Somers Congregational Church Bell Delivery Delayed, 50% of Steel in Place

This information was published in the Somers Congregational Church restoration news center on April 3, 2013:

Rev. Dr. Barry Cass

Anyone who has driven by the church has surely noticed that there has been a lot going on.  We still have about 50% of the steel in place, with more to come this week.  Yesterday there were trusses being assembled to be lifted into place as soon as the crane is back on site.  The decking has been going into place to be ready for the concrete at a future date.  The steel installation and the concrete pouring have to be coordinated to avoid problems. 

Avery Construction has been busy on the west side of the site getting everything ready for the water, drainage and electrical installations.  The pad is in place for the transformer which will be installed in the very near future.  A large “tamper” has been used to get all the soil on the west side settled as work is completed and each time it used the office and Bugbee wings feel the tremor, reminding us that progress is being made.

We had word from the Verdin Company that they encountered a problem when they cast the yoke which will hold the bell and so have had to recast the yoke.  This has set the bell delivery back about a week and it is now expected to arrive during the week of April 22.  The Artifacts Committee is working on a Dedication service which will be held before the bell is raised into the steeple.  We will announce the time and date of the dedication here and on our web site (www.somerscongregational.org) and Facebook page as soon as we know when it will be.  Everyone is invited to watch this historic event.  The bell will be installed in the yoke and the yoke and bell will be lifted onto a permanent platform in the steeple.  Because the steeple will not be finished at that time, the bell and yoke will be encased in a protective box safe from the elements. 

Continuing to describe areas of the new Meeting House, we turn our attention to the second floor area between the sanctuary and the office wing.  This is where Pilgrim Hall was in the former building.  The space will now be divided into two rooms.  On the west side of the building, facing the bank and overlooking the lawn and Memorial Garden, there will be a new Pilgrim Hall.  It will be furnished with the same kind of living room furniture the previous Pilgrim Hall had and will provide a quiet space for some meetings, and small receptions.  This will also be the space where a family might gather before a funeral or a groom wait before a wedding.  Between Pilgrim Hall and the hallway leading from the elevator to the sanctuary there will be a meeting room which will have a round table and chairs making it a good place for a Board or Committee to meet or to hold a small adult class.  This separate meeting room will serve a purpose similar to that of the dining room furniture in the previous Pilgrim Hall.  Also similar to the old building, there will be windows between the meeting room and the hallway.  The hallway will be spacious and flow directly from the second floor lobby to the sanctuary, with no ante-room.  There will be a short hallway between Pilgrim hall and the main hallway with access to the Care Center.

We should have the crane back on site this week to install the rest of the steel.  Following that, the crews will arrive to do sheathing and roofing.  Within the next few weeks the outside of our new Meeting House will be clearly in view from all over town.