By ALIN HETT
Hays Post
As Pfeifer and Holy Cross Church celebrate the sesquicentennial for Volga Germans on Sept. 12, underneath the celebration is a much bigger goal, to preserve the church.
To view the article on the sesquicentennial celebration and schedule, click here
Deb Hoffman, vice president and board member of Holy Cross Church said she hopes the people who come to Pfeifer for the sesquicentennial will see firsthand one of the community's most recognizable landmarks: Holy Cross Church, and the deteriorating stained-glass windows they are working to save.
The restoration is expected to cost more than $600,000.
The effort to restore the stained-glass windows began taking shape about five years ago after Dreiling began noticing problems.
He said an opaque protective glass currently covers the stained glass on the exterior of the church. As the caulking around it has deteriorated, water has been able to get between the two layers of glass. Dreiling added the water eventually makes its way to the bottom of the windows, where it can sit against the wood and cause it to rot.
"I've changed some of them,” Dreiling said, “but we need to stop the water from getting in."
Dreiling has made repairs to several areas himself over the years, but some of the deterioration has become more concerning.
He pointed to a large window above the church balcony where he previously found rotted wood around a center structural piece.
"If that rots out, that center piece is eventually going to fall down," Dreiling said. "You're losing the structural part that's holding the windows in."
For now, Dreiling said his work has helped keep the problem under control.
"I think I did a pretty good job," he said. "It might just be a band-aid, but we're hoping to make it full-time."
Kansas weather has added another challenge.
Dreiling said he cringes when winds reach 60 or 70 mph around the towering church. Wind damage about a year ago required repairs estimated at around $30,000, although insurance covered most of the expense.
The windows themselves also require specialized work.
Under a proposal from Hoffer Stainglas, the existing opaque exterior glass would be removed, the exposed wood scraped and painted and portions of the stained glass releaded where necessary. An aluminum frame and new exterior glass would then be installed to protect the wood from continued exposure.
The new system would also be vented to prevent heat from becoming trapped between the glass.
Inside the church, crews would use scaffolding to inspect the leading and apply oil to the windows.
Dreiling said he was told the process would make the windows "look brand new."
The project would also eliminate some recurring maintenance. Dreiling said the exterior windows were painted about six or seven years ago at a cost of about $40,000, but portions already need attention again.
The first phase will focus on four windows behind the altar, which organizers said are among those most in need of repair.
That phase alone is estimated to cost $84,000.
There are already signs that waiting could create additional problems. Dreiling pointed to water stains on the ceiling of the sacristy, which could indicate water is making its way between the stone before reaching the interior.
"The longer we wait, we're going to run into a lot more issues," Dreiling said.
And with those issues comes additional expense.
When the restoration effort was first discussed, the estimated price was closer to $300,000, Hoffman said. As the project has been delayed while raising money, that estimate has climbed to more than $600,000.
Hoffman said the organization was approved in February as part of the process to have Holy Cross Church listed on the National Register of Historic Places. However, Hoffman said additional approval is still needed.
The windows have their own history within the church.
Holy Cross Church was built in 1918 and originally had milk glass windows. In 1962, the Rev. Emil Sinner began the effort to install stained-glass windows.
The glass came from Germany and was brought to Milwaukee, where the stained-glass work was completed before the windows were shipped to Pfeifer and installed. The project was completed between 1962 and 1968.
Today, organizers estimate the collection could be valued at more than $1 million.
Dreiling however, has a different opinion.
"I don't know if you could put a value on it," he said. “ They are irreplaceable."
Preserving the windows is only part of the financial challenge facing Holy Cross.
The church ceased operating as an active parish in 1993. Holy Cross Charities was established the following year to maintain the church and cemetery.
Without an active congregation providing weekly offerings, the organization relies largely on donations, memorials, fundraisers and volunteers.
Hoffman said it costs almost $20,000 each year simply to keep Holy Cross open through expenses such as insurance and utilities.
"People don't realize that's a lot of money for a non-active parish," she said. "We don't have parishioners that give weekly or tithe weekly."
Much of the physical work is also done by volunteers.
Dreiling maintains the church and grounds, with his wife and sons helping with cleaning, mowing and other projects. Dreiling said mowing and trimming around the tombstones in the cemetery alone can take about six hours.
Other volunteers have helped paint metal fencing and crosses in the cemetery, replace carpet and take care of countless other projects.
"It takes a village," Hoffman said. "It's not one person who does it all."
If interested in donating, one can either attend the sesquicentennial celebration in person or give online.