Seek. Love. Serve. : Property, Anyone?
What do you think of when you hear the word ‘property?’ As junior warden I am learning that it encompasses many things at St. John’s. Although overwhelming to think about, it is also a privilege to address such an important need of our church. As Chris+ reminds us, “If we want to attract clergy to our congregation, we must demonstrate that we are proud of our building and grounds.”
As many of you are aware we have struggled in the past couple of years with campers on our grounds, some vandalism and even a fire that destroyed St. Elizabeth’s House. Although we are not alone in our struggles to maintain safety and dignity on our property, we are taking this more seriously, asking the local police for assistance when necessary and enforcing the ‘no loitering’ rule after 2:00 p.m. We hope this helps all of us feel more secure whether we are working, worshipping, or attending meetings at church.
Now for the good news! Thanks to the generosity of parishioners who have remembered St. John’s in their will, as well as the insurance money from the aforementioned fire, we are able to fulfill some of our decade-long promises for property improvements as well as some maintenance and even some cosmetic improvements. Here are some highlights:
Years ago the Vestry approved the installation of a ramp, allowing visitors to the columbarium and garden handicap access. Plans are underway for that to be installed soon.
The Vestry is discerning how we use the fenced-in area that St. Elizabeth’s House claimed. Expanding our parking lot is being seriously considered but nothing is final yet. What do you think?
Bids are being taken on plaster and paint for all three floors of the building. The carpeting in the second floor hallways will be removed and replaced with new carpet, or left bare to expose refinished wood floors.
New A/C units are being priced for the nursery/children’s wing on second floor.
We are keeping a running ‘wish list’ for our building and grounds. Please feel free to contact me through the church office with your ideas.
As in most workings of the church parish administrator, Linda Workman, and her assistant, Mike Klausing are the most important part of our property “team” as they know the building and continue to either supervise or actually take on many of the routine property needs.
Oh, and one more thing…as we approach some of the cosmetic needs of our building our own Mary Jo Thompson, the wife of Chris+, has offered her services pro bono as an interior designer. We're on our way!
