|
"Work Has Begun"
Restoration work has begun on the Chapel and Lord’s Warehouse following Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The cleaning and remediation is taking place this week and we hope to begin repairing and replacing our facilities quickly thereafter.
Among the work that will need to be completed in the kitchen is replacement of all lower kitchen cabinets and the purchase and installation of a new dishwasher. Shook Fellowship Hall will need the replacement of the lower cabinets under the television monitor, and the Narthex will need the replacement of its’ closet doors. All of these areas, including the kitchen, Shook Fellowship Hall, and Narthex, will need the lower half of their drywall replaced and painted. My goal is to have all of this completed by Thanksgiving, November 28.
The required repair work in the Sanctuary is limited to replacement of the floors and refinishing and repair of the pews. Because the Sanctuary walls are finished cinder blocks, our walls only need extensive cleaning. We will also be dry-cleaning our pew cushions. It is my goal to have the Sanctuary work fully completed by December 1, the first Sunday of Advent.
The Lord’s Warehouse sustained the most damage. All of the cabinets and shelving will need to be replaced. All of the drywall in every room will need to be replaced as well. The air conditioners are also in need of significant repair. It is my goal to have the Lord’s Warehouse work full completely by January 1, 2025.
While the above work is being completed, we are working diligently on the exterior of our facilities as well. We are also working hard to finish cleaning and clearing the Chapel Gardens, which sustained significant damage. The Garden gazebo held firmly but has some minor damage in the flashing under the roof. We also need to repair some electrical issues in our Garden outlets, light posts, and sound system.
The Chapel roof sustained plenty of damage but held well. We had hoped to wait another year or two before replacing the Chapel’s roof, but we know that plan is no longer acceptable. We must address the Chapel’s roof now, or at least, in the very near future. The Board of Trustees will begin reviewing roofing bids at their November meeting. (The Lord’s Warehouse roof was replaced several years ago with a metal roof. They did a wonderful job!)
What about our new construction that had already begun earlier this year? That work is moving forward also. The Hurricanes did not cause any damage but it has disrupted our timing of completion. Instead of a December 1 completion date for the new construction, a more realistic date is January 1, 2025.
As you can imagine, the Chapel is a busy place! However, we are not too busy to miss God’s blessings. We are witnessing God’s work all around us. People are sharing their goods, clothing, and food with each other. People are sharing vehicles and homes to those who need them, and organizations from across the country are helping to provide essential items, services, and labor.
God protected us. God was here during the storms and God is still here during the cleanup. God is blessing the Chapel family and God is watching out for us.
Blessings,
Rev. Brock
| 
