For some people, Moravian stars exhibit geometry and symmetry. For others, Moravian stars symbolize the Star of Bethlehem and Christmas.

For Jeff Truempy, Moravian stars represent heritage, beauty and tradition. They represent Lititz.

"The Moravian star plays into the history of the town," said Truempy, who's been the owner of JST Painting since 2013. "The town was founded by the Moravian Church. We didn't want anything controversial on the side of the building (we were painting). That building is historic."

With assistance and support from others, Truempy recently painted a mural-sized Moravian star on the outside of a Lititz building at 49 N. Broad St. that he was helping to refurbish. It was a bit of a spur-of-the-moment decision that occurred when he was overcome by a wave of creativity.

"When we finished the building, both the owner (Bill Oehme) and I agreed the south side of the building needed something," said Truempy. "We saw a big, green, blank canvas. I quickly drew up a Moravian star, but I said 'Let me think about it.' I reached out to Tim Austin at Colab XYZ and asked him, 'Can you meet me at the building?' He saw it and said, 'Please tell me we're going to do something with this.'

"He and his team came up with the Moravian star you see now," continued Truempy. "Mine was simple lines and no color. Tim's guys turned it into what it is now, a three-dimensional Moravian star with different colors."

Intentional or not, the Moravian star, which is made up of unique colors created from shades of green and white, has injected a shot of energy into Lititz's already vibrant downtown. At its core, it is improvement and beautification.

"When you look at the star at an angle, it pops at you," said Truempy, a resident of Lititz. "At a different angle, it's a completely different star.

"I think improving buildings in Lititz makes Lititz better," added Truempy. "When you have landlords who don't upkeep buildings, it makes it feel like the town isn't being taken care of. I think people feel good about a town that takes care of itself."

It took Truempy about 16 hours to paint the massive Moravian star. Prior to that, JST Painting had spent two weeks painting the inside, the outside and all of the details of the historic building at 49 N. Broad St., Lititz, which houses an antique shop on the first floor and an apartment on the second floor.

"Lititz is still quaint, no matter how big it's going to get," said Truempy. "You can walk into a coffee shop and see people you know. You can walk down the street, and people are nice and respectful. Lititz has a great school system and there's a lot to be said for that.

"Lititz is a safe place. Lititz is a great place," concluded Truempy. "I think there's a sense of pride in the town, and there's tradition. It's about honoring its history."