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Thousands of Hours, Tens of Thousands of Dollars
The most significant recent challenge facing the church has been the need for substantial building improvements. Over the
last six years the calendar has been dotted with renovation projects, both long and short-term.
Every part of the entire Sunday School floor had rotted and required replacing, including the joists and plates. We eventually gutted the entire building. Other wholesale changes in the Sunday School included new central HVAC, all-new sheetrock, plumbing, lighting, floor coverings, and interior doors. A new floor plan was adopted
allowing for a widened foyer and hall, with new areas for restrooms, offices, and classes, a library and a kitchen.
On the building's exterior, used pella windows were installed in '97. New steel doors and vinyl siding were added in '98. A catch basin and drainage tile were also added to help dry the
property
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Removing
the floor revealed the source of that "spongy, sagging"
feeling - rotting floor joists. This image illustrates how the
joists had rotted (lower, darker portion of joists), crushed (left),
and split (right). |
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Day 1 of renovation,
1/98. The contractor phoned Pastor Frake who was at work
across town and said, "You'd better get over here, you've got a
real problem". The "problem" was rotting floor
joists and sill plates - more than ever realized. |
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The box sill and sill plate replaced,
and all previous, rotting joists removed, new floor joists are
carefully installed - a super job! |
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The main hall through
the Sunday School. The new floor joists are installed prior to
the floor itself... Watch your step! |
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Once the Sunday School floor was
replaced, the building was gutted. Here, with fresh sheetrock
along the outside walls, interior walls are constructed and in
place. |
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Ron Lehman, pattern-spraying the Sunday
School ceiling. When he and his wife Cookie transferred to
Defiance, he brought great energy and ability to our renovation
effort. |
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Tim and Eunice Koch catch a moment
together during a break in a pattern-spraying project. Tim
brought great experience and skill to our team, and contributed
creative solutions to problems. |
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Our sanctuary project took place in March '01. Again extensive changes
were made. A new layer of sheetrock was added throughout, new lighting, floor coverings, and platform were added. Re-upholstered pews were donated by the Apostolic Church of
Van Wert, OH, Rev. David Kuhtenia, pastor.
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Before: Prior
to our sanctuary renovation effort of Spring '01. Fresh
sheetrock covers areas where old windows were removed. |
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After: The "Basic Sanctuary Renovation
Package" approved by the church is almost complete. New
lighting, platform, carpet, and re-upholstered pews, donated by
Apostolic Church, Van Wert, OH, Rev. David Kuhtenia, Pastor. |
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These pictures cannot do justice to the dedication required for such an enormous effort to become a reality. Literally thousands of hours of donated labor, and tens of thousands of dollars have gone into these renovation projects. the difference it makes will be measured in eternity.
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