NOTE: FPC building closed starting 7/14! (boiler replacement)

A Note from Dr. Sommers regarding Boiler Replacement: June 2014

As you have perhaps heard, the church’s aging and inefficient boilers (yes, that’s plural) will be replaced this summer. Though these boilers have served us well over the decades, they have reached the end of their useful life, and the Session has approved replacing them with new, highly efficient ones. The boiler replacement project has several components:

1. Removal of old boilers, which includes asbestos-abatement.
2. Installation of new boilers.
3. Installation of control system which allows for greater flexibility in controlling various parts of the building.

The estimated cost of the boiler replacement project is approximately $250,000. The Session applied to the Presbytery of Newark through its Board of Trustees for a combination grant/loan of $250,000, which was approved by the Presbytery at their last meeting. Regarding the grant/loan, 50% ($125,000) of the total is in the form of a grant, with the remaining 50% ($125,000) being a loan payable over a 5 year period and carrying a 4% interest rate. It is estimated and hoped that the savings we will realize on an annual basis by having a much more efficient heating system will satisfy the demands of the loan.

The work will commence on Monday, July 14^th. The first component to be accomplished is the removal of the old boilers. As this removal includes asbestos-abatement, the church building will be closed for the duration of the abatement, estimated to be 2-3 weeks.

I repeat, beginning Monday, July 14^th, the entire church building will be closed for the duration of the removal of the old boilers, estimated to be 2-3 weeks.

During this time, the church phone will continue to be answered (though you may get voicemail more often than usual), the mail will continue to be received and read, and bills will continue to be paid. Additionally, we will continue to worship on Sundays, only it won’t be here in our sanctuary! The First Presbyterian Church of Verona has graciously accepted our request to worship with them on the Sundays of July 20^th and 27^th. Please note that on these Sundays there will only be one service of worship at Verona, and it begins at 9:30am. I will be preaching on July 20^th, and Don will preach on July 27^th. The address of FPC-Verona is 10 Fairview Avenue in Verona, and they even have a parking lot!

I repeat, on the Sundays of July 20^th and 27^th, we will worship at the First Presbyterian Church of Verona. There will only be one Sunday service on those Sundays, and it will begin at 9:30am.

The Buildings and Grounds Committee of Session has been hard at work over the past several years in bringing this project to fruition, and we owe them a large debt of gratitude. Thank you in advance for your patience, and please let us know if you have any questions.