Service project beautifies small church in Aurora

Planting a few flowers might make some yards look a little prettier, but landscape work at a small Aurora church is helping a Naperville teen grow and helping the congregation blossom.

Kyle Meyers, 17, is working toward becoming an Eagle Scout by landscaping the lawn and garden at St. John United Church of Christ, in a diverse area on Aurora's east side. It's an ambitious undertaking. The church, built in 1922 with a soaring steeple, sits on a standard urban lot surrounded by houses. The yard was mostly weeds before Meyers and his volunteer crew began work last week, the Rev. Cyndi Gavin said.

While the project is large, Meyers knew he could tackle it with help from his troop and the expertise of his grandfather, Anthony Tyznik. A well-known landscape architect who worked at the Morton Arboretum for 40 years, Tyznik donated a project plan. Gavin estimates the value of Meyers' project between $10,000 to $15,000.

"What we thought was just going to be some minimal upgrades turned into a landscape turned in by a master landscaper from Morton Arboretum," she said.

Gavin admits she isn't sure whether the whole plan can be implemented but said the church will do what it can to do as much as possible. Church volunteers and Scouts from another troop also have pitched in.

Landscaping on such a grand scale likely will do more than beautify the area, Gavin said. The pastor already has seen what a few flowers can do to bring together a congregation divided between the English and Spanish languages.

"Last year, we planted some flowers. It became obvious to us that the community began to respond. The children and community responded," Gavin said.

Though the flowers were inexpensive, they helped draw out the parishioners and bridge the language gap in the congregation, she said. She recalls Spanish-speaking worshippers smelling the flowers and saying things like "pretty," a rare foray into English.

"It's a bridge of God's work, to admire and speak the same language," Gavin said.

Meyers, who will be a senior at Naperville Central High School, began looking for project opportunities last year. A former committee chair with his troop told him about Families Helping Families, a local charity her son had helped with his Eagle Scout project. The organization put Meyers in touch with St. John's and he contacted Gavin in April to volunteer his efforts.

"They could really use something to help bring people back to the church," he said.

Meyers has found plenty of volunteers to help out, and Gary Christensen got pavers donated by Uni-lock while Bill Pauley of Aurora donated the mulch. Still, Meyers is looking for donations to get the rest of the plants.

Meyers, who started Scouting in first grade, may become an assistant scout master for his troop after he becomes an Eagle Scout. He hopes his project inspires others to do something big for the community as well.

"It's kind of like a bunch of kids who are doing the work," Meyers said. "(Others might think) 'if they can do that, maybe I can do something too.'"

To help Meyers' project or to donate money or items, call Gavin at St. John's, (630) 892-1932.