For we need a little Christmas (right this very minute!)
by Anne-Marie Welsh
12/16/2024
You may think this is a story about a window renovation in a small parish community on Frenchtown Road in Guys Mills. And, in a way, it is.
But really, it’s about a community of believers who love their faith and their parish. It’s about how a few people who proposed taking on a daunting project were quickly bolstered by the generosity and support of hundreds who jumped in to help in all kinds of creative ways. And just to add a little holiday sparkle, it even has a Christmas surprise wrapped into it. 
The roots of St. Hippolyte Parish in Guys Mills are among the longest in the Diocese of Erie. They stretch back to Aug. 15, 1838, when a group of 250 immigrant families from eastern France and Switzerland dedicated their first church, constructed of hand-hewn logs. (That’s 15 years before the founding of the Diocese of Erie.)
Fifty years later, the current church was constructed, rising out of the ashes of two fires that destroyed not only the log church but also the one built to replace it. Apparently, this parish has always been populated by people with determination.
Anyone who has been involved with a parish building and grounds committee — or anyone who owns a home, for that matter — knows that ongoing maintenance is essential. And that every once in a while, a more serious project has to be addressed.
Such was the case at St. Hippolyte, as, over the years, the need to renovate its large stained-glass windows became more imperative. In 2023, a committee of 16, including Father Jeff Lucas, pastor, was formed to explore options.
“We started by getting quotes, which took a while,” says parishioner Steve Ferry, who continues to co-chair the committee established for what has become the Stained-Glass Window Restoration Project, along with Jen Mitchell. The winning bid came from Pittsburgh Stained Glass Studios at just over $250,000.
“We love this company and their crew is remarkable,” Steve says. That’s no surprise. The studio’s website indicates its pride in returning “historic stained-glass windows to their original glory,” and expresses the company’s commitment “to being good stewards of the centuries old tradition of the art and craft of stained-glass window making.”
While the price was steep, it also was understandable, and putting the project off was not an option. Taking a deep breath, the committee decided to break the project into three, more manageable phases. Using money from the parish building fund and a loan from the diocese, the first six windows of the parish were removed in October 2023.
Fundraising began immediately, and by the time Steve and his wife, Pat, spoke with Faith magazine, all of the necessary funds for the first two phases had been raised thanks to the help of what the Ferrys refer to as “very engaged committee members.”
“We started out with a pig raffle,” Steve says, without stopping to consider the sentence is not something heard every day. For clarity, a parishioner donated a butchered pig, ready for the freezer. A grill and a gas card also were raffled off.
“We announced we were launching the project at a Mass, and invited those who were interested to let us know,” says Pat. “That very day, a whole group of people gathered around, and it was just beautiful. This was the first they had heard about it and immediately, they were offering all kinds of ideas.” Says Steve: “It was like, ‘OK, here we go.’ We had most of the committee right away.”
During Advent, they sold luminaria that were placed throughout the church on Christmas. “We just asked for donations, whatever people wanted to give,” Pat says. Everyone loved it so much, they are looking forward to being part of it again this year.
The committee has hosted a successful Sip ‘n’Paint and plans to respond to the demand for another.
“It’s become a project of the whole community,” Steve says. “It’s not just the members of St. Hippolyte.” 
During the Easter season, a parishioner crafted small decorations called “Roll Away the Stone,” fashioning a wooden tomb with a stone and cross, each scene made of oak, cherry and walnut. He thought maybe he would make 25. He ended up taking orders for 67.
Another person who wasn’t sure how she could help created a Facebook page. It has facilitated donations for the project coming from people connected to the parish who have moved away, from people who have friends at the parish and even from those who are just happy to support a good cause.
The parish also decided to direct funds raised from the 2024 #iGiveCatholic campaign to the project.
“A lot of times people send a note with their donation, saying things like, ‘My great-grandmother went to church there,’ or ‘I was baptized there.’ It’s just amazing,” Pat says.
One secret to the success of the fundraisers is that people have enjoyed the chance to interact with each other as they raise funds. A parish talent showcase was very well-received.
The Ferrys have found it to be both overwhelming and humbling.
“We truly believe it’s the Lord’s work, that’s why it’s going this way,” Steve adds. “Apparently, he wants this work done, and that’s important to us. There’s a right way and a wrong way to do a project like this, and we’re committed to doing it the right way.”
Like many stained-glass windows in churches, those of St. Hippolyte include the name of the person or families who originally donated the funds for it. Those names are being preserved during refurbishing, but today’s donors also have the option of sponsoring a particular window’s renovation. Their names or the names of the person they wish to memorialize are being added on a different windowpane.
“One of our parishioners was especially interested in sponsoring a window for the first round,” Steve says with a grin. “She said she wanted to make sure she was still around when it was completed!”
On the table for the future are possible cornhole tournaments and even tombstone cleaning. Whatever the methods, there is no doubt the parishioners will meet the goal. And now that the first round of windows has been installed, they are marveling at the difference.
“The first couple of times I came into the church,” Steve says, “I thought someone had left a light on. More than once, I had to go up and check, but it was just so much brighter now that the windows had been cleaned.”
As for that Christmas surprise, there was a small window in the back of the church that had essentially been ruined. “Organ pipes had been covering it, you could hardly tell what it was,” Pat says. “But when we realized we’d need a whole new window for this spot on the back wall, we were concerned. It needed to be designed in such a way that it would go with everything else. And then, of course, it would have to be created and installed.”
The parish has been grateful that Pittsburgh Stained Glass Studios has honored its original quote, even though the project is taking three years to complete. When it came to the window on the back wall, the company created a design that the committee, of course, loved.
“When we asked what it was going to cost,” Pat remembers, “they just said not to worry about it.” “What do you mean?” she asked. The answer was a simple, two-word phrase. “Merry Christmas.”
LEARN MORE
If you would like to support the window restoration of St. Hippolyte Parish, checks — made payable to St. Hippolyte Church with “Stained-Glass Window Restoration” noted on the memo line — can be sent to the parish at 25997 State Highway 27, Guys Mills, PA 16327. Interested in updates and upcoming fundraisers? Visit the “St. Hippolyte’s Stained Glass Restoration Project” Facebook page.
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