Alice Bergmann wishes her husband could have seen it.

But better late than never, a historic Wilson, Minn., church is getting a fresh face and better accessibility for its aging members.

In his later years, Bergmann's husband, Carl, couldn't climb the stairs of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Wilson. Instead, he'd sit in the basement and listen to the service over speakers.

Carl Bergmann died last month at 89, as crews remodeled the church by adding a front gathering space, accessible restrooms and an elevator. Two anonymous church members funded the project, which should be done in early 2010 and give a modern touch to an aging country church.

Trinity Lutheran Pastor Andy Straseske hopes the addition will encourage worshippers to socialize before and after services. That's how it was in the old days, when churches doubled as community centers. Not so these days, Straseske says, in an age of distractions and declining church attendance.

"I'd hope this will improve fellowship," said Straseske, who lives in a house just behind the small country church. "We are trying to reach people."

Wilson-area farmers, most of them German, founded Trinity Lutheran in 1866 and built the current structure in 1914. Its classic red bricks house an interior highlighted by stained-glass windows captioned in German.

Four of the windows depict the biblical parable of the sower and the seed - appropriate for a church surrounded by farm fields. Straseske's favorite pane depicts the seed falling on fertile ground, an analogy for those who hear God's word and take it to heart.

"That's the window we want to be," Straseske said.

But Straseske acknowledges it's getting harder to find devoted worshippers.

Bergmann, 83, joined the church 61 years ago Friday - which would have been her 61st wedding anniversary with Carl. It's a bittersweet occasion, but Alice is happy the improvements to her church are progressing.

"I'm just glad it's as far along as it is," Alice said. "Even if he didn't get a chance to use it."