More progress on the church building

While we’re waiting for the rest of the roofing materials to be manufactured and delivered, other jobs are being worked on.

(Speaking of the roof . . . don’t forget that we have a deadline on our matching gift that will help us finish the roof and more. If you give before the end of July 2014, the amount will be doubled — up to $25,000 USD! More info here.)

Working on the new sidewalk.

Working on the new sidewalk.

New sidewalk on the north side of the church.

New sidewalk on the north side of the church.

Added support for the tower.

Added support for the tower.

The lake side of the church is growing, too.

The lake side of the church is growing, too.

Continuing to build walls on the lake side.

Continuing to build walls on the lake side.

A wonderful opportunity.

From Pastor Ross Arnold:

I reported to the church some weeks ago that gifts for the new building were sufficient to complete the most costly and challenging part of our church building project – installation of the roof over the sanctuary.

Unfortunately, this has proven not to be the case.  Costs to get the walls ready to receive the new roof have been far higher than expected.  This means we are now running at least $15,000 USD short of the funds needed to complete the roof.

The elders of our Session – the senior leaders in our church – have approved taking money from our contingency reserve as needed to pay construction costs – up to a point.  But with regular expenses to take care of, you can understand our reluctance to do so right now.

There is some very good news in the midst of this need!

One very generous couple in our church has offered to give up to $25,000 USD to finish the roof of the new church and to meet other expenses, if necessary.  Understandably, however, they want to encourage others in our congregation and community to also give.  For that reason, instead of an outright gift, they are offering to MATCH all gifts that come in for our new church building over the next two months, up to $25,000.

This means every $50 gift given now for the new church will be matched and will become $100; every $100 gift will become $200. 

This is a wonderful opportunity for us to push forward on our new church, and to ensure all our other needs are met – because it will mean no funds will need to be redirected from our church contingency fund to pay commitments we have made related to the new church roof.

We hope you will take advantage of this special opportunity and give generously now. Just click this Donate button to get started:

When you click, you’ll be taken to a secure site hosted by PayPal.com. You can use your credit card, debit card or checking account to donate in US dollars, Canadian dollars, Mexican pesos or any other currency.

When PayPal asks you to “Please review your donation,” under the name Presbyterian Lakeside Ministry, click “Add special instructions to the seller” and tell us this gift is for the Building Matching Fund.

Remember, every gift you give before the end of July will be doubled! 

If you give by check or in an offering envelope at church, please make sure you note that your gift is for the new church building so it will be clear which gifts are eligible for the match.

God has done and continues to do great things – miraculous things – in and through our church, and I believe our greatest days are still ahead.  But challenges will arise, and God expects us to step up and meet those challenges.  This is our opportunity to do just that.  Please give generously.

Crossbeams added to our new roof.

The work on the roof continues this week. We were hoping to beat the rainy season — but the rains have come early. No matter. We’re still making a lot of progress. And the area needs the extra rain!

At the entrance.

At the entrance.

This week new crossbeams were added to the roof.

This week new crossbeams were added to the roof.

From the corner of the sanctuary toward the main door.

From the corner of the sanctuary toward the main door.

Many crossbeams.

Many crossbeams.

Love this beautiful colonnade . . . adding more wall above.

Love this beautiful colonnade . . . adding more wall above.

It will have a very different look once the roof is done!

It will have a very different look once the roof is done!

Raising the roof.

The roof beams are already in place! That was fast. Here are a couple pictures from last week and yesterday.

The big roof beams arrived last week.

The big roof beams arrived last week.

Area for the pump-out tank.

Area for the pump-out tank.

Steel beams in place. Wish we'd been there while the crane was there -- but it went very fast!

Steel beams in place. Wish we’d been there while the crane was there — but it went very fast!

It's a roof! (Or at least the beginning of a roof.)

It’s a roof! (Or at least the beginning of a roof.)

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Second floor roof is started.

Second floor roof is started.

Sanctuary.

Sanctuary.

Covered the holding tank this week.

Covered the holding tank this week.

Our faithful watchman.

Our faithful watchman.

More digging at the church building site

While we’re waiting for the roofing material to arrive, lots of progress is being made on the south side of the building: digging out for plumbing and sewage. Exciting!

Someone seems to have donated some art to our building project.

Someone seems to have donated some art to our building project.

The outside wall is finally filled in, now that truckloads of dirt and bricks don't need to come inside from that direction.

The north outside wall is finally filled in, now that truckloads of dirt and bricks don’t need to come inside from that direction.

The filled in wall, from the inside.

The filled in wall, from the inside.

The aljibe -- or cistern, I guess we'd say in English -- in the top middle of the photo. New excavation in front.

The aljibe — or cistern, I guess we’d say in English — in the top middle of the photo. New excavation in front.

Trenches on the south side of the lot.

Trenches on the south side of the lot.

Yes, that's deep.

Yes, that’s deep.

From the southeast corner.

From the southeast corner.

The second floor of our new church

It’s been a long while since we posted pictures. The construction is coming along quickly. You’ll see the columns in the narthex — plus, there’s now a second floor! This enormous room will be used to help train women in the community who need work skills.

From the front door, looking through to the sanctuary.

From the front door, looking through to the sanctuary.

New columns. (This picture faces the small kitchen off the narthex. The sanctuary is to the left.)

New columns. (This picture faces the small kitchen off the narthex. The sanctuary is to the left.)

Yes, that's the second floor up there! Note the large steel beam.

Yes, that’s the second floor up there! Note the large steel beam.

Stairs!

Stairs!

The "great hall."

The “great hall.”

Windows. And a door to nowhere, right now.

Windows. And a door to nowhere, right now.

There's still a little more floor to put in up here.

There’s still a little more floor to put in up here.

More brick outside, ready to come in.

More brick outside, ready to come in.

One man's ceiling is another man's floor.

One man’s ceiling is another man’s floor.

The elevator shaft.

The elevator shaft.

The enormous water tank. (It doesn't look as big in the picture as it actually is.)

The enormous water tank. (It doesn’t look as big in the picture as it actually is.)

The view from below.

The view from below.

More new church building pictures

The goal is to get everything ready so the roof can go up in the month of April or May — before the rainy season. Here are some quick pictures taken today.

Future home of Lakeside Presbyterian Church. The main entrance is starting to look like a real entrance!

Future home of Lakeside Presbyterian Church. The main entrance is starting to look like a real entrance!

The north entrance and two accessible washrooms and a small kitchen off the narthex.

The north entrance and two accessible washrooms and a small kitchen off the narthex.

Narthex again.

Narthex again.

Looking from the sanctuary toward the narthex and offices.

Looking from the sanctuary toward the narthex and offices.

Walls.

Walls.

Boveda ceilings are starting to take shape.

Boveda ceilings are starting to take shape.

Ceiling, walls and window for the senior pastor's office.

Ceiling, walls and window for the senior pastor’s office.

Hallway between offices, looking toward what will be the courtyard.

Hallway between offices, looking toward what will be the courtyard.

Pretty boveda ceilings in the hallway.

Pretty boveda ceilings in the hallway.

From the courtyard looking at the current west wall (grey) and south wall (right).

From the courtyard looking at the current west wall (grey) and south wall (right).