Hand me the duct tape and zip ties; we can fix this!
When my partner and I moved to Sewickley in 2020, our new home had recently undergone a renovation by the previous owner. We were fortunate. All the expensive interior stuff like the kitchen and bathrooms had been modernized. They even put a two-story addition on the house. SWEEET!!! But after living there for a year, we noticed all kinds of issues on the exterior we had neither anticipated nor budgeted. A concrete sidewalk leading to the front porch and around the house was suddenly crumbling, a tripping hazard waiting to happen. Several boards on the front porch were rotted and, if left unattended much longer, our mailman was going to fall through the porch. A gravel driveway that we didn’t intend to pave had drainage issues that caused ice buildup in the winter and flooding in the fall, spring, and summer. Each one of those was an insurance liability nightmare waiting to happen. Then to top it off, the contractor we hired to fix our sidewalk noticed that our roof—the one on the original part of the house—was older than we thought and needed to be replaced… soon. WHAAAT??!!!?
Just like unforeseen issues pop up at home, the same happens at our church.
When the always smiling Building & Maintenance Ministry Leader, Sandra Lane, walked into our June Board meeting, I knew five things for certain:
Her report would be thorough beyond my toughest expectations;
Her PowerPoint slide show skills would be on full display;
She would convey the significance and detail necessary for the Board to make decisions;
Her servant’s heart would be full of hope, joy, and humor regardless of the situation; and
Something must have been pretty important for Sandra to request our attention.
Sandra’s presentation, titled “The Tale of the Drains,” didn’t disappoint, except for one thing: something was not only important, it was serious. The church has water intrusion problems, the sources of which can’t be discerned because the issues are subsurface. And, if there is one thing about which most property owners know, it’s that water intrusion leads to bigger problems.
Click by click, Sandra took the Board through “The Tale of the Drains” explaining the problem, the plan, the cost, and the solution so that we were fully equipped to deliberate and decide what to do.
Symptoms of the problem are evident throughout the church. Sandra said the nursery, Sunday school classrooms, the hallway, and sanctuary have all experienced leaks from waterflow back-up. Even the parsonage hasn’t been spared from the issue. So far, Sandra thinks the culprit is likely tree roots that have infiltrated the underground stormwater (and sewer) system, either clogging or, in some cases, collapsing the pipes. Sandra said some of the downspouts connect underground with terra cotta pipes, infrastructure that could be around 120 years old, according to Sewickley Borough’s data that I came across while writing this article.
Understanding the totality of the problem is the plan. Based on Sandra’s experience, research, and conversations with experts, she recommended that we undertake a comprehensive investigative analysis of SUMC’s stormwater infrastructure. This approach includes hiring a plumbing company that will insert a camera into each downspout and map-out the network and condition of the stormwater pipes and create a report. If the video reveals downspouts clogged with debris or roots that can be removed easily, the plumber will clear the pipes at that time. The plumber will also install clean-out access in all the downspouts, making it easier in the future for us to maintain them. If the plumber finds that the pipes are collapsed, well, that’s another matter altogether. Just an FYI… the church has nineteen downspouts.
It isn’t cheap, of course, to create a Stormwater Plan, especially when the church never had one before, which means the plumber must start from scratch. The cost, which Sandra solicited from a plumbing company, is $3,200 a day and three to four days to complete. However, as Sandra explained, “every downspout has its own problems…,” some of which might be able to be fixed immediately by the plumber while they are inspecting the pipes. Regardless, this effort is a must, plus it will guide future budgeting for Building & Maintenance.
At the end of the plumber’s work, SUMC will have a Stormwater Plan that identifies the solution(s), consisting of a comprehensive, prioritized list of improvements that we can plan prudently to tackle. Sandra’s recommendation sets up SUMC to be proactive instead of reactive, which is always less expensive… as most homeowners can attest!
Following Sandra’s report, the Board deliberated and decided, wisely, pragmatically, and clearly, we can’t fix this. Not even with duct tape and zip ties! Taking Sandra’s advice, the Board approved hiring a plumbing company to conduct the assessment and inform us of the totality of the problem.
Let’s Get Radical, Radical!
Spiritual Formation/Leadership Development continued to be a highlight on our Board agenda again this month. At June’s meeting, it was Shane Mills’ turn to enlighten us with his topic, “Radical Hospitality” and what it means to “…welcome one another, just as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.” (Romans15:7) Having been to a ton of churches of various denominations during my thirty-year search for an all-inclusive, Jesus-centric church, I can say that none have done hospitality remotely close to how well SUMC does it! But “radical hospitality”? Hmmm… I didn’t even know what that expression meant until Shane imparted his perspectives.
So, while Shane spoke, I searched quickly on my phone for a definition of radical hospitality, and here’s what AI had to say. “Radical hospitality is the practice of extending unconditional, judgment-free welcome and inclusion to all individuals, going far beyond standard politeness. It involves removing power dynamics and physical barriers to ensure that every person feels entirely safe, seen, heard, and valued as an honored guest.” Or in human speak, like Shane told us, radical hospitality is about being “…intentional and creating space for people to encounter God’s welcoming grace and love. Hospitality is radical when it extends beyond comfort, familiarity, and convenience.”
Hmmm… so it’s not just about being incredibly nice, welcoming, and authentic? Because SUMC is exceptional at those. It’s about stretching beyond the easy or typical so that others know they are cared for and loved. “In many ways, hospitality is not a ministry of the church; hospitality is the culture of the church,” Shane informed us. It’s about departing from the norm. Then Shane said that it’s the Board’s responsibility to set the tone of radical hospitality even before anyone reaches the front door of our church.
“Well,” I thought to myself, “if SUMC practices that kind of hospitality, it should be evident by our ministries, right? Do any of our ministries go far beyond being nice and generally accommodating?” I’ll attest that they do! What could be more radically welcoming than our newest ministry, Neurodiversity? As you may know, our Neurodiversity Team recently furnished and opened a calming corner in the Sanctuary, a space where neurodiverse kids and adults can still participate in Sunday service while feeling comfortable. We’re already seeing the fruits of the Team’s efforts multiplying each week. This past Sunday, before the 9:00 am service even started, there were four kids in the calming corner, including one boy chilling in the rocking chair! During the Board meeting, Pastor Hannah told us about a new family that has been coming to our worship services because of it. A mom and her two boys came to our church for the first time a few weeks ago. Almost immediately, Pastor Hannah described, one of the boys ran promptly over to the other side of the church and refused to sit with his mom. Pastor Hannah said she could tell the mom was uncomfortable and unsure how to respond to her son’s behavior. But in classic Pastor Hannah fashion, she approached the mom and assured her with compassion everything was okay. That her son was welcome to sit on the other side of the church. Pastor Hannah then introduced the mom to one of our Neurodiversity Team members and reassured her between all of us, we would keep an eye on him. Not only was the mom willing to give it try, she and her boys came back again to our church. This, Pastor Hannah praised, is the beautiful fruit of what happens when we walk with the Holy Spirit and be the radical church that God intended!
SUMC’s Next Board Meeting
Even though I usually present the highlights in this monthly article, the Board discusses a range of other items at our meetings too. We invite you to join us if you have a burning desire to see what happens in the back office when ten Jesus-y church geeks nerd-out on SUMC stuff for a few hours. Please note, however, that due to vacations, July’s Board meeting has been moved up a week to Wednesday, July 8th. As usual, we will meet in The Patton Library from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm. We hope to see you then!
Lynn Colosi
Board Member