Steeple Taking Shape

This information was published in the Somers Congregational Church restoration news center on April 24, 2013:

Rev. Dr. Barry Cass

Early Tuesday afternoon Mark Marschall, chair of the Building Committee, came into the church office to officially claim the title of “first to announce you can see the steeple as you drive down route 190 into town.”  There were indeed steel beams standing up above the roof line making it clear where the steeple will be.  There have been many asking if the new Meeting House will be higher and larger than the old – basically the new and old are the same size.  Our eyes are playing tricks on us as we try to gauge how high the old steeple stood in comparison to the steel beams.

Plans are pretty much completed for the Celebration of the Bell Raising on May 1.  We will gather near the Meeting House with the bell on the ground for a brief dedication service after which the bell and its yoke will be hoisted into place by the crane that is on site.  The bell will be bolted into position to be enclosed for protection from the elements.  There will be refreshments in room 206 following the dedication.  The raising of the bell will mark the conclusion of steel erection for the new Meeting House.

The stairs will be delivered with the last of the steel and put in place.  The mason will be on site next week to begin working on the elevator shaft and then to install extra masonry that will hold up the organ.  The mason will also take care of finishing the stairs. 

By the time you read this work will have begun on the metal framing for the walls throughout the Meeting House to prepare them for sheetrock.  The roof sheathing will also be in place in the next couple of weeks.  The windows being installed are custom made, so there will be plastic covering the window openings while the windows are crafted.  Doorframes will also be installed.  With the Meeting House buttoned up and protected from the elements work can continue uninterrupted for the next few months until everything is done.

Prep work has been virtually completed on the west side of the property and oil and propane tanks are in place. 

We are still in the process of coming to a final agreement with the Insurance Company.  Our construction manager has provided all material requested by the insurance adjuster, so we hope things will move ahead very soon.  In the meantime we have begun the Capital Fund Campaign and are inviting friends and neighbors in the community to contribute to the building of our fourth Meeting House. 

One of the ongoing discussions the Building Committee has had is about the location of a “history wall” in our new facility.  We are committed to sharing the story of our church’s past with everyone as we had done with the history wall in the Foundation Room.  The exact location, design and content of a history display will be worked out as we prepare to move into and use our new space.

Please remember, the area inside the construction fence is restricted and trespassing is strictly forbidden.