As my child gets older and begins to walk around the neighborhood with their friends, we have talked about situational awareness and what to do if you ever lose your way. The first thing I told them to do was to LOOK UP. If you are in the Village, from just about anywhere you are standing to perhaps a couple extra steps in one direction or another, you can look up and see the clock tower to the church. If you find the clock tower, you can then find your way home. The Sewickley United Methodist Church has helped many people find their way home. We plan on continuing to be a place that many can LOOK UP to and LIFT UP the values of no matter where they find themselves in their lives.
As stewards of the Sewickley United Methodist Church, it is our joy to care for the building in such a way that it can be around for a very long time, or for as long as God calls us to be. As you know, big old buildings require a lot of work. We are currently in a season when a lot of work needs to be done at one time. When we sit and dream without reserve of all the things we want to do here, the list is quite extensive. Therefore, as good stewards, we needed to narrow that list to our immediate needs. (PLEASE read Lynn Colosi’s update to hear more about what that process has been like for the Leadership Board.) We came up with three categories that helped us to do the narrowing: Protect, Preserve, & Purpose.
Protect: Project = Parking Lot and Roof
We recently had KB Plumbing here to do Downspout Plumbing and Remediation. They fixed some things along the way and also discovered some things. One of the things that we will be moving on with immediacy is the broken pipes under the parking lot and the erosion of materials which are destabilizing the concrete pads. This requires extensive work that we are currently getting an estimate on and a date set up for. Look for more information to come.
The roof comes as no surprise to anyone; it is time to be replaced. We have been prolonging the replacement of the roof with some good patch work but are at a time when it is most faithful to replace it. We are looking for that work to begin next year.
Preserve: Project = Organ
In 2014 when the sanctuary was remodeled, the Organ was a part of that work. However, the work stopped short of making it so the entire Organ could live up to its potential. As a historic Organ and the center of so much community life, we value caring for that Organ in a way that would make anyone proud to play it. It is time to finish the work that so many faithful people began all those years ago.
Purpose: Project = Lift
God has laid it front and center on our hearts to be an inclusive congregation. We value this inclusion to the fullest possibility. However, our building does not completely back up our words. Only half of our building is accessible to people of varying abilities that might make the steps an obstacle to them. We are getting a lift put into the church, so when we say all people are welcome, we also can say, in all spaces of the church.
There will always be more to do, and our faith in God tells us there will always be enough to do it. We are excited to present to the community a building fully equipped and cared for to continue and live into who God calls us to be. We are excited to be a part of the “KINGDOM WORK” God is giving us the privilege to be a part of. Thank you for the financial commitments you have made to this work. If you have not yet made that commitment, we are asking you to do so now. You can find more information on how to take those next steps of faith on page 7 of the newsletter.
From one light to many others,
Pastor Hannah Loughman