Parish Community Prepares to Celebrate 20
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On Dec. 7, 2002, we were blessed to officially dedicate our current St. Timothy’s building and parish hall.
n Dec. 7, 2002, we were blessed to officially dedicate our current church and parish hall. In December of this year, we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of this event. Our parish has been around since the 1980s when St. Paul Catholic Church was growing so rapidly that expansion was needed. St. Timothy started as a mission parish of St. Paul and our name derives from the fact that St. Timothy was a disciple of St. Paul and our former church was dedicated on May 24, 1987. The 32,000 square feet of the church can seat more than 1,300 people. It is truly a wonderful place to call our parish home. Deacon Jerry Crall has been part of this parish since the very beginning and served on the construction committee for the current church. “It’s amazing how fast 20 years can pass by,” he says. Both the building and community are so important to Deacon Jerry. “I have served here for all of my 34 years in the diaconate ministry,” he says. “This parish is where my children were raised and celebrated many sacraments. This is where my wife and I live out and practice our faith and share that with the community.”
Deacon Jerry feels so blessed to be living out his vocation at St. Timothy. After all, an important aspect of calling our parish “home” is our wonderful community. “This is a very dynamic and welcoming community of people,” Deacon Jerry says. After the disruptions and closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Deacon Jerry looks forward to seeing more people return to ministries and in-person Mass in 2022. “We are in the throes of the resurrection,” he says. “This is a very vibrant and social community, and I am excited to see people coming home.” In addition, Deacon Jerry is thankful that Fr. John Blum was able to be properly installed in early December. It’s always monumental to welcome a new pastor at a parish, and it was nice to finally give a formal welcome to Fr. Blum. We will commemorate the 20th anniversary in December 2022. This being an anniversary year, let’s take the time to explore some of the symbolism in our worship space and campus. As you drive up to the parish, the crucifix on the dome reminds us of our Christianity, with the dome symbolizing