Blawenburg
Reformed Church
In Service to the Risen Christ Since 1832
Project SOS Goals
Repairs and Improvements Needed
Our old church building will turn 190 in 2020, and it’s showing its age. The Properties Team has identified many “issues” that have been let go for too long because of inadequate finances. They realized that if some of the issues are not dealt with, they will be even more costly to remediate in the future.
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The list of repairs and improvements is long, and the team has narrowed the list to the most urgent needs.
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1. Steeple restoration, damage repair, insulation replacement, exterior lighting replacement, bell support
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Reason: Local wildlife (aka bats) have invaded our belfry and taken up residence in our attic. This has caused damage to the insulation and floor of the attic. In addition to the cleanup, we need to seal all the entrances to the belfry/attic, repair damaged wood and paint the steeple, secure the bell and make it easier to ring, and put new lighting on the steeple.
2. Exterior painting of the church
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Reason: It’s been more than a decade since the church has been painted and it’s looking dull and stained. It needs to be power washed, scraped, and repainted.
3. Major organ repair
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Reason: Our 1970s-vintage Greiss/Miles organ was recently evaluated and numerous repairs are needed. It uses 1960s technology and is deficient in the following ways: The contacts and transistor components are very unreliable, which causes numerous dead notes and tone cluster ciphers that can disrupt services. The manual keyboards and key contacts are worn and should be replaced. The stop tablets and contacts also are worn and should be replaced.
4. Painting stairwells and other interior areas of the church
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Reason: There are many pews that have paint chips falling from them and need to be stripped and painted. Similarly, the pew doors and other white surfaces in the church need to be cleaned and repainted. The foyer floors were stripped and varnished when the exterior doors were refurbished, but the walls in the stairwells need to be painted.
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5. Electrical upgrade of church interior
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Reason: Our electrical service in the sanctuary needs to be upgraded to accommodate usage. We need to avoid reduced service and bring it up to code.
6. Repair and repave driveway and parking areas
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Reason: While they are not part of the sanctuary, the driveways and parking areas must be kept safe for all who use the buildings on the property. Last winter’s pot holes were filled in with stones as a stop-gap measure, but more substantial treatment is needed. The driveways and parking areas need to be repaved and relined.
How can you help reach the goals of this historic preservation project?
Learn more about the history of the church.
Learn how you can donate to the SOS Project
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