It is true that we are using the building for services and also have a Scandinavian Celebration scheduled for December 9. However, the work crews were dismissed so it only seems reasonable that the chronicler would also be allowed to retire from active duty.
Still, it is true that the building is not completed. Fabric covers and decorative pipes in front of the organ speakers, a pulpit, a cover for the large pulpit-end windows, parking lot light poles, a kitchen, and several other miscellaneous touch-up projects still need to be completed. As these projects are completed, photographic evidence will be displayed on the LLCER website, llcer.org.
The Promised Post Script -
As indicated in the previous post, the project leaders will get the last word.
Janelle -
My role in this project was architectural designer, as is my temporal calling. I have enjoyed my part-time career alongside my primary vocation of being a mother, and felt grateful to put my practical skills on the exchange table for this church project. I’ve had the opportunity to work on church projects before in the professional field and for my former congregation of Menahga, where a newly built church was dedicated in 2008, but mostly I have designed homes. This building, while meeting all the commercial code requirements, certainly feels like “home” already to our congregation!
We, the congregation through
the 7-member building committee, hired a professional, licensed architect to
produce blueprints ready to secure a building permit. A structural engineer was
also hired to detail the nitty-gritties of the footings, beams, columns, and
roof. I promised the building committee that I could donate my time for any
additional design drawings that would be needed after the structure was up.
They asked if I could work with a small design committee to come up with recommendations
for the exterior design: the siding, roofing, trims and final portico and cross
detailing. Then, work through the interiors to coordinate finishes and add a
few custom design touches. Invariably, we also weighed in on user functions,
especially how our children and elders will interact with different elements of
the building.
I was able to use my design
software (Chief Architect) to produce 3D renderings and images to aid in design
solutions. Typically, I would ask the design committee members to dig around
and find examples of designs or colors or particular materials that inspired
them, similar to how I work with my residential design customers. Lots of
“inspiration ideas” were shared back and forth via easy smart phone technology
– nothing is too wild or crazy when generating ideas – and solutions are really
a careful assembly of borrowed ideas, or a reduction or elaboration of germ
cell of an idea.
Then I would create
3-dimensional images of how we might put together the new solution. I usually
wanted to get feedback at some point in the design conceptualization from Bob
or Sam or Phil or one of our many talented and professional tradespeople. Is
this going to be pushing our budget or too labor intensive? Or, is this going
to give us maintenance ulcers? Sometimes, we got surprises to work with – like
some free, salvaged maple interior doors with brushed nickel hardware – how is
that going to look with the dark walnut that is already in our storage shed?
Sometimes, my questions would generate an overload of opinions, and I would
need to work harder on clearer communication efforts alongside extra prayers
for guidance.
Once the design committee
agreed upon the general concept and I had a collection of images depicting the
concept, it was time to pass along a recommendation to the construction leads
and/or building committee. Once approved, I would then produce some more
detailed 2D drawings to hand over to the construction team, with notes
detailing the various paint or stain colors, tile and grout product, countertop
surface material, and so on.
The design committee members I
worked with were prodigious in idea generation, putting in hours of research on
building products, securing color samples to examine side by side in all kinds
of light, and finding the right fixtures and starter furniture to fill the
rooms, among so many other tasks. This was definitely a “design by committee”
project, and not any one individual. And when I examine the design influences
beyond this small committee, starting with the selection of the building site,
to the many months of preliminary legwork and oversight the building committee
and construction leaders put in, from the ideas shared by the congregation at
many meetings, to the thousands of construction man-hours donated, I feel like
I didn’t have to work very hard.
But, of course in the thick of
the project, when my kids needed me and there was actual work to do at my desk
or at yet another meeting to navigate, there was weariness. No denying that!
Why do we give of our time and dollars to the building (or ongoing maintenance)
of worship houses in God’s kingdom? Because we yearn for a home on this earth –
to hear His word, to have an oasis from this chaotic world, to sing, and to
know His congregation members from the heart – and for that perfect home that
waits for us in heaven.
The project isn’t over yet for
some of us, but the main bulk of the work is complete, the work crews have been
disbanded, and an occupancy permit has been secured. The evening before our
first service, I found myself in the almost empty sanctuary, and had a quiet
moment to reflect:
Techs and
musicians test equipment, as I rest
In one of these
refurbished wooden pews.
The sun has set
and we all await the Sabbath,
To fill this
building that has consumed
Our labors for 16
months.
Thanks be to God!
Bob -
As the owner of a smallish construction
business I’m used to wearing many hats. For this project the headgear needed to
be stored on one of those conveyer thingies they have at dry cleaning places. I
estimated and budgeted, kept books, ordered and picked up supplies, generated
concrete dust, foam dust, sheetrock dust & sawdust, adhered and fastened
various building materials to various other building materials, graffitied
walls with lines, dimensions & notations, mentored inexperienced workers,
harvested knowledge from experienced workers, answered Chronicler inquiries,
built items in my woodworking shop, communicated project progress with sundry
interested parties, and occasionally lived a normal life.
Random Euphoric Moment #1: Friday, July 29, 2016
The early stage of the project needed to be structured around Saturday concrete pours and there were only so many Saturdays before winter. The concrete trucks and pump trucks were on order to pour the below grade ICFs on Saturday July 30th but as of 3pm on Friday things looked dubious. A call went out for help and the cavalry arrived in time to stack and brace the foam blocks and load them up with rebar so the pour could proceed. As the helpers continued to pour in that afternoon and evening it seemed like yes, this project might succeed after all.
Random Euphoric Moment #2: Friday, February 17, 2017
After months of splashing through mud puddles, digging dirt, backfilling dirt, leveling dirt, and doing the mincing highstep over rebar and tubing, a guy starts wishing for a solid floor to walk on. That transformation happened over a 6-hour period thanks to a lot of helpers from the congregation and paid workers with their impressive gadgetry. I recall yelling into someone’s also-pleased mug over the noise, “I don’t care what this costs, it’s worth it!”
Random Low Moment: Monday, October 3, 2016
People sometimes wonder, “What is the loneliest feeling?” Is it watching your spacecraft leave back to Earth without you? Is it hanging out in the bottom of a mine shaft with a broken elevator cable? Is it being stuck in a blizzard on top of Mount Everest? It is not. It is framing a church roof with three other people.
My lasting impression will probably not be the highs or lows of the project. I think it will be riding the wave that started slowly building in August as the congregation could sense the finish line approaching. My daily afternoon visit with myself changed to, “I’ve got to get over to the church and help these people finish our project.” Being close to the project I could see God's blessings. The congregation was blessed with willing workers, material support, and generosity from other congregations. “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it.”
Sam -
I was asked to serve on the building committee when our financial situation determined that we would be able to start building a church within a year or two, and then asked by the
committee to be the church building project manager. Knowing what the job would entail due to my profession as a construction project manager, I accepted, with many prayers that I would be up to the task.
The planning process began!. We worked on coming up with building plans, developing a budget, and meeting with the congregation. Then with the congregations approval we needed to navigate through the local jurisdiction requirements, including conditional use permit, watershed permit, site plan approvals, building permits, to name a few. All of these required meeting with the city planner, city engineer, and building official. We also attended city zoning and planning, and city council meetings to state our intent and seek approval. This would have been a tall order for one person to accomplish, but we were blessed with many capable volunteers on the committee and in the congregation to complete these tasks.
We had a goal to get the construction started in the spring of 2016, with the understanding that we would postpone the project for a year if we weren’t able to get started by the beginning of July. As we discussed when we might start this project, I remember thinking 2016 wasn't the best time to start, as I was and still am in the thick of a very time consuming work project. But God had His time for this project. As it was we didn’t get started until the middle of July, therefore we had to push hard to get the building ready for winter. With many countless volunteer hours from congregation members and help from volunteers from other congregations, we got the building up and ready for temporary heat by December, when the cold weather hit.
Ups and downs.
Times when it felt that our goal would never be realized.
Times when it was amazing how much had been accomplished.
Times when offense occurred and the love broken.
Times when the healing gospel was spoken.
Due to my work schedule, I was rarely able to get to the church until 6pm or later on
week nights. It was always refreshing to see those that were there working when I arrived. I am thankful for those who were able to arrive earlier and get the ball rolling. This project was
definitely a congregation effort. The support of the congregation was felt by the building
committee throughout the project. As was brought out in one of our congregational discussions, this is OUR church!
Now as the project draws to a close, I can look forward to being able to be at home for
dinner on week nights, and to spend time with my family in the evenings. My family missed me. There were some weeks that I didn’t see my youngest boys, as they were in bed when I left for work and in bed when I got home from working at the church. One of my boys had a routine question for me at night before bed, “Are you going to the church property tomorrow?” It felt good when I could finally tell him, “No, I’ll be home tomorrow.” The sacrifice of the project was shared by those who went to work at the church as well as the families left at home.
Probably the most satisfying event in the course of the project was holding our first
service in the new building. Earlier that week while putting Leo, our 4 year old to bed, I
explained that we would be going to church on Sunday in our new church. He was confused. What new church? In his mind, the school was church, and the church property was where Dad goes in the evenings. I had to explain to him that the new church was what we had been building at the church property. We would not be going back to the school, but would be going to our new church. God has blessed us with a place to worship since our congregation’s inception. Now he has blessed us with our own building that we will be able to enjoy for years to come. We all can join with the song writer in saying, “Thank you Lord for all your blessings.”
committee to be the church building project manager. Knowing what the job would entail due to my profession as a construction project manager, I accepted, with many prayers that I would be up to the task.
The planning process began!. We worked on coming up with building plans, developing a budget, and meeting with the congregation. Then with the congregations approval we needed to navigate through the local jurisdiction requirements, including conditional use permit, watershed permit, site plan approvals, building permits, to name a few. All of these required meeting with the city planner, city engineer, and building official. We also attended city zoning and planning, and city council meetings to state our intent and seek approval. This would have been a tall order for one person to accomplish, but we were blessed with many capable volunteers on the committee and in the congregation to complete these tasks.
We had a goal to get the construction started in the spring of 2016, with the understanding that we would postpone the project for a year if we weren’t able to get started by the beginning of July. As we discussed when we might start this project, I remember thinking 2016 wasn't the best time to start, as I was and still am in the thick of a very time consuming work project. But God had His time for this project. As it was we didn’t get started until the middle of July, therefore we had to push hard to get the building ready for winter. With many countless volunteer hours from congregation members and help from volunteers from other congregations, we got the building up and ready for temporary heat by December, when the cold weather hit.
Ups and downs.
Times when it felt that our goal would never be realized.
Times when it was amazing how much had been accomplished.
Times when offense occurred and the love broken.
Times when the healing gospel was spoken.
Due to my work schedule, I was rarely able to get to the church until 6pm or later on
week nights. It was always refreshing to see those that were there working when I arrived. I am thankful for those who were able to arrive earlier and get the ball rolling. This project was
definitely a congregation effort. The support of the congregation was felt by the building
committee throughout the project. As was brought out in one of our congregational discussions, this is OUR church!
Now as the project draws to a close, I can look forward to being able to be at home for
dinner on week nights, and to spend time with my family in the evenings. My family missed me. There were some weeks that I didn’t see my youngest boys, as they were in bed when I left for work and in bed when I got home from working at the church. One of my boys had a routine question for me at night before bed, “Are you going to the church property tomorrow?” It felt good when I could finally tell him, “No, I’ll be home tomorrow.” The sacrifice of the project was shared by those who went to work at the church as well as the families left at home.
Probably the most satisfying event in the course of the project was holding our first
service in the new building. Earlier that week while putting Leo, our 4 year old to bed, I
explained that we would be going to church on Sunday in our new church. He was confused. What new church? In his mind, the school was church, and the church property was where Dad goes in the evenings. I had to explain to him that the new church was what we had been building at the church property. We would not be going back to the school, but would be going to our new church. God has blessed us with a place to worship since our congregation’s inception. Now he has blessed us with our own building that we will be able to enjoy for years to come. We all can join with the song writer in saying, “Thank you Lord for all your blessings.”
