Railings for our Steps

The railings are up for the steps

 in our new parking lot. 

Enjoy!

Halloween Prank?

Did someone steal our stairs as a Halloween Prank?

It did happen on Halloween, but it wasn't a prank. If you walked this set of stairs, you may have noticed that the angle of the steps were off on the top two and they weren't even. So the contractors pulled it out and will re-pour the steps. They want everything to be perfect.

The View From the Steps

From the north door of the church, we've always needed these steps to get to the north parking lot. Recently, the view from these steps has changed as the Pave the Way project has progressed.

Now those steps are gone.

Step by Step

We're getting more and more of the First Phase of our Pave the Way project done. In a few weeks we'll be able to start moving into the new parish office.

Preparing to Pave the Way

Wednesday some decisions were made on where a storage building could work in the second phase of the parish's Pave the Way plan to expand parking. This storage building is needed to hold items currently in the parish office basement. The current office will also be demolished in phase two.

They also considered the best way to put some stairs in-between the new parish office and the church. These steps will be temporary as they will be replaced by a ramp in phase three of the plan.

Replacing Some Stairs

We'd had some trouble with some of the stairs, so those were torn out and replaced this week.

Doesn't it look nice now?

Finishing Touches on the Construction

Above and below you can see the difference of putting tile on the floor by the elevator in the Social Level of the church.

You also may have noticed that the railings by the southeast entrance have received its first coat of paint.

In addition, the awning now has a metal cover on it (below) to match the awning on the south side of the Social Level entrance.

Why can't we use this door?

From the inside, this door/exit doesn't look any different other than the Danger signs.

But it's very different on the outside.

When our church was first built, the two east doors were thought of primarily as fire exits. Today they are used by so many, that it is proper for the approach to be more attractive and the door to not look like the type entering a garage.

What's Next?

Obviously (as we posted Saturday) work is continuing on the elevator. But what else is being done as part of the Source & Summit campaign?

After Easter, the SouthEast door and steps will be redone. When the church was designed, the SouthEast and NorthEast doors were thought of primarily as fire exits. But those doors are the main way many enter our church today. The steps will extended, the new door will have glass in it and there will be an overhang.

The organ speakers above the crucifix will be recovered.

Most of the cabinets will be removed from the old sacristy to create a sitting space that can be used by families before a wedding or a funeral.

So the work continues...

The Next Steps

When the architect designed our church, the southeast door was primarily thought of as an emergency exit. Over time, it has become one of the primary ways in and out of the church. Part of the Source & Summit campaign is to redo this entrance. Among the ideas are a door with glass, an overhang to protect from weather and better steps.