Church members to celebrate new space.

Byline: Jeff Wright The Register-Guard

FLORENCE - The parishioners at St. Mary Our Lady of the Dunes Catholic Church know how to keep the faith, in more ways than one.

Members on Sunday will dedicate their new $2.2 million church, an enterprise that appeared doomed when construction funds were frozen in the wake of the Archdiocese of Portland filing for bankruptcy in 2004.

Undaunted, members pled their case to a federal bankruptcy judge, who in June 2005 ruled that the funds could be released to continue the project. Construction began the following October, and now members are prepared to move into their new, 9,000-square-foot sanctuary.

"The most exciting thing about this is, it's completely paid for," said Pat Kirby, the building committee chairman who oversaw the project. Parishioners financed the construction on a pay-as-you-go basis.

Celebrants at Sunday's dedication Mass will include the Rev. Don Gutmann, who has served the parish since 1996, and Archbishop John Vlazny.

The structure is the only Catholic church built in Western Oregon since the archdiocese filed for bankruptcy in response to clergy sexual abuse claims totaling more than $500 million. Parishioners in Florence were preparing to accept bids on construction of their new church at the time of the unexpected filing.

Kirby said permit delays and other roadblocks seemed to spring up at every juncture, but members refused to give up their dream.

"The need for the church was definitely there - that's what drove us to make sure this could happen," Kirby said. "If it was God's will for it to get done, I knew it would get done. If God didn't want it done, I could accept that."

The new church will seat 400, or double the capacity of the old adjacent church building, which will now be used as a parish hall. The church averages about 450 people at weekend Masses in the winter, 550 in the summer.

The larger size will allow Gutmann to scale back his schedule from three to two Masses each weekend in Florence, though he will continue to also travel to Reedsport each weekend to lead a Mass there.

The church's completion is a testimonial to members' willingness to put their money where their hearts are, say Kirby and other church leaders. Some members increased their pledges or paid them off faster than requested; the average pledge totaled $4,500.

One member pledged $50,000. On the other end of the spectrum, two children unaffiliated with the church, Ben and Monica Camera, donated $1 after noticing a building fund sign out front and asking how they could help.

Members and friends also donated countless hours of free labor, from clearing brush and trees to painting the new church and old parish building in matching colors of brown.

The new church boasts $200,000 in fire suppression equipment, energy efficiency features and 14-inch-thick walls wired for high-tech applications. The structure, designed by Chris DiLoreto Architects of Portland, uses wood, natural lighting and windows to complement the surrounding woods.

The contractor, Gale Roberts Construction of Eugene, had a personal connection to the project: Norene Roberts, widow of the company's namesake, lives in Florence and attends the church.

Because of costs tied to the construction delays, church members were unable to fund work on other planned features - primarily, a new kitchen in the parish hall - with their pledges. Kirby said the church may initiate another, smaller capital campaign of around $250,000 to realize those plans.

But that won't happen for at least another year or so, Kirby said. Members want time to just relax and enjoy their new worship space.

"There's going to be a very huge sigh of relief after this Sunday," he said. `Frankly, we'll just want to sit back and say, `break time.' '

DEDICATION MASS

St. Mary Our Lady of the Dunes Catholic Church unveils new $2.2 million building

When/where: 2 p.m. Sunday at the church, 85060 Highway 101, Florence, one mile south of Siuslaw River Bridge 

Celebrants: Archbishop John Vlazny, the Rev. Don Gutmann

More information: [phone]