Junior Warden Rectory Project Update, June 2024
June 20, 2024
One has to be so thankful for the generosity of the St. Matthews!
In 2022 we started the Rectory Renovation project with the capital campaign. Our goal was to raise $450k to do all the necessary work. To date we have received $312k, with some generous 3rd year giving, which has allowed us to complete a prioritized list of items including:
opening the floor to get at the crawelspace; the old primary bath
addressing major structural issues with a failing foundation and lack of crawl space access
correcting water and drainage issues that compounded problems with the failing foundation
removing asbestos from and sealing the crawl space
replacing the floors and renovating the primary bedroom and bathroom (as these had their floors completely removed to provide vertical access down into the foundation area)
renewing the guest bathroom downstairs
repairing cracking walls and ceilings across the entire house due to the failing of the foundation
replacing the upstairs windows as these were no longer capable of being opened and were thus a safety risk
rebuilding the front porch (in process) as it was no longer structurally sound.
final grading following installation of underground drainage around entire north and east sides of rectory
As often happens in renovation projects, we encountered issues along the way that were not on the project list but that required immediate attention including pipe, subfloor, and commode failure in the upstairs bathroom causing more plaster damage.
Thanks to the continued work of Jeff and Kelly Hopper and the team at Hopper Construction to keep costs down, we have been able to complete much more work than was originally thought possible given the $312k budget. This leaves us with a much smaller list of items to be addressed: the much needed exterior painting of the house, shutter replacement, and gutter replacement. It would also be to our advantage to replace the barely functional, single pane downstairs windows before we engage the painters. Once these tasks are completed, along with the possible painting of the shed and fence, St Matthew's will have a FULLY renovated home with no outstanding items to be completed and the outside will be just as beautiful as the inside.
To make all this possible, we are in need of an additional $39,000. The generosity of this parish family is always overwhelming and we are so thankful for each and every one of you, and we are now so close to being able to fully fund and complete this project. Any consideration on your part is greatly appreciated! If you are so moved to help us get over the finish line, please visit the online donation portal by clicking on the pledge/give button on the upper right side of the website homepage where you will be able to specify your donation to the Rectory Fund 2022. You can also drop off a check at the church office with “rectory campaign” in the memo line.
Finally, we are planning our fall workday to occur in late September/early October and are planning a "Tom Sawyer" Saturday at the Rectory. All volunteers will have an opportunity to paint the picket fence! More information will follow.
If you have any questions, please let me know (charlesmccamy@gmail.com).
Thank you,
Charlie McCamy, Junior Warden