Some of the mortar joints between the brick on the newer portion of the church building are being repointed this week. Because of this the old banners on both the east and west sides of the building have been taken down. Because the old banners had seen better days, new banners have been ordered. They will not match exactly (the old banners have been discontinued), but they will include the phrase “Open Hearts. Open Minds. Open Doors.”
Carpet and Tile Update
So far, $36,419.89 has been given/pledged for new carpet and tile in the sanctuary and throughout the ground level of the church. As mentioned in our letter to the congregation, cost estimates for this project range from $52,000 to $66,000.
North Entrance to the Parking Lot Closed
Due to the extremely cold weather, the concrete used to repair the parking lot has not finished curing yet. The north entrance and the drop-off lane will remain closed until Saturday. Our apologies for any inconvenience.
Panoramic Sanctuary Photographs
Take a look: four large panoramic photographs of the sanctuary can be found here.
The View From Behind the Pulpit
Above is a panoramic photograph of the sanctuary taken with a new camera. I’m hoping to have a new gallery up soon that will allow visitor to the church website to take a virtual tour.
New Handicapped Parking Spaces
The next time you visit the church building you’ll probably notice two brand new, permanent handicapped parking spaces out front. How did this happen? Let me tell you the story. We are looking forward to a record number of people parking outside and handing out treats for Trunk-or-Treat this year. So many people that I thought it would be helpful if we had additional parking spaces. There were two handicap parking spaces at the northeast corner of the church’s lot close to the old elevator that exists to the back alley. Since those spots no longer get used, I thought it would be a great way to reclaim additional parking spaces. However, I wasn’t sure if the signs were ours or the cities so I called to make sure we could take them down. Next thing I know, members from the city’s maintenance department show up and take the signs down for us. They also informed us that by law we have to have handicapped parking spots for the ramp we have in the front. They then proceeded to provide the signs, the paint, and the labor. We’re thankful for the help and the service that went well beyond anything I would have expected.
Ceiling Tile Replacement Party
A ceiling tile replacement party (read: work day) has been scheduled for this Saturday, October 27, 2012) at 9 am. As you can see from the unaltered photograph on the right the old ones have yellowed considerably since they were installed. The white tiles in the picture were put in place by David Larimore who is taking on the task of installing all the hard to fit ones. The plan is to be finished or stop by noon.
Beware of Carpenters Happy to See You
Dave Larimore was happy to see me this morning. He greeted me by saying, “you’re just what I was looking for, a strong back and a weak mind” (this is the type of thing that Dave and I say to each other out of brotherly love). He had a trailer with two pallets worth of ceiling tiles (392 in all) destined for the Fellowship Hall. In about a hour’s time they were unloaded and taken down to Room 005. Dave has started replacing some of the more difficult tiles and we’re looking for other volunteers to help with the rest. Let me know if you’re interested (or even just willing) to help.
Exterior Repair and Weatherproofing
You may have noticed some paint pealing close to the wall on the ceiling in the sanctuary, on the external walls of the sanctuary or in the back stairwell going upstairs. These are all signs that some weatherproofing and restoration work needs to be done. The trustees obtained a bid from Mid-Continental Restoration (MCR), the company that repaired the southeast tower after it was struck by lightning. MCR bid for $58,185 for the work. Thinking this was high, the trustees solicited a bid from another company that came in at $131,900. At which point the original bid was readily accepted. If you would like to be a part of the preservation of our historic building, your second mile contribution would be more than welcome. Contributing is as easy as making a note on the offering envelope, or in the memo line of your check.
Parlor Update
Work on the parlor to repair damage done by the bursting of a frozen water pipe continue. The colors (which look great) were selected by the United Methodist Women. The blue carpet is the same as what is in the sanctuary for continuity.
Screen Installed in the Basement
As you can see in the photos below a screen has been installed on the stage in the basement. The screen is one we had left over from the multi-media project in the sanctuary (the drop on this one was two short for use in the sanctuary, but other than that it’s the same size). We’re looking forward to VeggieTales and other movie events with this new setup.
Construction Update
You may have noticed the the old yellow curtain on the stage in the Fellowship Hall was taken down several (actually many) months ago. It has been replaced by three walls that provide a curtain like effect. The Trustees decided to go with this option because the cost of building the three walls was a great deal less than the cost of procuring a new curtain. It’s also the case that the middle wall provides a great surface on which to mount a larger projection screen for Movie Events and Vacation Bible School. (The first screen sent to us for the sanctuary did not have an adequate drop and was replaced, as a result we have a very large screen available at no additional cost). The walls on the stage are now ready to be painted.
In the parlor and library, drywall has been hung to replace that which was damaged by water a couple of years ago. This is also waiting to be painted. The carpet that was damaged is in the process of being pulled up and will be replaced with the same style and color that is now in the sanctuary.