Cemetery and Grounds Work ____________________________________________________________________________________________

             Feb. 2007 Parish House Planning Update
 

2006 Activities:

After 92 years it has been deemed necessary to fully replace the roof on the church.  Although there are no gaping holes in the church that let in torrents of water, there are numerous places where water regularly infiltrates the walls, which are made of cinder-block covered on the outside by stucco and on the inside by plaster and wanes coating.  A careful look around the church will indicate where leaks have left their marks.  Increasingly, there is evidence that the water that gets into the center of the walls is doing major structural damage to the church.  The wall on the right-hand-side of the nave facing Northern Boulevard is showing signs of bowing, probably caused by water that has entered the wall and has either weakened the cement that holds together the cinder-blocks, or has damaged the cinderblocks themselves.  In either case, the problems may be serious and if water continues to get into the walls, the damage will only increase with time.

Replacing the roof should stop the leaks and end further damage, but it will not repair the damage that has already taken place.  We have chosen to use a ‘composite’ slate that is lighter in weight and considerably less expensive.  The materials have arrived, after being delayed because roofing material was needed in the Gulf region, and work on the roof should start prior to the Annual Meeting.

After the completion of the roof, the next project will be the repair of the exterior walls, renovation of the stucco on the wall exteriors and the covering of the stucco with water-proofing materials.  After all this exterior work is completed, work will begin on the interior of the church, including possible installation of air conditioning.

Respectfully submitted

Dr. Richard Field, Chairman

 

6 February 2007