Things are moving along at a very fast pace these days.  Much of it we can witness in the sanctuary itself, other things are going on behind the scenes.  For instance, the chairs are all completed and just waiting for a finished space to be delivered to.  And our new liturgical furniture is completed as well.  Pictures of these are below.  It is fun to watch how all the pieces are coming together, and to imagine how we will live into this space anew in the years to come!

We also sent off the suspended cross for an extended spa trip, you know, for a good exfoliation, and some fresh paint.  Will be as good as new when it returns from its North Carolina holiday!

Exciting stuff going on!  We continue to closely monitor the work, and welcome questions.

http://www.thecenturyguild.com/tcg/projects/93

·         Selection and ordering of the Sanctuary chairs.
·         Design completed and construction begun of the Liturgical Furnishings.
·         Removal and refurbishing of the Celtic Cross has begun.
·         Framing and refurbishing of the Cupola is in progress and will be finished by the end of the November.
·         Removal of existing roofing will be completed by the end of the month and the new roof will be promptly installed.   Balancing the weather with the removal and installation is a delicate task!
·         Roughing in of all interior lighting has been completed.
·         Completion of concrete work to include the new choir walkway, the chancel, and all areas where electrical boxes were placed into the floor.
·         Formation of concrete interior portal will be finished by the end of the November.
·         Installation of the Halo, frame and duct work, finished by the end of the November.
·         Painting of exterior and interior components is in progress.

In general, there is a lot going on!   Last Sunday, there were roughly 20 members of the Congregation that came into the Sanctuary after the 11:00 am Service.  It was really great to have folks in the Sanctuary to see the progress that is being made and see, first hand, the work that is being done and certainly the progress that is being made.  We are trying to have more members of the Congregation in the Sanctuary on Sundays.  Please join us… it is truly an amazing transformation of an amazing space.  We are getting there and, by the way, remain on schedule and under budget!

In addition to that,

* The sidewalk has been poured around the sides of the building, providing safe passage to and from the side/emergency exit doors.

* The niches on the back wall to provide storage have been built.

* The electrical work is well underway, especially the new electrical/AV boxes in the floor.

* Framing has begun for the “halo” to go around the lower ceiling to provide improved lighting, sound, and duct work.

* The divide between the 2 sets of doors between the narthex and sanctuary has been removed (and amply supported!!!).  That has made the biggest difference to me so far.  It REALLY opens the room up.

Next week, major items include roof removal, and pouring the cement to level out the floor in the sanctuary.  We are going to be able to see some major changes very soon!

And don’t forget to give hearty thanks and encouragement to Brent Shoemaker, who has spent countless hours tracking more details than I can begin to imagine.  And to John Hagner, who has provided expert legal counsel in negotiating contracts and bank loans.

Wow!  There is certainly a great deal happening in the Sanctuary right now!  It is amazing what 6 to 8 people working in the Sanctuary for 8 a day can actually accomplish.  And, for that reason, it is difficult to provide a current update.  It is almost “old news” by the time it is actually “news”!  That said, however, what follows is a list of the done or current work that is being done in the Sanctuary.

• The final construction contracts have been executed… thank you John Hagner for your leadership, patience, and perseverance!!
• All asbestos abatement work has been completed, inspected, and approved.
• The old HVAC system has been removed… so long trouble!
• All flooring, windows, wall board, and duct work has been removed.
• All wiring has been removed and the new electric box, which is about ¼ the size of the old one, has been installed.
• The sacristy has been gutted, the walls rebuilt and the windows removed.
• The raised chancel has been removed.
• The outside walls one either side of the stone wall have been removed as new windows will be installed.
• The concrete sidewalk on the side of the Sanctuary facing the Education Building has been prepared and will be poured in the next couple weeks.
• New power and AV outlets have been installed in the floors throughout.
• New insulation has been installed around the base of the building, outside; 2 feet down, as well as all interior walls have had new insulation installed.
• The new niches, for storage and artwork, have been built.
• The chair decisions have been made.  The choice was the two tone, wood chair.
• The tile flooring decisions have been made.  The natural earth tone green color tile was selected to complement the stone wall versus trying to match it.
• The liturgical furnishings plans have been drawn and the creation of what will be true works of art will start the end of October.
• The new roof shingles will be delivered soon, and with the giant white containers in front of the sanctuary right now which contain the roof insulation, the roof replacement will be started soon.  The old roof will be removed by the end of October and the new shingles will be quickly installed.
• The crane that will be used to put the shingles on the roof will also be used to lift the new HVAC system into place and a new fence will be built around the unit.

I am sure there is much more to report as the work being done each day is truly amazing.  It is happening… it is on schedule… and as of this update, it is under budget.   It is an awesome project and quite a sight to see.  Please contact me if you are interested in seeing the progress.  I would be happy to walk you through it one evening.  If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to reach out to me at bdshoemaker@gmail.com. 

Thanks, Brent Shoemaker

INSIDE WORK

Inside work this week entails electrical work, framing out doors, and installing the electrical boxes in the floors to allow us to hook up both electrical and audio in key places, reducing those unsightly extension cords (i.e. tripping hazards!) around the sanctuary.

Once these electrical boxes are installed the concrete for the chancel area will be poured, which will make a huge visual difference to the space.

Next week they will start building the wooden “halo” that will go around the ceiling, containing lights, speakers, ductwork, etc.

OUTSIDE WORK

Meanwhile, you may notice the fence that has gone up around the building, as a means of securing the supplies and keep folks safe.  There are also heaping pallets scattered around, shrink wrapped in white plastic.  This is the foam board insulation that will go on the roof.  Next week they will be removing the shingle and beginning that work.  Pray for nice weather!!!