As everyone who owns a home is aware, upkeep is never-ending, and thanks to our alert and hard-working Building Committee (Judy Dunnan, Chair, Mike Coffey, Andy Dales and Ken Johnston) our church building, Fellowship Hall and parsonage are being well cared-for in spite of the fact that Covid kept most of us away from our church home this past year. This team is concerned with conserving energy and fortifying structures as well as honoring the beauty of our church.

A professional in-depth energy audit of both the church building and parsonage stimulated some much-needed projects.  The sanctuary is now much warmer in the winter, thanks to placement of a vapor barrier over the dirt and ledge basement and spraying with foam insulation. The basement in the parsonage has also been foam insulated and air sealing of windows and doors has been completed.

Throughout the summer, Grady Thayer meticulously painted and repaired the bell tower, the front and north side of the church building and the upper eaves of the parsonage. 

A new door replaced the one that was rotting at the ramp exit of Fellowship Hall. And soon we will also have new doors at the front of the church, following a serious windstorm last winter that tore off the door to the church office. In an attempt to support and surprise Ed, his office was refreshed with a new coat of paint in October with a neutral off-white to cover the rather hideous pink wall.

Other projects over the summer and fall included a major repair of the driveway at the parsonage which had deteriorated badly; and renovation of the garden in front of the church that needed work. The carpet in the entryway to Fellowship Hall was replaced, new “nest” thermometers were installed in the church building and Fellowship Hall, smoke detectors were checked and replaced, and new LED light fixtures were installed to replace fluorescent lights in the Wonder Arts space.

Big projects coming up include more painting and insulating and Spring Clean-Up. In the meantime, we can tend to our spring cleaning of our homes after many months of deep habitation!