Change

Change was in the air Wednesday as Martha, Ben, and Pastor Jane helped lead us through Wednesday’s newspace@chpc event #3 activities. Martha (pictured above right) started us out with a wonderful litany of thanks:

Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain (Psalms 127:1). We give thanks for those features of our building that promote and support our vision:

- For the community garden: for fruit, ripening produce and for the ministry of Garden Camp. Thank you, God!
- For Fellowship Hall and the sense of community it engenders. Thank you, God!
- For the Fireside Room, a place of learning, praying, and meeting. Thank you, God!
- For the Gathering area inside and the plaza outside; for welcoming faces and words. Thank you, God!
- For signage inside, pointing the way and inviting us in. Thank you, God!
- For the organ, and the music that enhances our worship. Thank you, God!
- For the ministry of our preschool to children and families. Thank you, God!
- For “spruce ups”: for fresh paint and bright fabrics; new lights and round tables. Thank you, God!
- For opportunities to envision potential new uses for the Scout Hut. Thank you, God!
- For the Youth room photo array, and what it conveys about our vibrant youth ministry. Thank you, God!
- For these old buildings, whose walls have served our community of faith well for over one hundred years; for all these buildings have been and are and will be. Thank you, God! Amen.

Ben guided our discussion as participants added the following to the list of features of the building, property, and facilities that we want changed:

- Asphalt issues
- Composting
- Getting the organ console out of choir loft
- Greening the buildings [a late addition]
- Lack of a ping pong table
- Maintenance and protection of stained glass windows
- Need a means of entering the [church office/church school] building [from the back] without disrupting the classes
- Not enough seating for some events (in the Fellowship Hall)
- Range hood [in the Fellowship Hall kitchen] needed to meet fire codes
- Range pilot light [in the Fellowship Hall kitchen]
- “Staging area” (protected) – to get into Fellowship Hall
- Termite damage
- Water damage affecting steps

After small-group discussions (including one in Spanish!) and a report back with some collective discussion, each participant placed a total of three dots on one, two, or three problem areas that she or he thought was most important to confront (and perhaps also most urgent and most do-able to change). Topping the “voting” were:

- Acoustics (Fellowship Hall) (13 dots)
- Greening the buildings (13 dots)
- Accessibility (in general) (11 dots)
- Lack of cover or connectivity (between the sanctuary/church office and Fellowship Hall) (6 dots)
- Lack of showers for overnight guests (6 dots)
- Scout Hut (re-tool) (4 dots)
- Termite damage (4 dots)
- Water damage affecting the steps (3 dots)
- Outside signage (2 dots)
- Outside signage (for the parking lots and playground in particular) (2 dots)
- Stairs without railings (2 dots)
- Disheveled or dirty basement back rooms (1 dot)
- Disheveled or dirty sanctuary (1 dot)
- Disheveled or dirty sanctuary (pew racks – too crowded) (1 dot)
- Lack of cover or connectivity (for front door to church office area) (1 dot)
- Scout Hut (tear down/move away) (1 dot)
- Stairs to Pastor Jane’s office (1 dot)
- Maintenance or protection of stained glass windows (1 dot)
- Need a means of entering the [church office/church school] building without disrupting classes
- Range pilot lights [in the Fellowship Hall kitchen] (1 dot)

Architect Kevin Milner (pictured above left) – fresh from a tour of the property with Pastor Jane - joined us as a special guest (and participated!). The newspace@chpc planning committee hopes to check in with him shortly (thanks for being there, Kevin!).
-- Perry

Event #3 this Wednesday

We will gather in the Fellowship Hall at 7:00 p.m. this Wednesday (January 21) to reflect on features of our church buildings, property, and facilities that get in the way of what we want our church to be. Recall that church vision statement, fleshed out at our first newspace@chpc gathering this summer:

This is our vision of the church we believe we are called to become:

As partners with Christ, we are an open, growing, faith-filled community, developing authentic relationships and cultivating a passion for justice and mission.

In order to move toward this vision, we commit to strengthening these aspects of our life together:

- Growth in faith and learning.
- Vibrant worship and prayer.
- Ministry with children and youth.
- Practicing hospitality.
- Doing justice.
- Partnering in mission.
- Responsible stewardship.
- Embracing diversity.
- Embodying a community of care.

This past October a group of Crescent Hill folks identified a dozen or so features of the building that help promote this vision and a dozen or so features that get in the way. Lists of these features are posted in earlier blog entries (see especially "October 29 feedback recoded") .

Wednesday we will reflect—together and individually—on which of the problems with our building the second newspace@chpc gathering identified along with any we add Wednesday (see "Instructions for the October 29 event") are most important for us to confront.

What possible changes to the property would most help us better promote our vision—and God’s vision—for Crescent Hill church? Join us for fruit, cookies, conversation, and a little activity as we share our responses to this question. See you Wednesday at 7. In the mean time: Happy Inauguration Day!

P.S. We hope Crescent Hill folks of all ages—from elementary school-aged children through older adults—will continue to be able to participate. The nursery will be staffed, primarily for infants and toddlers.

October 29 feedback recoded

Features of Crescent Hill church’s facilities/property/ buildings that promote and support our vision:

- Community garden
- Fellowship Hall
- Fireside Room
- Gathering area – inside and plaza
- Inside signage
- Old buildings – have served the church well
- Organ
- Preschool
- Recent sprucing up
- Scout Hut – opportunities for other uses
- Youth room photo array

Features of Crescent Hill church’s facilities/property/buildings that get in the way of our vision:

- Acoustics – Fellowship Hall
- Acoustics – Fireside Room
- Acoustics – Youth Room
- Disheveled or dirty – balcony
- Disheveled or dirty – basement back rooms
- Disheveled or dirty – sanctuary
- Disheveled or dirty – sanctuary (pew racks – too crowded)
- Driveway curb cut (into the parking lot)
- Fellowship Hall – old chairs
- Gathering area – too crowded
- Kitchen – no dishwasher
- Kitchen – no garbage disposal
- Lack of cover or connectivity - for front door to church office area
- Lack of cover or connectivity – between the sanctuary/church office area and Fellowship Hall
- Lack of cover or connectivity – between the sanctuary/church office area and Fellowship Hall (low overhang for the cover we do have)
- Lack of showers for overnight guests
- Landscape maintenance – need more maintenance-free plants and landscape
- Landscape maintenance – need better maintenance of the prayer garden
- Outside signage
- Outside signage – for the parking lot and playground in particular
- Scout Hut - re-tool
- Scout Hut - tear down/move away
- Stairs – everywhere (and almost no ramps)
- Stairs – to Pastor Jane’s office
- Stairs – too tall (to church balcony)
- Stairs – without railings
- Accessibility – in general
- Storage space – not enough
- Storage space – too spread out (over the property)
- Storage space – wasted
- Stranded – church office area bulletin board
- Stranded – Fellowship Hall building hall library

-- Perry

A proposal from Stephen

Perhaps this is a ripe moment to put an idea or informal proposal forward. Sustainable Agriculture of Louisville (SAL) is in the process of incorporating as a 501c3 Non-governmental organization (our application is on file with the IRS), in order to expand our mission and develop a training program for aspiring farmers (to lead more people into agricultural production work). At some point, probably within a year or year and a half, SAL will want to establish a locale for itself, for files, tables and some chairs for students (nice chairs are being stored there now), etc... One idea: for SAL to use a modestly refurbished Scout Hut, put up good shutters on the now nailed in window frames, possibly add a wood burning stove so we could use in the winter, have a dried grain storage area, seed storage area, tool area, etc... With window shutters on sticks that could be propped up, we could get enough light to use in daylight during most of the year (even without a heating unit). No need for screens, for example, as we will truly be a rural style operation, rustic to the core.

SAL would be a low-maintenance presence, not requiring indoor plumbing or running water. Once we get settled, SAL would keep up the building and repair any leaks, etc...

One concern: there appears to be some leaks right now in the Scout Hut roof, damage which will only increase if not attended to.

Proposal: CHPC and perhaps with SAL volunteers arrange to repair roof leaks and make windows openable (SAL has some handy volunteers who could help), and SAL could then occupy the space starting sometime April through late June 2009, and pay a modest quarterly fee for its use. ($50- $75 per quarter?). SAL gives the building a good paint job and a sign over the door identifying it as the SAL headquarters. We could undertake some of the activities of the gardening camps from the SAL headquarters...so have less stuff lying around in Fellowship Hall, and plant a couple more fruit trees on the lawn behind the hut...

We could do a beautiful paint job by engaging a local artist or artists to paint the outside walls and make the building blend in better with the surroundings than the rough white paint job.

Consider this a brainstorm proposal. No response is needed at present. SAL could also delay in occupying this if necessary until 2010, when we hope for our expanded program to start in earnest.

-- Stephen

Response from Pastor Jane

I love how this touched you Anita. Hopefully others also were so inspired. Even so it has helped draw more people into the decision making and into the sense of the building as part of who we are and how we do and can be in ministry. I too thought it was a good event for all that.

-- Jane

Follow-up comments from Anita

My main thought since then about the tour and discussion is that I was faced with the actual age of our church. Having Alan in our group was helpful, as he remembered when we added different parts of the buildings and he pointed out the effects, the improvements, and the current needs. I've been compelled with the thought that our church has served us so very well over a very long time.

Somehow this tour made me want to return the favors to it--to do more major renovation to parts of it to match our enthusiastic mission together. I cannot say that I have felt quite this way until the tour. I have been in favor of correcting the accessibility, but this is a different kind of enthusiasm than I have had. It's more of a matter of grace or perhaps more practically described as "pay-back time" for us to bestow upon our plant that has served us so long and so well.

I don't mean that we'd have to do remodeling but rather that I feel gratitude for what the building has been providing for many generations and that it still does for us, to the extent that I'm aware that I'd like to see us invest more to provide for our current missions, and with an eye for the generations to come who will continue to receive as we do. The building is like an old saint who needs us more as it grows older but asks for so little in the face of the hard work it continually provides by its faithful presence.

-- Anita

Whole group report back/discussion

Promotes/supports vision:
- Curved pew arrangement – welcoming; not regimented – wheelchair spaces in front and back [of sanctuary]
- Entry way – [outside] plaza and [interior] gathering area – draws people in and keeps them visiting after
- Sanctuary – promotes worship and music
- Fellowship hall – accessible, good colors – most gatherings held here
- Community garden – learning, ministry, hospitality, reaching out to the community
- Lots of coffee pots
- Recent signage and new, fresh colors all around [with interior re-design]
- Antiquated building – but we use what we have really well [Army pants metaphor]
- Jane’s office in the basement [?]
- Prayer garden – peaceful and beautiful place for people to useDay school - supports our passion for mission

Gets in the way:
- Bad acoustics in the Fellowship Hall
- Lack of connectivity of all levels in all buildings – trouble for many people – i.e., stairs
- “Hell hut” [Scout hut] must be gone” – doesn’t fit with our vision at all
- Stairs everywhere!
- A lot of stairs we have don’t have railings
- Things are low – Marian [McClure] ducks a lot (old issue with the architect)
- A lot of space – not very well used – closets, storage space, etc. – i.e., rooms off hallway down to bilingual class [old high school Sunday school classroom] [though Alan later says many of these odd storage space rooms don’t easily lend themselves to other uses]
- Jane’s office in the basement [different views about this]
- Hard to get to the main office
- No roof over the door by the office
- Lack of dishwasher/disposal in the kitchen
- Lack of outside signage [Bill Gilliss and Pastor Jane say some of this is already on order]
- Lot of storage – very spread outIn general: accessibility and sound

-- Elaine

Exploring nooks and crannies with group 6

October 29 event pictures

Group 6 notes

· Narthex – Evangelism additions – welcome
· Doug Yeager montage [from the retreat] – attractive
· Balcony may need tidying
· Banner storage closet [off the balcony] – “a revelation”
· Some banners need recycling/refurbishing
· Tall steps – to balcony
· Why pew in coat closet?
· Curved pew arrangement – wonderful
· Hymnal racks – not sufficient for all materials
· Bulletin Board in back [2nd floor] hallway – not often viewed
· Good signage in basement rooms
· Senior high place – much improved – now bilingual Sunday school classroom
· Good yellow paint
· Back closet area [off of the nursery] – could have other use
· Marian [McClure] – uncomfortable with gauntlet due to proximity to her head [especially in outdoor hallway between the main church building and Fellowship Hall] – wants a transformation
· Chapel/youth room – wonderful photo (glossy) display – Curtains [formerly in Fireside Room] – work here
· [Education building] Hall library – underused
· Old chairs [in Fellowship Hall] – need to “go away” (Janine)
· Fellowship Hall acoustics – not great – need more absorbent material – [also] acoustic tiles
· Scout Hut – agricultural training; ceramic studio with kiln; leaks in roof?
· Garden – “friendly”

-- Stephen

Group 5 notes

Promotes:
· Entry way – hospitable
· Up bath for kids [?]
· Storage and [?} classroom

Gets in the way:
· Need office directional – i.e., child care
· Hospitality area (Fellowship Hall) – not [?} connected
· Small refrigerator [?] for Gathering Room – hospitality – longer counter space
· Lack of ramp – accessibility for chancel [?]
· Need showers – installed – to support traveling workers, youth groups
· Back of this building [apparently main church building] – no wheelchair access ramp
· Bulletin Board – mis-placed
· Lack of accessibility to lower level [of main church building]
· Storage room – ceiling – [?] . . . Difficult to hear in Fireside Room

-- Sally

Group 4 notes

· [Area 4 – on the side of the church] - Accessibility is limited – Big Tree needs to [?] – outside ramp
· [Plaza] - Light – not working; hinders accessibility
· Light – on front steps – out
· Loading [?] – out front and church does not look accessible
· No signs
· Plaza – greenway [?] with light – could be dangerous
· Chancel area [?] – does not suggest accessibility
· General repair (pews, hymn racks)
· Like the old familiar and new furniture in the chancel [?]
· Lack of access to rooms behind the sanctuary
· Lots of wasted space
· Cannot got to [?]
· [Downstairs in the main building] - Accessibility and lack of upkeep
· [Youth room] – Acoustics

-- Ben

Group 3 notes

· “Hell hut – must be gone” – Supply hut – mower barn- awful; necessary; needs attention
· Driveway – needs to be fixed
· Meditation garden – keep it; maintain it
· Back steps – work on it – would be nice to connect the buildings
· Plaza – we like it – hard to picture the church without it
· Narthex – “Gathering Place” – crowded in cool weather
· Choir loft- sound system needs to be less prominent – Good organ
· Sanctuary – like [the] colors – restful; peeling ceiling [in two places] – though new
· Steps – to back hall [?] – require caution
· Church office – Good location for Patti – Jane’s is trouble
· Need a roof over the door [into the church office area]
· Need signage to improve people’s ability to find it [the church office]
· These back rooms [in the main building] need to be reconfigured to make them more usable (not in the budget)
· Patti: We like that we can open windows; great built-in cabinets
· Preschool room – hallway space for access to back? lift to improve access
· Choir Room – would be good nursery (connection to bathroom) [?????]
· Bathroom [still in main building] – keep it for kids
· Basement: Jane’s office- bad scene in the basement – hard to get here – inaccessible
· Nursery – closet – peeling paint, etc.
· Covered walkway – hate everything except when it is raining
· Fireside Room – like it but gets crowded when used – Like the new cleanup [??]
· No shower in back building
· Youth Room – level the floor and it would be more useful
· Piano (in Fellowship Hall) – not bad
· Stage – toy storage – “Closet” [??]
· Fellowship Room – like the décor
· The Upper Room – light out – interesting perspective; good closet; fun paint

Post-tour conversation – Obstacles to our vision:
· Accessibility is a justice issue
· Lots of wasted space (so many closets)
· Stairs everywhere
· Lack of dishwasher
· No signs for parking lot or playground

-- Molly

Group 2 notes

· Community garden – need walkway (not just mulch) [for accessibility]
· Garden – [satisfies] 8 out of 9 aspects [on vision statement list]
· [Need] Roof over [outside door to church office area]
· Wheelchair left at stairs by the choir room to upper office floor
· Connecting the levels in the main building
· Move organ console down to piano area
· Water problems – in Sunday school room/Jane’s office

-- Beth

Group 1 notes

Encourages:
· Community garden – fits 8 of 9 vision statements
· Fellowship hall – accessible, accommodates large groups, bad acoustics
· Lots of coffee pots, welcoming colors, and youth space
· Great signage additions

Gets in the way:
· Bad acoustics in the Fellowship Hall
· Lots of junk/not enough storage
· Lack of dishwasher and garbage disposal
· Lack of maintenance-free landscape – most of what we have requires lots of high-effort maintenance
· Furnace room stairwell – danger to kids
· Rough curb at driveway entrance
· Hard to find – lack of [exterior] signage – hard to find playground
· Lighting issue at plaza

- No real space for [before-] service visiting

-- Elaine

10/29 event secret passageways contest: Where are the pictured spaces?

Instructions for the October 29 event

Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church vision statement:

This is our vision of the church we believe we are called to become:

As partners with Christ, we are an open, growing, faith-filled community, developing authentic relationships and cultivating a passion for justice and mission.

In order to move toward this vision, we commit to strengthening these aspects of our life together:

Growth in faith and learning.
Vibrant worship and prayer.
Ministry with children and youth.
Practicing hospitality.
Doing justice.
Partnering in mission.
Responsible stewardship.
Embracing diversity.
Embodying a community of care.

Questions for groups:

1. How does our space support who we say we are and what’s important to us?
2. How and where does our space not support but get in the way of that or expresses things we don’t want to express?