Building Update

It seems to be all about the water.  We have been working toward resolution of the problems in church.  The troubles are coming under three broad headings for repair.  And all of them have to do with water. 

The first is the water that resulted from the frozen pipe in the Narthex.  The trouble there is that the pipe froze in a place where we did not see it.  This trouble was magnified by the fact that wherever that water was running off to, it was not visible to us.  But that is what caused the chill in the sanctuary, caused the flooding in the Narthex, the lifting of paint by humidity, the loss of heat from the other zones of the system.  At this point, to fix it is going to require that the carpet be taken up in the Narthex and the floor opened up to the pipes beneath.

The second is the water that leaked in through the roof.  Tarps were put down on the roof in an attempt to stem the flow until this past spring, when it was hoped we could begin repairs.  The weather turned out to be too much.  The trouble was that mold developed in the areas between roof and ceiling, causing the vast mitigation efforts that continue, and our move to Westminster Hall for worship.

The third is the water that washed up over the floor in the Auditorium.  That traces back to the drain being blocked in the alley between the Auditorium and the Scout Room.  What confused us is how water travels.  The drain is between the buildings, the water found its course to enter in on the far side of the Auditorium.  It made us believe that there might be issues with the foundation on the Market Street side of the building. 

All these came together in a storm last winter.  These are the broad strokes of what is going on, to my understanding.  There is a reason we have a public adjuster to help us with this entire process.  I spoke with a representative for the insurance company last week, so now we wait for the next decisions to be made.  May God bless us as we continue down our path of restoration.

And remember, we are the First Presbyterian Church of Perth Amboy.  We offer our hearts eagerly and sincerely to the Lord.  We are here to be with you, with our neighbor, through all.  This is who we are as a neighborhood in the Kingdom of God.

Peace,

Pastor Peter