It’s always fun to be able to look back at an old scrapbook in order to reminisce about vacations, weddings, and other memorable events.  In this edition of Penny’s Pen, we’re going to be looking at some of the ongoing repairs and renovations on the church building by means of a photo gallery.

Back in February, after two years of frustration in not being able to get anyone to work on the roof in order to fix water leaks, we finally were able to get the roof seen to.  Woo-hoo!  However, you can imagine our horror when, a few weeks later, there were puddles again on the floor.  The poor fellow at the roofing company was incredulous as he said something like, “You mean we worked on the roof and now it’s worse?!”  Thankfully, he sent a technician who properly diagnosed the problem, which is that the roof was holding just fine, but that water was coming in through the windows and other places on the walls.  A few weeks later, in early April, a group from Covenant Presbyterian Church (OPC) of Buford, Georgia, came and used FlexSeal to plug the holes, and those repairs fixed the problem.  We were finally in a position to be able to begin to address the variety of problems we have had with the building, but which could not be addressed until the water intrusion issue was resolved. 

April 6th

In addition to plugging holes, the group also worked to remove anything from the building that might be infected with mold or mildew, including all the carpet and the ceiling tiles that had been stained with water. . .

. . . and also help us with some repairs, such as getting our burglar bars back on their track:

. . . so two of our members who live nearby, Felson and John, worked hard several times to try to take care of that.

Tuesday, May 28th  

Frank and I arranged to meet a young man (who happens to have a PCA background) who had been recommended for his knowledge about insulation and many other aspects of renovations.  He gave us good tips as to how to save money with regard to the various challenges we were facing and recommended that we test for mold and mildew using a do-it-yourself kit.

Friday, June 28th

Frank swabbed the various areas using something resembling a Q-tip, and sent it off to a lab. 

Tuesday, July 2nd

We got the results of the DIY test which informed us as to the extent of the work that needed to be done.  We talked to another highly knowledgeable friend (a man who happens to be a Presbyterian elder) who helped us work through the kinds of things we needed to do next, namely, stripping the building down to the masonry brick, including removal of all the panelling and all the cabinets, as well as the ceiling tiles and track.  He recommended someone who could do that work.  We then spoke to a company which advised us of everything we would need, including the chemicals, a cold fogger,  air scrubbers and personal protection. 

Thursday, July 11th

Pastor Frank and I went to see how the demolition was coming and met the man with the expertise to address any mold issues.   The panelling and cabinets had been removed and everything relocated to the center of the rooms in preparation for the spraying.

A couple of pictures of the future social hall and kitchen, taken before the remaining studs, ceiling tiles, and much trash were removed in preparation for the spraying

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An after picture (taken September 3^rd) of the future social hall and kitchen temporarily set up for worship

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Pictures of the original sanctuary which will become Sunday school rooms, office, and storage room, prior to the removal of panelling, ducts, ceiling tile tracks, unwanted items, and in preparation for spraying 

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An after picture (taken August 10^th) of the original sanctuary

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Pictures of the future sanctuary prior to removal of ducts and unwanted items amidst preparations for spraying

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In these after pictures of the future sanctuary (taken August 10^th and September 1^st), notice the beautiful LVL (laminated) beams now supporting the ceiling.

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Mid-July

The walls, floors, and ceilings of the inside of the entire building were sprayed with a solution that kills mold and mildew and then scrubbed to make sure that the liquid had penetrated all the nooks and crannies. That process was repeated a day or two later to make sure that nowhere was missed.

Saturday, July 20th

The chairs were unstacked and, along with all remaining items, were laid out in a position which allowed microorganisms in or on them to be “bombed”. 

Saturday, July 27th

In order to deep clean the fabric chairs, Pastor Frank and I used a recommended anti-microbial chemical in an upholstery shampooer.  Out of the approximately 120 fabric chairs in the building, we discovered about 40 that were in bad shape and took them outside with a sign saying that God doesn’t approve of stealing, but that these were free for anyone to take.  It took a few weeks but eventually all but one were taken.

Mid-August

In evaluating test results, the mold inspection company assured us that the building was safe to use.  The levels of harmless spores and particulates, which can still be a problem to sensitive individuals, were  within the acceptable range but could still affect some people, so further remediation was recommended to ensure that everyone is comfortable.  Interestingly, the levels of these microorganisms were higher outdoors than in. 

August 22nd

A member of an Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church south of Atlanta who runs an electrical company, came with other church members to work on the sorry state of our electrical system.  They installed lighting in areas which, until now, had been very poorly lit, removed unwanted electrical wires and gas lines, and demolished the walls around the old HVAC unit in preparation for installing mini splits. 

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As you can see from the pictures, much has been done but there is much yet to do. 

Currently, work is being done on the outside of the building to close off any remaining spaces through which moisture may enter, because, as we were instructed by the professionals, that is the only way to prevent a repeat of the issue.  At the same time, rotten wood is being replaced and painted, metal flashing installed, and a more attractive entrance created.

Also important in terms of lowering the levels of the harmless spores, creating a fresh-smelling space and ensuring the  comfort of the congregation, is having good air conditioning, which we haven’t had since our central air system quit.  That, along with all its ductwork, has been removed.  One mini-split has been installed so far with two more coming soon along with bi-polar ionizers, which will continually filter the air and, Lord willing, eliminate any remaining “old building” smells. 

For eight Lord’s Days we decided not to use our building for worship, partly because of the dust stirred up by the demolition work and partly because of the chemicals used in the remediation of the problem.  As of September 8^th, we are back in our building for worship.  After the air conditioning improvements have been concluded, we will be able to meet for worship in the large middle room which will become our sanctuary.   Following these improvements, the building will be inspected and tested again to ensure that the issues have been taken care of. 

While we were absent from the building, we were invited on two Lord’s Days to worship in the home of one of our local members, and for six more we were allowed to use the sanctuary of a large nearby church in return for a tip to the deacons who opened and closed the building and stayed with us during the service. 

Once the major issues are resolved, we can start to give the building a more welcoming appeal, starting with drywall and paint.  Electrical improvements have also been made which will allow us to hang pendant lights and ceiling fans in the new worship area.  Insulation, flooring, new windows, etc., will follow as soon as possible.

Many of you have been upholding us in prayer and supporting us with generous financial giving over the fourteen years that we have been ministering in “the Bluff”.  As a result of this and the Lord’s good hand upon us, all of our financial needs have been met.   We have been brought from sharing the Good News on the steps of a derelict church building in one of the worst drug-dealing and prostitution-peddling areas in the Southeast, to owning our own building in the heart of a great but needy city in which to plant the flag of King Jesus. 

We have only come to you once before with a direct financial appeal, but we do so again now.  You have seen in this article that, faced with a serious situation that was keeping some people away from the worship of God, we have worked very hard, and at the cost of many thousands of dollars, to make repairs and improvements which will make our building more comfortable, fresh, clean, and attractive.  However, the ongoing costs of these repairs and improvements prevent us from being able to pay off our mortgage, which we would like to be able to do seeing as it amounts to $10,000 per year—a significant amount for a ministry such as ours.   

Pastor Frank is producing a “wish-list”, somewhat along the lines of a Bridal Registry, listing various items already purchased or yet to be purchased during these renovations, the cost of which could be covered by anyone wishing to help us in this way, leaving us with the ability to use our limited income to pay off the mortgage earlier than the original date.  Be on the lookout for a follow-up Penny’s Pen in a week or so.

Scripture tells us that Unless the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it.  So please continue to pray that our labour will not have been in vain—that not only will the building be made ready for gatherings in His name, but that more people will be attracted to that which we have to offer, namely, Biblical worship and praise of God.

On another note:

As you will remember, as recounted in the previous Penny’s Pen article (“Nobody Ever Expects . . . Quadruple Bypass Heart Surgery”), Pastor Frank underwent open-heart surgery last November.  Thank you all for your prayers for a complete recovery, which the Lord has graciously answered.   He has a very good feeling of wellbeing, and all the follow-up tests have pointed to a successful outcome.  However, starting in May, other health concerns cropped up which led to the discovery of another issue which was diagnosed in early June.  From that time until mid-August he was in a lot of pain and discomfort.  However, we are thankful to the Lord that major surgery for this problem in mid-August was also successful in that he no longer suffers from that pain, and test results show that everything is back to normal.