The four subcommittees charged with making decisions on the wide range of major improvements and upgrades have been working hard since the congregation’s May vote. Improved accessibility (mechanized front doors, wheelchair lifts between different levels and ADA restroom off Parish Hall), as well as space utilization and flexibility (flexible seating and new flooring) were the top plan priorities, with congregational votes on front doors and seating coming in the fall.
Next on the list, within our projected budget, was modernizing the audio and video system in the Sanctuary and Parish Hall to both improve the worship experience and also allow recording and video streaming. The AV team has settled on an experienced contractor to provide extensive upgrades and new features.
Last on the list were the improvements for overall appearance and attractiveness of the Sanctuary and Parish Hall (mechanized room-darkening shades, foldable doors between the two rooms, new ceiling and lighting in the corridor between Sanctuary and Parish Hall and new ceiling in Parish Hall). The top attractiveness priority is to immediately install the mechanized shades and they should be ready before December. However, as was noted in the Annual Meeting, funding for the other attractiveness options is dependent upon overall project budget and final contractor bids and may have to be modified in scale and scope. Despite possible limitations, we are meeting with designers and installers to review all options.
We will be keeping you updated on details of the individual projects and timetable, as we move forward. In the meantime, if you’d like a refresher on the plan, it’s available on the church website.