Trustees are charged with stewardship of the nuts and bolts (sometimes literally) of the Church. It is perhaps not a charge as exhilarating as, say, a mission trip overseas, but is an essential part of ministry and ensures that we have a suitable place to worship, study, and do good works. For example, a couple weeks ago a 100-gallon water heater went out (original to the building and 18 years old – we got our money out of it), with a replacement cost of about $9,000 (was replaced March 28). Not a terribly exciting development, but with its replacement, youth groups that sometimes stay the night on their way to mission trips can now take a hot shower before they go to serve; with the hot water, our kitchen is health code compliant to provide meals for fellowship times or food for the preschoolers; with the hot water, custodial staff can effectively clean and keep areas safe and sanitary; while coffee is not necessarily made directly with hot tap water, it can help brew coffee faster – a very good thing for some congregants such as myself. All kidding aside, those who tirelessly devote their time to ensuring the facilities at Calvary are up and running are doing a fantastic job, especially our Director of Building and Grounds Larry Gamblin, and we are very grateful for their service.
Some recent developments you may or may not have noticed or heard about:
Much of the carpet throughout the building, until recently, was original from when the building was constructed. After nearly two decades, it was starting to wear beyond what could be remedied by cleaning and some areas were starting to buckle/wear holes (unsafe!), and so much of it has been replaced - most notably in the nave of the worship center (where we all sit during services). Classrooms, hallways, and offices have received new carpeting, and soon the atrium / main foyer will as well, as well as the sanctuary (stage up front).
In the summer months when the air conditioning is running the most (June/July), the monthly electric bill at Calvary can sometimes run more than $6,000! Hence our excitement to have approved LED light upgrades to all interior and exterior light fixtures. Not only will they reduce our monthly electric bill and are easier to maintain, but after about 3 1/2 years, they will have paid for themselves in energy savings. Most of the exterior lights have already been upgraded to LED, as well as some interior spaces, and by the time you read this, nearly all the classroom lights will be upgraded as well.
As with any large facility, the health, safety, and security of those who come and go are of great concern. While we are a church and do not want to discourage people from coming and going from the House of the Lord at any time of day, we historically have not had a fast, efficient means of securing the building in an emergency. As a result, resources have been dedicated to installing automatic door locks at the main entrance and at the south/east entrance (next to the Hub, the closest double doors to the gym). The new system will be able to be locked at the push of a button by select staff, enabling the building to be secured very quickly if need be. While most of the work that has been done is invisible (new wires and cables ran from the main office to the two door locations), parts for the installation of the door components have been ordered and we are waiting on a date of installation.
Through the hard work of the facilities staff and guidance from the trustees, Calvary continues to be a safe, comfortable, and beautiful place to serve the Lord and one another.