After 18 months of planning, renovations to The Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit, 3461 S. Cedar Crest Blvd., began in March 2021.

The first phase ended in January.

These structural changes and technology upgrades have, as stated by Pastor Ric Elliott, “[brought] the old into the new” for members of Holy Spirit. After a nearly two year hiatus, in-person worship resumed Jan. 16 in the church’s newly renovated sanctuary.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions and construction limitations, the congregation had begun worshipping in a large tent on the property or via Zoom on Palm Sunday 2020.

Church council member and former church council president Bob Stevens explained one goal of the project was to keep the worship space flexible in order “to make the building more usable by [all members of] the community.” Consequently, an Americans with Disabilities Act compliant ramp now makes the trip from the parking lot to the building entrance easily manageable for those who have difficulty navigating steps, and the bathroom in the main narthex has also been brought into compliance with ADA standards.

Other exterior alterations create a more serviceable and welcoming main entrance.

The canopy over the driveway that restricted ambulance and fire vehicle access has been removed and an enclosed entranceway now leads to the narthex. The enlarged narthex is both spacious and functional. Several 70-inch digital screens and a new audio system permit overflow of attendees from the main sanctuary to fully participate in services and events.

The sanctuary, which has been extended forward, boasts, among other enhancements, two large retractable screens for use during large group presentations and, should the congregation eventually choose to eliminate paper bulletins, to project the church service. A removable altar rail and spacious, portable, padded chairs add to the versatility of the space.

While developing plans for improving the building and adding 21st-century technological capabilities, the pastors and committee members worked to incorporate elements of Holy Spirit’s history.

A white sculpted relief panel symbolically depicting the Christian Trinity and the stained-glass windows from the original sanctuary have been blended into the new space.

The newly designed altar, pulpit and baptismal font all contain elements taken from their predecessors. The side of the church facing South Cedar Crest Boulevard is adorned with a new cross, while the original basin and towel sculpture, symbols of servanthood, have a new home above the church’s memorial garden.

The completion of Holy Spirit’s sanctuary renovations and technological upgrades are not the end of the story.

Beginning in April, with a target end date of Labor Day, the portion of the building beneath the main floor will see major changes.

Holy Spirit’s nursery school will become self-contained; the lower-level bathrooms and Sunday school area will be renovated and eventually a lift will be added to provide easy mobility between floors.

Although The Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit continues to implement new structural and technological advances, the church’s underlying goal remains unchanged: to reach out to the community in service.