St. John Neumann
Catholic Church

Meet Teresa Hamilton, Chairperson of Interiors Committee

"I Couldn't Say No"

Two qualities come through loud and clear when you talk with Teresa Hamilton... she wants to be involved and she knows what she is doing.

These factors combine to make her the ideal parishioner to lead the newly formed Interiors Committee, allied with the Sacred Space Committee, of SJN's Building a Legacy of Faith (BLF) campaign.

Teresa came to SJN via the normal abnormal route of a military family, as her father was a career officer in the U.S. Army.  Born in West Des Moines, Iowa, she was raised in St. Petersburg, Florida, and graduated from Florida State University School of Visual Arts with a Bachelor of Science degree in Interior Design.  She has two sons, Ben and Nate, both presently attending colleges in Georgia.

As our new church began to evolve from desire to reality, BLF Chairman Joe Creighton asked Teresa to get involved. It was obvious that planning the interior of the new worship space was going to require a trained professional's eye, and Teresa brings that capability to her leadership of the Interiors Committee.

What is the function of the Interiors Committee, and how does its work relate to that of the Sacred Space Committee?

The Sacred Space Committee, chaired by Msgr. Talley, bears responsibility for creation of the "aesthetic architecture" of the sanctuary and narthex of the new worship space. Its focus is on the design of the new ambo, altar, crucifix, presider's chair, tabernacle, baptismal font, ambry, and so forth.

The Interiors Committee, on the other hand, will have oversight of the details of the non-liturgical portions of the new church – think colors, fixtures, finishes, textures. Teresa sees her group as a liaison between the Sacred Space Committee and the project's architect/design team. The committee's areas of responsibility will include art, furniture, space planning, and more….in short, the overall visual experience for worshipers at St. John Neumann Church.

Teresa is uniquely suited for this role, by virtue of both her education and her profession. She owns T. L. Hamilton Designs in Lawrenceville.  Teresa asserts, "Although I love furniture and fabrics, I have always preferred to be heavily involved in the space planning and building phase of a project."  She works with architects and designers in many parts of the country as a space planning consultant.

A self-described "volunteer junkie," Teresa couldn't say no when asked to join the BLF team. Her family has experienced traumatic events recently and she readily credits the presence of the Lord, along with "His love and guidance through it all," in seeing her through the tough times. Teresa sees her service on the BLF Interiors Committee as a means – "in a small way" – of illustrating her gratitude for that love and guidance.