Repairs Have Begun

God has responded to our prayers for financial provision and we can praise him as we see the results of his compassion for us. Having received nearly $240,000 of our $300,000 rebuild goal, we have covered our $100,000 deductible, subdivision repair assessment, and other initial expenses. As announced by the scaffolding surrounding the building, work has begun in earnest on the replacement and repair of the building's roof, gutters, and limestone.

Beginning in late January, every flat roof surface on the building is being replaced with a durable TPO surface. The slate roofs will be replaced by Brava imitation slate, a more cost effective, yet long-lasting continuation of the building's historic aesthetic, following a 6-week lead time for material procurement.

Thanks to the amazing giving so far, we’ve also felt confident enough to commit to replacing the damaged historic copper gutters that weren’t covered by insurance. While copper is beautiful and historically appropriate, it also has a much longer lifespan of 100 years compared to the 35-year warranty on steel gutters that insurance covered. Copper also has soldered joints instead of seams every 10ft, making for lower maintenance and fewer leaks over the next century. We are hoping to still raise the remaining $60,000 of our original goal, plus $50,000 to help fund the additional copper costs. Please pray about whether you might be able to pledge a gift in 2026 toward these remaining goals.

As part of the roof and ceiling repairs, we’re investigating the feasibility of a comprehensive rewiring and restoration of the sanctuary’s 16 beautiful chandeliers. Currently many of the bulbs are burned out, and the original 1931 electrical wiring is brittle and considered too unsafe to lower the chandeliers, making bulb replacement very difficult. This also puts thousands of dollars of annual wedding revenue at risk when we can’t commit to the chandeliers being fully functional. Combined with the goals above and other recent giving, we think this might be the best time to tackle a critical project for the church’s safety, as well as the beauty of the worship space.

Scaffolding is being erected around the sanctuary in preparation for the roof replacement.

Cooper Gutters

Combining function with the beauty of the original ornamentation, the copper gutter replacement will serve the congregation for decades to come.

Sanctuary Chandeliers

Drawing the eye upward, the 1931 chandeliers will shine again with updated wiring and support making their ongoing maintenance feasible again.