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IT DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN |
The pictures you are about to see represent about 10 days of fairly intensive work. It could not have been done without a lot of help from some generous and talented people. We have our "hired guns" to thank - Joe Piazza from Piazza Construction in Davenport, Robert and his assistant from Wallflowers Carpet, LJ Paint Systems in Davenport, and Clint Foster for his electrical expertise.Then there are a number of congregation members who sacrificed anywhere from a couple hours to all-day-every-day to see that the job got done. A giant "THANKS!" goes out to Leo Tomayko and Jim Graham...their effort and dedication to the project were immeasureable. Another very large "Thank You!" belongs to Coach Graham and the guys of the Reardan Indian football team. I'd be seeing a chiropractor if it hadn't been for those guys! And then there was the crowd of folks who were there when we needed them, a crew for this or a crew for that. Our thanks to them is just as profound for their contributions smoothed the path as well. They were: Scott Bodeau, Ed Brommer, Jan Graham, Katie Hoskins, Theresa Kappus, John Lundgren, Brian and Nicky Page, Tom Page, Bob and Willy Stuhlmiller, and Paul and Lorri Williams. If you see these folks around, thank them for their efforts for our congregation. And...enjoy the pictures! | |
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CLEARING THINGS OUT |
Some Think It Looks Smaller... |
...And Some Think It Looks Bigger |
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Not being much of a documentarian, it didn't occur to me to start taking pictures until this point. And so we don't have a picture of the marvelous spectacle of all the pews and furnishings being carried out of the sanctuary by the entire Reardan High School football team. They are currently stored in Stuhlmiller's garage and in the parsonage garage...not the football team, the pews! If you feel an urgent need to sit in one, give either of us a call! :-) |
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GETTING READY |
Sometimes the Music Moves Us and
Sometimes We Have to Move the Music |
Just A Little Trim Off The Front |
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Needing to clear the way somewhat for the carpet removers, it took three strong men (that leaves me out!) to lift each side of the organ to slip the dollies underneath. It was definitely easier to remove the wood finish on the front of the platform. Now we're ready for the carpet guys. |
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OUT WITH THE OLD... |
Roll Out The...Carpet |
Or, I Guess, Carry It Out Actually |
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It only took until noon and the floor was ready to receive new carpeting. Pulling up the carpet itself was easy. But it chose to leave most of the padding behind, glued solidly to the floor. The possibilities for strenuous, manual labor were looking very good. |
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I DON'T DO FLOORS...BUT THEY DO! |
Just Scraping By |
Ah, Modern Technology |
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It was enough to bring back terrible memories of scrubbing the mess hall floor with a toothbrush. Wait...I never did that...but I did see it in a movie once! I couldn't imagine how long it would take to scrape all that off by hand or who could possibly want to do it. And then they brought out these fascinating machines, kinda like electric spatulas! And up it came in wide long strips and the job was done in no time. They cleaned up after themselves, too! Their Moms must be so proud. |
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Now What? |
Here Today, Gone In Two Hours |
How About Here? |
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Once again, I threw myself into a process and forgot the camera. On one otherwise quiet evening in the neighborhood, several men gathered with pry bars and hammers. We removed the platform that the altar had been standing on...you can see the marks on the wall where the platform had been. I'll tell ya...they knew how to build things sturdy in those days. Once that was finished, we used our pieces of altar rail (which we are re-using) to mark out the boundary of our chancel extension. |
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COUNTDOWN TO CARPET |
If I Had A Hammer... |
Reaching For The Stars...Sort Of |
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Now things started happening fast. We had only 5 days before the new carpet arrived and 3 of those days were a holiday weekend. Our contractor, Joe, and our own Leo got busy building the extension at the front of the sanctuary. Meanwhile, in the back, painters began to give the sanctuary a freshen-up. |
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WATCH YOUR STEP! |
Tripping On The Way To The Altar
Just Wouldn't Look Dignified |
Working On The Weekend |
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When the platform was removed, we discovered that there was a small gap left between the area we just uncovered and the rest of the floor around it. So some intrepid folks came in on Saturday morning...even some of those younger types that usually sleep until noon...and got the job done. Yours truly even helped out a little and...obviously... remembered the camera! |
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MAKING PROGRESS |
Taking Shape |
Sniffing Out Defects
(By the way, she didn't find any.) |
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With only a day to go before the carpet guys arrive, the extension is taking shape smoothly and swiftly. An electrician ran the new outlets as Leo and Joe finished the platform and planned for the fittings that would hold the communion rail. And, of course, the whole thing came under the watchful eye (nose?) of our "building inspector." (She was very curious about all the pounding going on in here!) |
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READY FOR CARPET |
All Done But The Cleaning (Sort of) |
Working Hard or Hardly Working? |
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The extension gets finished in the front of the church just as the carpet guys get started in the back of the church. Some of the last bits of debris get hauled out to the dumpster as Jim and Bob discuss the project (or was it the Mariners?). |
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...IN WITH THE NEW |
They're Starting In The Back...
Must Be Lutherans! |
Working Toward the Front |
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Finally, the new carpet goes rolling in. Robert and his assistant did great work together as the tunes sang out from their radio. The sanctuary quickly filled with the smell of new carpet and carpet glue. Little did we know that near disaster lurked only a footstep away......... |
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DISASTER AVERTED |
It Looked Like Old, Dry Glue To Me! |
Finishing Up Without Further Incident |
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Okay, so I guess I was talking to someone as I came into the sanctuary. And it really DID look like the old dried-up carpet glue still stuck on the upper platform. I guess if you want the details, you can probably ask just about anybody by now. Anyway, folks were amazed that I both kept my balance and didn't fall...AND...didn't put my glue-laden foot down on the carpet once I regained my balance. After lots of laughter at the sight of me hopping about on one foot while a spare piece of carpet was brought to set my foot down on, work resumed. I have yet to hear the last of this sticky situation! |
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A NEW LOOK |
Looking Forward And... |
...Looking Back |
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It's more than just captions for pictures. This whole project, as the Bishop noted in his visit, opens up our worship space in a more friendly way to those who come to worship with us. So we look forward to the future as we consider the ways we can reach out to people in this "new day." We are also mindful that the things of the past, looking back, still have value to us. As for the chancel, we kept our basic arrangement and are reusing our communion rail. We also moved the altar out from the wall which, incidentally, was Luther's preferred arrangement for it. We also remember the tradition and integrity of Lutheran worship even as we explore alternative styles of worship. So we move forward, looking forward and looking back, confident in God's presence with us and that He is answering our prayers for guidance as we go. |
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THE PRIMACY OF WORD AND SACRAMENT |
The Altar Is Carried Back In |
The Pulpit Closely Follows |
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The earliest people of God carried the Ark of the Covenant with them and it was placed in the tent or tabernacle when they reached their destination. We no longer have to carry our religious artifacts around with us but we are called to carry our faith with us wherever we go. So these images of our communion table and our proclamation point returning to our sanctuary are symbolic for the movement of word and sacrament into our lives and, through us, to the world. |
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AND NOW, A PEW FOR YOU |
Pastor Dave Is In Control |
Pastor Dave Has Lost Control |
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Once again it was time to call upon our faithful football fellas to help us get pews back inside. It started as a very orderly procedure but quickly degenerated into a somewhat frantic attempt at organization. Pastor Dave barely kept up with the enthusiasm and energy of these young men (and that was AFTER they had a practice!). Hey Eric, what's that on your face?! |
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A VIEW FROM THE OUTSIDE |
The Front of the Procession |
These Steps are Hard With
Caskets AND Pews |
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Before you pass judgement on my organizational skills, take a look at what I was up against. There was a veritable train of pews coming across the street from Stuhlmiller's and I was at the receiving end. If it hadn't been for Hops (in the red shirt) out on the landing controlling traffic, I may have been entirely overrun by wooden seating apparatus. Thanks, Hops! |
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MANY THANKS, GUYS! |
Better Them Than Me! :-) |
Organ-izing! |
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It would be hard to offer enough thanks to Coach Graham and the guys of the Reardan football team. They came in with enthusiasm and helpfulness and turned what would have been a huge job for us into short work. Some of our own guys who helped out were Dan Blakesley, Eric Everett, Chris "Hops" Falk, Eric Lundgren, and Ian Wagner. Thanks, guys! |
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GETTING CLOSE |
Pew Positioning Party |
Cleanup Begins |
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Now we're getting down to details. The measurements we'd taken before we started were pulled out and the pews were fastened back down from back to front. As the adaptation of the communion rail continued, the cleaning began to make everything look as new as it felt. The pews and window frames were reconditioned to make them look nicer. |
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ACOUSTICAL CHECKUP |
A Familiar Sight |
An Incredible Sound |
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Our community has been blessed for years with these fine musicians. We wanted to be sure we had their blessing for our new positioning for the organ and piano. They sat and played for about 15 minutes to the delight of those of us sitting in the pews. Someone would say, "Sounds good" and someone else would say, "I don't know...maybe you should play one more song!" In the end, they were pleased with the arrangement. |
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Our New Look |
Ready For Worship |
Ready For Worshipers |
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The response has been overwhelmingly positive to this new look. Comments such as "more open", "more accessible to the altar", and "more friendly" have been frequently heard since the first service. We invite you to come experience the feeling yourself anytime you'd like, but especially some Sunday morning! |
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PLACE VS. PURPOSE |
A Wonderful Place to Worship |
What We're All About |
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Of course, it's not REALLY "place versus purpose". An inviting, friendly environment can certainly add to the enjoyment and effectiveness of our worship, but having a beautiful building is a blessing and a tool, not our purpose. Nothing must get in the way of the central purposes of worship...to honor and praise God for his blessings and to receive his grace in word and sacrament. Everything else is a pleasant extra...not the main thing. Whatever the sanctuary looks like, wherever its furnishings are placed, the important thing is God's love for us revealed in Scripture and God's grace for us that comes through water and the Word, the wine and the bread. God's blessings to you. |
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