Construction of the Kinstone chapel, named The Chapel of Creation, was started in July 2012 and completed in October 2013. Over 110 people helped create it over that 18-month timeframe. It is built using cordwood construction, a natural building technique well-suited to this Wisconsin climate. The chapel has a thatched roof made with Phragmites australis, a water reed harvested from the Mississippi River less than 10 miles from Kinstone. The colorful bottles in the walls depict portions of The Canticle of Creation by Saint Francis of Assisi. A large piece of petrified wood graces the center and is a grounding stone for the Chapel and for all who visit. This is a sacred space designed for quiet reflection, prayer, meditation, and contemplation.
Cordwood and thatch were suggested as building methods by Wayne Weiseman, our permaculture consultant from Carbondale, IL. The design of nature motifs in the walls was inspired by Kaitlyn O’Connor of Winona, MN and developed by Kristine Beck based on the poem by St. Francis of Assisi. Jarad Barkeim of Trempealeau, WI did the stonemasonry work, thatch harvesting, much of the cordwood work and coordination of volunteers. Richard Flatau of Merrill, WI taught us how to build with cordwood and he put in the very first and the very last piece of cordwood in the Chapel. Richard Kuisle, of Winona, MN supported every effort that was undertaken on this building; he also mixed much of the mortar and prepped many of the logs. Jim Kampa, of Kampa Construction in Arcadia, WI built the frame. Kenny Frie of Arcadia, WI did the custom metal work including the collar tie holding the rafters together, the tension ring and rods holding the walls, the pedestal for the center stone, and the tree which is the Tree of Intention. William Cahill from Galway, Ireland by way of Cincinnati, OH thatched the roof. Chris Hostetler of Cashton, WI built the doors. Greg Zahn of Manitowoc, WI designed the stained glass windows with input from Kristine Beck. Dennis Beck of Hastings, MN made the stained glass windows. Lyon Smith of Winona, MN designed and carved the wood carving between the doors. Bill Cohea, of Columcille Megalith Park in Bangor, PA gave the center stone to Kinstone as a gift.
2025 Kinstone Chapel Articles by Kristine Beck
In the early months of the year 2015, Richard Flatau and Kristine Beck collaborated on creating two articles that describe the Kinstone Chapel from a cordwood construction perspective and from a symbolic perspective. The results are now posted here for your reading pleasure. Click on the links below to see each full article.
The first article tells much of the story of the construction of this post & beam, thatched, cordwood structure. A version of this article appeared in the 2015 Cordwood Conference Papers which are produced in conjunction with the annual Cordwood Conference. That publication has many articles about various cordwood buildings… all very intriguing! For those interested, click on this link to Richard Flatau’s website: Cordwood Conference Papers, where you can purchase a copy of those if you wish.
The second article contains an initial overview of some of the symbolism that can be found in the designs embedded in the walls of the Kinstone Chapel. Cordwood construction, a natural building method that is very wonderful for our climate here in Wisconsin, lends itself to creative expression. The 110+ people who worked on the construction of the chapel have put their hearts and souls into making it a timeless work of art. This article gives quite a bit of detail about the meaning behind the bottle end designs. New meanings are always being found, so the article is just a teaser! Come visit this wonder and find your own meaning to add to the story!
