Facilities & Campus Updates

Celebrating the completion of the North Narthex Addition and updates on the Narthex Renovation.

Facilities Planning

Substantial completion of the North Narthex Addition

Four people cut a red ribbon at an indoor event, with others observing in the background.

Congratulations to us all and to future generations that will use the new North Narthex Addition with its accessible entry, toilet facilities and Sacristy space – modern, accommodating, and up-to-date spaces reflecting the commitment of St Matthew’s congregation to improve accessibility, functionality, and aesthetics of the church campus. It was good to celebrate the substantial completion of the project with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on November 2, 2025.

The Facilities Planning Task Force members were honored to have been able to contribute their time and talents to help create the new accessible facilities. Members of Facilities Planning, past and present, collaborated to present ideas, develop solutions, and work out the details – a process that started circa 2015 – to ultimately formulate the design of the addition that has been constructed.

With Gratitude

We thank the following members (please forgive any omissions):

Jim Merrill
Ray Fausak
John Terpak
Dick Graybill
Peter Jensen
Rene Cherson
Brian Sena
Charlie Lange
Max Frable
Steve Cathcart, FP’s liaison to Property Committee

Special Acknowledgments:

Special note and thanks for the efforts of Max Frable and Steve Cathcart, who, throughout the course of construction of this project, provided valuable on-site observation and administrative services and helped solve unexpected issues quickly and thoroughly. Also special thanks to Tom Cassell for his efforts on the always important financial portion of the process and to Brian Slaugh for guidance involving Moorestown Township’s planning and zoning processes.

Thank you as well to other stakeholders for insights and input – Pastor Trozzo, Council members, Property Committee, Altar Guild, Sexton, and last but not least a big thank you to former Pastor Ingrid Wengert for her initial ‘push’ to re-activate sensitively-designed accessibility improvements for our church facilities over ten years ago.

— David Barger, Chair

People of various ages sitting at round tables, socializing in a warmly lit community center decorated for fall.

People line up outside under a tent with a grill, smoke rising, and a sign reading "BITES EATS FREE FOOD + MUSIC MEETS.

Three men converse near wooden cubbies and stacked chairs in a room with wood-paneled walls and a ceiling fan.

Narthex Renovation: Mailboxes Relocated

As part of our ongoing Narthex enhancement project, we’ve taken the first step toward creating a more welcoming and functional gathering space. This past Sunday, all mailboxes were relocated to the hallway outside the church office. Thank you to Steve Cathcart for building and installing these new boxes. They look great!

Here’s what you need to know:

Several members have been assigned new mailbox numbers to better reflect our current congregation size. Check your mail this week for a letter from our Treasurer, Tom Cassel, with your updated mailbox number.
A full list of new mailbox assignments is posted in the office hallway for easy reference.
The old mailboxes in the Narthex will be removed this week to prepare the space for upcoming improvements.

Thank you for your flexibility and support as we make these small but meaningful enhancements to our shared space. Stay tuned for more updates — and as always, keep an eye on your weekly emails for more dates and details.