Church, New Harmony. In 1952 Father Rogers was named pastor here. Joe Sasse, of our parish, was prevailed upon to transport the crucifix here in his pick-up truck. Joe had his Jewish friend Jack Neumann as a helper. Somewhere near Wadesville the arm of Jesus fell off. As Jack carried the arm back to the truck (some distance down the road), a State trooper stopped to question what was going on. Joe assured the trooper all was okay. The crucifix was stored in the Frank Sasse granary, because the Jennings Street church was too small. The cross was covered while in storage. One day it was discovered that mice had taken a liking to the toes and fingers of Jesus. This was all repaired in time for its placement behind the altar in the new church as it opened in 1958. Two other walls have statue niches. At present a hand-carved, wooden, Baroque-style statue of Mary with the child Jesus graces one of the niches. The statue is a product of the Ferdinand Stuflesser studio in St. Ulrich, Italy. The statue has a tag on its base that identifies St. Ulrich as being in the region called Tyrol. This indicates that the statue's origin pre-dates World War I, for it was only through the Versailles Treaty following WWI that the region of Tyrol was divided between a greatly reduced Austria and northern Italy. The Austrians to this day refer to the region of St. Ulrich as South Tyrol. St. Ulrich is a small village in the Alps. During winter months the men spent time indoors developing wood carving skills - from simple items to the ornate and beautiful statuary and church art. The firm is still headed by a Ferdinand Stuflesser. Both statues, Mary and the Guardian Angel, were in need of major restoration. Victor Kupchek, an art restorer in Rockport, Indiana, was commissioned to bring the works back to their original splendor. Time and donors will allow us to continue to fill our niches with works of artistic beauty and inspiration. At present the holy oils grace one of the niches. The oil of catechumens, the oil of chrism and the oil of the sick are blessed annually by the bishop during the Chrism Mass held on Tuesday of Holy Week. Each parish receives a supply of the oils, which are used throughout the year in various sacraments. Thus, the people are reminded of the unity of faith among all Catholics in southwestern Indiana. The walls on either side of the doors leading to the narthex hold the stations of the cross. These stations were taken from the former church. The music ministry will emanate from the tiled floor area to the left in the assembly. The organ is a newly purchased Rodgers electronic organ. Through the aid of computerization the sounds of a large pipe organ are re-created through a series of speakers housed in the large boxes to the left and right of the altar area up near the ceiling. A piano is also available for special presentations. A choir of at least 25-voices may occupy the area so designated. The placement was chosen to allow the choir or cantors to sing with the people in the assembly area, rather than a position that would have them singing against the people. The floor of the assembly area is concrete to give another hard surface for musical instruments and voices to have more vibrancy. The sloped floor will allow voices to rise over the backs of those in front of them, thus enhancing the sense of a community at song and prayer. The speakers for the voice enhancement sound system are clustered in a central position above the altar area. Acoustics in a church need to strike a balance between the natural reverberations of song and instrumental music, and that of the single voice reading or leading in prayer. Our sound design takes both needs into account.

 

To the right of the altar platform is the baptistry. It is here that we are brought to the Lord and consecrated to him. Infants are carried by parents and godparents. Adults are accompanied by sponsors. We become new persons through the cleansing waters and are consecrated for the work of the Lord through the oil of chrism. The special baptismal garment and the candle symbolize and remind us of the specialness of becoming children of God. "Are you not aware that we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? Through baptism into his death we were buried with him, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might live a new life. If we have been united with him through likeness to his death, so shall we be through a like resurrection." (Romans 6:3-5) Dead to the old. Alive to the new. These are the rhythms of baptism. Our baptistry is cross-shaped to call to mind the dying with Christ. The base of the baptistry is eight-sided or octagonal. The early Christians always noted that Jesus rose from the dead "early in the morning of the first day of the week." They took the seven days of a week, plus one and used the number eight or octagonal shapes to represent Christ's resurrection to new life. St. John the Lateran Basilica in Rome has a free standing, octagonal shaped baptismal building. We are capitalizing on the cross and eight-sided symbolism with this baptistry. Multiple cross imagery is given through the standing limestone font. It is cross shaped and visible as such from all sides. Crosses are also etched into the sides. Water bubbles up into the 19-inch circular basin at the top. The circular shape here is a reminder of the infinity, unendingness of God, as well as a sign of the womb of the Church which nurtures life. The water flows out onto the cross beams and then cascades down into the pool and is circulated back through the system, which includes heated waters. The basin has a copper pan to keep the water from soaking into the porous limestone, but also to provide a linkage with the holy water font in the narthex. We enter through the life-giving and cleansing waters into the house of God. The candidates for baptism enter the waters down the steps (dying with Christ) and exit out the steps of the other cross arm (rising to new life). White tile lines the baptistry pool. The color choice reflects the cleansing nature of God's new life. A cross in the floor of the baptistry reflects the shape of the pool itself.

 

The powerful grouping of St. John the Baptist baptizing Jesus in the Jordan River looms large above the baptismal pool. These, too, are handcarved wooden statues commissioned for St. John Parish and depicting the parish's patron saint in the very act of baptism. Florian Haertle, Oberammergau, Germany, was the sculptor. We pray that St. John parishioners may ever call others to prepare their hearts for the presence of Jesus the Lord and Messiah. Donors of the St. John and Jesus statues, as well as Mary and the Guardian Angel statues, were William and Mary Waters. These parishioners made these wonderful works of art gifts for the ages. The statue of St. John and Jesus arrived via air freight Sept. 4, 1997 and were dedicated in the fall of that year.

 

As you leave the assembly area through the door by the baptistry you can proceed out a back door. Turn to the right and you enter the sacristy. This room serves many purposes, most of which attend to needs of worship. Several large closet-style areas hold extra vestments and altar cloths. One of them has cabinetry for the storage of the chalices and communion dishes or ciboria. Hosts and wine will be stored. Linens used at the altar will also be placed here. Another closet has storage areas and hooks for the robes of those who serve at the altar. A small refrigerator for preserving wine is there. A double sink with more storage is against another wall. These will be for cleaning the altar vessels. Such a sink is called a sacrarium. The altar books - the sacramentary which contains the Eucharistic prayers, and the lectionary which contains the Scripture readings - are placed in this room as well. This is the room where the servers and other liturgical ministers will gather to prepare all things in readiness for worship or prayer services. This is also the area where the groom and groomsmen gather for weddings. A door leads up three steps to the vesting room for the priests or deacons. A door to the right as you ascend the steps leads to a small bathroom. The vesting room contains a large wardrobe and table-like wooden piece of furniture. This is the vesting table. The vestments, that is, the albs, stoles and chasubles, are stored here. Prayer, Scripture and liturgical books are here for the presiding ministers. The vesting table itself is over 100- years old and comes from the original St. John Church on Jennings Street. It is of tiger walnut wood. It was refurbished by Jim Shoultz and Bob Gesselman of our parish. The second half of this space serves as the Reconciliation Room for the Sacrament of Penance. In the corner is a table with two chairs. Just inside the door off the Blessed Sacrament Chapel is a kneeler with screen. The penitent coming for the sacrament will either kneel behind the screen for the confession of sins or the penitent may walk around the kneeler and be seated for a more informal style of confession. This is commonly called face-to-face confession. In reality such a counseling set-up allows for a more extensive spiritual direction for the penitent to take place. The door from the sacristy will be locked. The door from the chapel will be closed, thus insuring complete privacy for the confessor as well as penitent. The stained glass window contains four medallions from the original church.

 

At the southeast corner of the Church structure is the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. It is here that the tabernacle is placed and thus it becomes the chapel of reservation of the Blessed Sacrament. Because of this, the space is more highly ornate than others. This is an especially sacred space. A space where people may come for private prayer and meditation. The intention is that people of all ages will feel free to come and spend some time quietly with the Lord. This is to be a refuge, a place of peace, a place of strength. A light shines on the tabernacle at all times. The word tabernacle means a little house - a little house where God dwells in a special form, in the consecrated hosts that remain from the Eucharistic liturgy. The traditional candle in a red glass vigil stand marks the place of reservation. The tabernacle has been with the parish for many years and comes from the original parish church. The tabernacle rests on a pedestal held up by angels. The angels thus remind us of the words from Scripture, "He will bid his angels take care of you; with their hands they will support you." And again, "angels came and waited on him." (Mt. 4:6,11) The pedestal is a gift from St. Mary Church, Evansville. The altar is of limestone. It was the altar on which the tabernacle was placed in our former church. The altar stands in front of a paneled wall which contains the subtle design of the cross. The crucifix was the main crucifix in the original St. John Church. Statues of Mary and Joseph add a touch of the human to the walls of the chapel. The plaster statues date from 1938 and were also in the original St. John Church. The pews are from our former church. The stained glass windows are from the original St. John Church. Pieces of the glass were gathered from various places and refurbished to fit the four windows and transom. Sunburst Stained Glass Company, Newburgh, did the design and installation. Agnes Bossing provided the funding for placement of the windows in the chapel and vesting room as a memorial gift in the name of her late husband Mel and herself. The lights come from the former church. The mixture of the old and new gives a familiar feel to the space - a space where people will feel comfortable in the presence of the Lord.

 

Before arriving at the chapel from the narthex, the visitor will pass the nursery. This is designed for care of infants and toddlers during liturgical services if the parents so desire. Volunteers look after the little ones, thus allowing parents a more distraction-free time at Mass. The room has several baby beds and little-people tables and chairs. A changing shelf is built in. A restroom is attached to take care of such needs. The outer wall is almost entirely glass, thus making the space bright and cheerful. This space will also be used as the bride's room for weddings. A mirrored make-up table and adjoining restroom will add to the convenience. The restroom is a unisex handicap accessible space. It has a door into the narthex area, thus giving access from two areas. Just off the narthex are larger restrooms, for women on the south, for men on the north. Two meeting rooms are entered from the narthex to the north. They are named Zachary and Elizabeth, thus completing the family of John the Baptist. Before entering the meeting rooms is a door leading to a control room. Winding steps lead to a loft above with a vantage out over the congregation. This lends itself to videotaping or photography of special celebrations. The master equipment for the sound system is housed in the loft area as well. To the left before the meeting rooms is an elevator, which leads to the lower level.

 

Just inside the north entry to the church is a workroom. This has a sink and cabinetry as well as other storage areas. This is the place for flower preparation, for electronic equipment, banners, music and other cleaning supplies.

 

Stairs from the narthex lead down to a lower level of 7,500 square feet. (The ground level of the structure is 15,500 square feet.) The lower level has three major meeting rooms, a kitchen , an office, a storage room, restrooms for men, women and handicapped, and the mechanical center for power, heating and air-conditioning. This space was completed in 1997, largely by volunteer labor of parishioners. Special funds were gathered to complete the structure that had been part of the original church design.

 

Architects for the structure were Knapp, Given, Veazey and Shoulders of Evansville. (Subsequently the firm became Veazey, Parrott and Shoulders.) General Contractor was Arc Construction Company of Evansville. The church was constructed at a cost of some $1.85 million. The lower level was an additional $120,000.

 

Enriching the exterior of the church is the prayer garden, which is comprised of two sections, namely, a fountain and reflective area and a rosary garden. Keith Scheessele designed and supervised the fountain and area for reflection as an Eagle Scout project in 1995. The following year Dan Rice designed and completed the rosary garden as his Eagle Scout project. William and Margaret Wallace purchased the statue of Mary which graces the center of the rosary. The area is used by young and old as a spot of quiet and refuge to pray and find God’s presence in the beauty of a natural setting.

 

The priests’ residence was constructed in 1992 by parishioners. This is located on property formerly known as the Bradley place. The former rectory was situated at the northwest corner of the present church. The home of Mary and Al Combs was purchased along Frame Road in front of the church. A wing was added toward the church, and the rest of the structure was totally renovated to serve as the parish administrative center. The work was done by parishioners. This was completed in July 1995. A science and art classroom and a kindergarten were added to the school in time for the school year 1992. The former church space was converted to a Great Room and houses the school library, the computer lab and music room. The parish storage building was greatly enlarged in the fall of 1997, and the expansion of the school and addition of the Parish Arena followed shortly.