AnnualMeetingInformation - St. Andrew's Episcopal Church

Building Team Report

Members of the Building Team this year were Karyn Patno, Meg Powden, Brett Loehr, Rusty Speicher and myself as the vestry liaison. Laurie Speicher joined us in the work of gathering bids from construction firms.

The focus of our work was to re-visit where the building committees and vestries of the past few years had left off; determine priority of renovation projects; gather bids and submit to the vestry with recommendations. We accomplished phase one, two, and part of phase three. Getting three bids for each project from local firms proved frustrating and is still incomplete. We currently have one bid for brick and masonry work, four bids for exterior painting of the entire building, and one bid for the roof insulation project—these three projects being the priorities for renovation and restoration.

Although renovation and restoration are in order, some new circumstances also came our way this year. Through our diocese, we have begun a partnership with the Vermont Preservation Trust (VPT). They came for a site visit, offered suggestions, and then offered us a matching grant for exploration of installing an elevator. Angie Emerson, diocesan Stewardship Minister, offered to work with us on a small capital campaign to fund the elevator project and facilitate our partnership with VPT. With help from Diane Montague and Jean MacDonald, I drafted a case statement and applied for the matching grant. We are now awaiting word to move forward in conjunction with an architect for planning the elevator. Diane and Jean are working with Angie to move forward on the case statement and getting the capital campaign going. Much of the next phase of the building project will stem from this new partnership with VPT.

With facilitation from Angie Emerson, our congregation is again involved in a collaboration with Partners for Sacred Places (Partners). Jean and Diane have been point persons on this so far; the work relates to the building. We hope to develop relationships with the arts communities in and around St. Johnsbury. In so doing, a variety of grant monies will be available to us so we may renovate the building in ways that make it more accessible and available as a venue for art exhibits and performances. This new mission of our congregation seems to be spirit led; a variety of musicians and artists have approached us in the past 18 months, seeking a venue. We are limited due to lack of access and adequate restroom facilities. Our location in town, flexible seating in the sanctuary, and the fine acoustics of the sanctuary space are the main attractions to artists.

We hope our collaboration with VPT and Partners will bring us the skills, knowledge, connections, and finances to develop our building in a way that serves the community and strengthens our mission of being Christ’s hands and heart in this part of the Northeast Kingdom.

Faithfully,

Susan Ohlidal