May, 2006
Construction is on schedule! It's hard to miss all the changes going on outside, as the pictures on the building project home page show. We saw huge changes every week as the basement shell was built. Then the changes made each week were less apparent to the naked eye, but nonetheless the project continues to be on schedule. We are currently waiting for a few dry days to pour the concrete that will form the ceiling of the basement and floor of the main floor. The concrete block enclosure for the elevator has been built, and there are some very impressive-looking steel beams and girders that are beginning to create the skeleton of the main floor. Very soon the framers will arrive to begin putting up the walls and roof structure for the main floor, and then we will see some very rapid changes again. Casey Jones and Dave Beidler are acting as building and site inspectors on our behalf. Each week, they visit the site, don a hardhat, and join the site supervisor for a look around, noting any concerns and following up the next week to see that they've been addressed. You might offer them a "thank you" the next time you see them.Meantime, the construction committee continues to meet every two weeks to deal with lots of issues and questions that inevitably surround a project of this size.
Furthering the kingdom
As exciting as it's been to watch the progress of the project (and exciting in a different sense to try to park and get into the building without getting dirty or run over!), it's even more exciting to contemplate how this concrete and wood structure will be used as part of God's plan for the Upper Valley. Please be praying for God to use each one of us in furthering His kingdom. If you have ideas for ministry or outreach that might be facilitated by our new facility, please contact an elder or pastor with your idea.
Even now, members of the church once a week are providing a lunch for the workers, which in turn provides an opportunity for the church staff to get to know the men who come to the lunch, and vice versa. Please pray for the workers, that those who do not know the Lord might be moved to consider a relationship with him. Please also pray for workplace safety for all the men, including George, our full-time site supervisor, and all the crews that work under his supervision.