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Church DecoratingKEEPING M
he Catholic Mass experience includes the use of all five of our senses. And at St. Leo’s, the senses of sight and smell are enhanced by a group who work to make our church environment beautiful. Mary Harb and Chris and Rhonda Riha are in charge of decorating our church. Mary takes care of the outdoor plants, while Chris and Rhonda decorate the church interior. “It’s like if you spruce up outside your house,” Mary says. “You want the front door to be inviting and welcoming.” Mary makes sure St. Leo’s has a big welcome sign on display, in the form of beautiful flowers, outside the doors. She also keeps them watered each day. Mary feels this is a great way for her to contribute at St. Leo’s, because she loves flower gardening, and makes for a simple way for her to give of her time and talent. Chris and Rhonda got involved with the
decoration of the church interior about 10 years ago, because it was something they could do together after their children had all left home. Previously, they taught religious education together. “It is our way of tithing — sometimes we supply flowers and decorations out-of-pocket,” Rhonda says. “This ministry is about sharing ourselves and getting to know others. We enjoy it.” The group does a lot of decorating for Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter and Ordinary Time. They also use seasonal decorations throughout the year. When it comes time to decorate for a holiday, they typically send an email to their volunteer list and advertise the decorating date in the church bulletin. “The church decor helps remind us of the liturgical seasons,” Chris says. “When we see the decor has changed, we can prepare our hearts for a different season.”
Christmas at St. Leo’s 4
