Our Needs

Stained-Glass Windows

Our beautiful and treasured stained-glass windows have been well maintained, but now it is evident that further steps are needed to preserve and protect them.  

• The 125-year-old windows are 25 years past their life expectancy.
• The glass panels and wood frames are buckling because the old lead and cement grouting holding the glass together is so badly degraded.  
• The 1990-era reinforcement bars are insufficient, so panels with broken glass have additional re-bar to hold them together and prevent further breakage.
• The wood frames have major deterioration and cannot be further maintained.
• The ten-year-old Plexiglas storm windows have protected the exterior but caused heat buildup between the windows that has accelerated deterioration. 
• Further disrepair could result in the windows no longer being repairable or cause them to collapse and potentially injure someone inside or outside the church.

Front Steps

Our church’s impressive front entrance offers an unwelcoming first impression because of the worn and difficult to maintain steps.

• The cracked landing stands atop unsightly and potentially dangerous steps that are peeling, popping out, and flaking off.
• Snow removal services won’t risk injury liability or further step damage and there is no place to put snow cleared from the entrance steps.  
• The salt used to keep the steps clear of ice and snow over the years has contributed to the concrete’s deterioration.

Parking Lot

Our church parking lot is in poor condition and presents an uncared-for impression of our facilities. 

• The parking lot is full of cracks and potholes that are tripping hazards for us and visitors. 
• The faded parking lines make the lot difficult to navigate and hard to maximize parking spaces.

Kitchen

• Our kitchen equipment is a mix of purchased and donated appliances that are inadequate, inefficient, outdated, and difficult to maintain.    
• We no longer meet safety codes, such as having a proper exhaust hood and fans for our gas stove.  
• We lack adequate food preparation surfaces and the poor room layout makes it difficult to prepare, cook, and clean up meals. 

Fellowship Hall

• Basement flooding before the city separated the sewer and water lines six years ago caused a lot of damage.
• The walls and kitchen cabinets are water damaged and we suspect there is mold behind them.
• The wood wainscoting along the floor is rotted, making it difficult to keep the rubber trim in place.
• Our electrical lines could not be run behind the water damaged walls, which is both unsightly and unsafe. 
• There is no basement air conditioning (AC), and actions to cool the area with exhaust fans or blowing cold air from other areas is ineffective and inefficient.
• The dated interior, state of disrepair, and lack of AC makes the basement the least preferred area when people schedule building space.

Basement Restrooms 

The basement restrooms date from the 1950’s and have had little remodeling or updating since then.