On a snowy Saturday afternoon, nearly 200 people gathered inside the framework of what will soon be the new Christ Our Light Church in Princeton — all armed with Sharpie markers.
Joanna Carroll traced the hands of her children and her husband on an exposed beam, Lorraine Mullen wrote one of her favorite Scripture verses on another. On an outside wall, someone else wrote simply, “Love God.”
No, they didn’t break in to vandalize the construction site. It was “Evandalism,” an event meant to bring parishioners together, give them a peek at the building’s progress and help them see and feel God’s presence in their new sacred space.
Those gathered were invited to share their hopes, prayers and favorite Scripture verses by writing them on the beams and outside walls of the new building before construction continues. Planned and led by the parish’s Youth Leadership Team, the Jan. 11 event offered a time of reflection, music, and community to prepare hearts for a new home to worship.
Carroll, who grew up attending Christ Our Light and recently joined the parish again with her own family, said she understands how some people view this change as negative because of all of the special memories they have in the “old” building.

“I can see that,” she said. “But there’ll be tons of exciting things that happen here too. All of our kids will have their first Communion here.”
The Youth Leadership Team wanted to do something to help get parishioners excited about the building project and bring them hope for the future of the parish, said Matt Kehrer, coordinator of youth ministry.
“This whole idea was inspired by their questions. Can we write on the walls? Can we write our favorite Scripture verses and our prayers for the future? It just seemed like the most blessed moment, of the spirit putting these beautiful ideas in their hearts,” Kehrer said. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime thing and they’re just trying to do what they can to embrace that.”
Standing on the steps of what will be the sanctuary, the team welcomed everyone and opened the event with prayer and then invited participants to add their hopes for the future.
Pastoral associate Molly Weyrens shared her hope that people who don’t have a place to worship will find a home at Christ our Light. Someone in the crowd added that they hoped the new space would be somewhere to celebrate the lives of people who have died, but also celebrate new life through baptism.
Another person started singing the popular gathering song, “All Are Welcome,” and the whole crowd joined in.
After that, Sharpie markers in hand, everyone was encouraged to find a spot to write whatever was on their hearts.
“I wrote, ‘may the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus,’” said long-time parishioner Lorraine Mullen. “That one has always just had meaning for me.”
On another nearby beam, she also wrote, “With God all things are possible.”
“This was quite a project, but with God it was possible,” she said.
David Badger, director of parish operations, wrote the verse, Romans 5:3-5. (See photo for text)
“It has a lot of meaning to me in my own personal life,” he said. “But I think in terms of what this project has endured and all the challenges that we’ve faced with people’s understandings and desires, we’ve persevered and we’re stronger because of it.”
Greta Kelzer, a member of the Youth Leadership team, took time to pray in the new space during the event.
“Church has always been a safe space for me and I want others to have that experience,” she said. “I have friends who don’t go to church and think church is intimidating, but I want that to be different here because the church is for everybody. I was praying that this church will be for everybody.”
She said she felt that the Holy Spirit was definitely present and moving in the room and in the people and wants that to continue in the new space.
“[Praying] that anyone who walks into this church can feel God’s presence, whether for the first time or the 100th time, that that church just has God’s presence in it all the time,” she said. “And that people who walk in will just know that God’s going to meet them there and meet them whatever they’re at.”
Giving people a chance to see the progress of the building was an important part of the event. Badger said he enjoyed seeing people’s faces when they walked into the space, and was happy that they were getting answers to any questions they had about the project.
“It’s exciting to see the progress because they’ve been talking about it for so long,” Carroll said.
“My hope for the day was that parishioners would catch the fire of enthusiasm that has been guiding us leaders and committee members through this whole process,” said Father Kevin Anderson, pastor of Christ Our Light. “It’s become apparent that the Holy Spirit has been leading all along. It feels good to celebrate that reality with an event like this.”
After a closing prayer, people lingered — visiting and enjoying treats and hot cocoa — not wanting to leave the warmth of the building and the company.