We did it! We started the Building for the Ages campaign with a goal to raise $3M, and we surpassed it. I am truly thankful for the generosity shown during the campaign.
Now that donations have started to arrive, we are embarking on the long process of repairing and restoring our campus. We will start with sealing the building exterior: roofs, gutters, walls, doors, and windows. Once we seal the building against the elements, we will move on to the interior, including cleaning the bricks in the sanctuary.
One of the critical components to sealing a building against the elements is the exterior paint. After close inspection by our weekday Sexton, Tony Catino, the paint that protects our wood trim and metal fire escapes is worn and cracked. We are starting to see some water damage and, if we don't fix it, the repairs could be costly. As a bonus, new paint looks good.
I am happy to announce that our first contract to be funded by Building for the Ages was recently approved by the Vestry. This summer you may see some scaffolding around the building. Nick's Painting will be repainting the exterior and reglazing all 188 exterior windows. In fact, if you want a preview, they just did a color test by painting one of the windows in the Cloister Garden. It looks great. A fresh coat of paint really does make a difference.
With the start of our renovations, I am reminded that we will be doing quite a few renovation and repair projects on our church in the coming years. There is a clear need and opportunity for you to help. While the Property Committee is always looking for new members, what we really need are parishioners who are willing to lend a few hours a week to help with a specific project and, when that project completes, go back to their regular lives. If these types of projects interest you, or if you want to learn more about how they are done, please reach out to me or the Property Co-Chair, Jenifer Tidwell. We will be happy to speak with you.
Darwin Keith-Lucas
Co-Warden
