As parishioners at St. Bernard in Cologne “beautified” their church two years ago, they were inspired by the church’s decor in 1938 — but at the same time gave it a fresh look for today.

St. Bernard’s first major update in more than 40 years included decorative painting, statue restoration, new altars and a gold-leaf sanctuary dome evoking the 1930s, thanks to gifts from two parishioner-brothers.

Since the project’s completion in March 2019, the parish’s 250 families have found spiritual inspiration in the church’s restored beauty, even if COVID-19 social distancing restrictions temporarily prevent them from entering.

“We were so grateful for what we had, and we enhanced that,” said Roger Storms, 78, a former parish trustee and beautification project manager. “We were bringing back elements our forefathers gave us.”

The church needed an update, said Julie Kleindl, 52, beautification committee communications volunteer. The sanctuary dome was stained, there were cracks in the wall plaster and paint on the statues was dull, she said.

“The paint that was used in the past, whether it was just the age of the paint, (the statues) weren’t very bright,” she said. “It was just so dull, so in order for everything to kind of flow they all needed to be done.”

Father Abraham Kochupurackal, 59, became pastor of St. Bernard last July, after the project was completed, but said he particularly appreciated the work after parishioners showed him a “before” picture.

“In the picture I saw before it was a little dark; now it’s very bright and colorful,” he said.

The $200,000 project was funded by two lifelong parishioners, brothers Leon and Adrian Wickenhauser. They ran their 200-acre dairy farm outside Cologne together. Funds came from a gift from Adrian’s estate following his 2017 death, and from Leon and his wife, Marcy.

“We farmed for 50 years, and we never had a barn fire,” said Leon, 84. “We were dairy farmers, we never had a fire, we never got hailed out, never had a tornado go through, and now we’re retired and it’s time to give back, to say thank you.”

Using a 1938 photo of the church’s interior, beautification committee members sought to imitate some of the earlier features, although restoring others, including the altars on either side of the sanctuary, proved too expensive, Storms said.

The work, which began in April 2018, included repairing and decoratively painting the church’s plaster walls, as well as the tile ceiling. A new wooden high altar holds the tabernacle, statues, and the church’s life-size and backlit crucifix.

“It’s a very religious feeling, like you’re in the presence,” Storms said of the crucifix. “You can visualize this really happening.”

The new high altar was placed at the back of the sanctuary in place of a larger high altar, which was moved to the front to become the main altar.

Liturgical artist Craig Gallagher of St. Michael repaired and repainted the church’s statues, Stations of the Cross and a relief modeled after Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper” that is set in the front of the main altar. He also created a painting of St. Bernard of Clairvaux, the parish namesake.

During the beautification project, the parish replaced lighting, ceiling fans and the choir loft staircase with $35,000 from a fund established by former St. Bernard school principal School Sister of Notre Dame M. Christa Rein, Storms said. A number of parishioners also donated their labor and skills for the project.

Father Kochupurackal said he’s seen how the renovated church is affecting parishioners spiritually. “I’ve heard the people say when they come to church, they feel that kind of atmosphere, especially the sanctuary,” he said. “Everything is repainted, and the Last Supper scene is beautifully depicted.”

With the archdiocesan suspension of public Masses due to COVID-19, the church is not open, and the parish does not livestream Masses, Father Kochupurackal said. The parish offers drive-in eucharistic adoration on Wednesdays from 3 to 8 p.m.

Before public gatherings were restricted, parishioners were bringing friends and family who didn’t belong to the parish to see the church, Storms said.

When at Mass, the beauty of the church draws Kleindl to the source and summit of her faith, she said. “The dome and just everything draws you forward, where our focus should be at Mass.”