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Facilities Ministry Keeps Parish and School Campuses Clean and Safe
If anyone at Saint Michael Parish wants to see stewardship in action, all he or she has to do is look to our Facilities Ministry. Coordinated by our Facilities Director Deacon Rob Rensel, the Facilities Ministry cares for our main church building and gathering space, our Saint Michael School, the West Side Chapel, and our Calvary Cemetery.
“The whole ministry is stewardship,” Deacon Rensel says. “I’m discovering it as I go. When I start with myself, I ask, ‘How am I a steward of the gifts God gave the parish?’”
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As for the ministry members, they share humility with each other and the people they serve, offer kindness, and always remember they are serving Christ in everything they do.
There are six team members in the ministry — three handle custodial duties, while two oversee maintenance, and one takes care of our cemetery operations. A major part of the ministry’s work is centered on the school, where cleaning takes priority. The members also look after the HVAC system, electricals, and plumbing. If there are major issues, Deacon Rensel will work with a contractor to resolve them.
“The biggest task is keeping the school clean,” he says.
The pandemic protocols have also meant extra care is taken to keep everyone safe. Deacon Rensel works closely with Chris Peterson, Parish Administrator, who provides valuable knowledge about the parish workings.
Two members of the Facilities Ministry are hard at work.
Deacon Rob Rensel, Facilities Director
Our Facilities Ministry makes sure our playground is clean and safe.
“COVID required a restructuring of our custodial priorities,” Deacon Rensel says. “We’ll be doing a deep cleaning in the school, when we clean all the carpets, scrub walls, and so forth.”
One major project underway is an upgrade to the school’s 20-year-old HVAC system. Due to its age, replacement parts are difficult, if not impossible, to find. The objective is to modernize the system so it can self-monitor for any problems and, if necessary, send alerts.
The cemetery columbarium is another ongoing project under the ministry’s care.
“It will be spectacular,” Deacon Rensel says. The artwork chosen for the new columbarium will be full-color images of the Sacred Heart and the Blessed Virgin Mary from our shrines in our church. This will provide a visual connection of the Church here on earth and in heaven. We hope that it will bring comfort and strength to those who grieve and to those who come to pray.
Another important area of stewardship are the parish grounds. Having two campuses encompassing almost 20 acres combined, we are always in need of folks who like to work together in the beauty of nature and take delight in seeing our church, school, and chapel grounds looking beautiful. If this is an area of stewardship that you would like to be part of, please contact Deacon Rob. He would love to get you connected with your fellow parishioners!
The existing columbarium at Calvary Cemetery will be expanded.
These drawings depict how the columbarium expansion will look when completed. It is expected that the addition will be placed in August.
