10-19-09

I think the best way to summarize the work done by RIDGE on the exterior of the church building and grounds is to list by priority the items assigned to RIDGE and then note the progress on each item. Today we will look at the roof.

The Roof: due to damage from Hurricane Ike and delays in getting the roof fixed because contractors would not respond with estimates and due to delays from just dealing with life and how Ike impacted us all, it is essential that the roof get repaired quickly. A roofing contractor has completed minor repairs to the existing shingles so that the majority of the rainwater that may fall before the roof is replaced will be kept out of the building. (If anyone spots water dripping into the sanctuary, be sure and let Randy Talbert know about that so additional areas can be patched.)

In the meantime, the Administrative Board has approved a contract with the same roofer, Ernie Smith and Sons of Santa Fe, Texas, to install a Decra Villa Tile Roof. The contract for the new roof is $23,960. This description from the DECRA site might also be helpful:

DECRA Tile is pressure formed aluminum-zinc alloy coated steel with an acrylic bonded stone chip finish. The stone coating resists fading and UV penetration.

The roof will look like a terra cotta colored clay tile roof that is common on Spanish Mission architecture, such as the GBC sanctuary. The original blue prints of the building seem to indicate graphically that a clay tile roof was the architect’s choice (see attached photo of the original blueprints). However, it is not currently known whether that type of roof was ever installed. Go to the following web page on the company’s web site to see the type roof material that has been selected. Scroll down to see the color samples. The Capri Clay sample shows the shape, color and texture of the material that is planned to go on the roof. A sample is available at the church. Just let me know you want to see it.

http://www.decra.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=124&Itemid=277

Following are the reasons that RIDGE selected this roof over a less expensive composition shingle roof, which is what is on the church now:

- The roof has a longer guaranty than a composition shingle roof.

- The roof is designed to be attractive for much longer. The aluminum-zinc alloy has proven to be a long-lasting roof material in many coastal applications.

- The material fits with the architecture of the building. As mentioned in the previous post, improving the building’s appearance will hopefully be viewed in a positive light by the historically minded in the community and will be seen as an active part of our restoration of our little part of the city.

- The material is very fire resistant. During each of the last two hurricanes, fires burned 2 structures to the ground that were directly across from GBC. And wind driven sparks from the fires during Hurricane Ike ignited and severely damaged wood structures two and half blocks away.

- The design of the material is inherently strong. The dome shapes of the tile look provide strength without adding the weight that a real clay tile roof would.

- The roof seals much better and stays sealed longer against rainwater intrusion.

Since the roofs on the rest of the building do not need to be replaced yet, a decision on how to approach the other roofs has not been made but will be part of the exterior design process and will include consideration of any changes to the other wing that may be result as part of the interior design decision process. A roof of the same material would help unify the appearance of the building but because the Sunday School and Fellowship Hall wing were added in the 1960’s it would also make sense to keep the two sections separate architecturally. A common color but a different roofing material on the other roof is one possibility. And of course the cost of each option will be a major consideration. I share this so you can see the many issues that RIDGE faces with each decision about exterior repairs and improvements.

Because GBC is within the East End Historical District, the new roof will have to be approved by the City of Galveston Landmark Commission and this decision will be considered by that commission on November 2 at 4 p.m. in the City Council Chambers. This is required because a change in materials on a historic structure must go before the Landmark Commission. The process to apply for the change in materials was fairly simple (especially on paper) but required a little “red tape”, but not really more than was expected.

Next time we will talk about some other important steps in improving the exterior of 424 19^th Street.

A lot has happened since Clay set this up in July. I say a lot has been done but none of it shows up when you drive by or walk up to the church building at 424 19th Street. But when I look at how far we had to go when the work was started, a huge amount of work and some important decisions have been made and I will explain some of that in due time.

Everything I want to say will not get written down tonight so I will just sum up the first steps that were accomplished early on. The Support Team set up the Repair and Improvement Design Group-Exterior, or RIDGE, our beloved acronym developed by Jon Charon. This group was set up after a request to the Administrative Board to begin the process of making the building exterior and grounds look better and function better as well as to care for needs like re-roofing (thanks to Ike) and repainting (thanks to numerous hurricanes, sun exposure, age, etc. RIDGE was created as a separate entity from the Support Team so that all the work and decision making to not have to fall to the Support Team, which has numerous other responsibilities for care of the building and grounds. RIDGE is to make recommendations to the Support Team for design changes and for the expenditure of funds for certain items. The Support Team then makes recommendations to the Administrative Board for expenditures.

Members of RIDGE are (alphabetically): C.D. and Marie Broussard, Bob Duke, Jon Charon, Johnny Gutierrez, Jan Kent, Carol Ross, Randy Talbert and Liz Wilson. Each member has brought either ideas, brochures, color samples, lists of plants, sketches, etc. that have become a part of a process that has involved prayer, discussion, compromise, giving up some personal desires for the good of the church and the cohesiveness of the group.

The work together has all been a great blessing to me. I wanted to help because this is the sort of thing I do for a living, involves things that I think I am gifted at, and was a chance to give to the church in a special way I not really been able to before. And most importantly, it seemed to me God was calling me to this at this time. So I have enjoyed the work on RIDGE very much but much more because of the people involved and the process God is taking us through than the actual aesthetic improvements that will result.

I sincerely believe that God has appointed this group of people for this work for the benefit of the body of Believers known as Galveston Bible Church. I think that the members are gifted in various ways that is making this process work well. As Clay explained in his sermon on October 4th, because we are fallible people, the use of our spiritual gifts can be fallible, too. So, the process of repairing and improving the GBC exterior will be an imperfect process and the way we get there as well as the end result will not please everyone but I do believe we will grow from this effort and that the members of GBC will be served and the City of Galveston will be improved.

Tomorrow I will tell you about some of the concrete decisions made and where that will lead.

October 11, 2009 8:18 PM

Yesterday’s post was designed to cover all the ground since RIDGE was established and give you, the reader, an idea of how this work is God’s work and not just “making things look pretty”. I intended to get through most everything else today but after re-reading yesterday’s post, I realized that the goal of showing how God is at work in this process might be better accomplished if I explained how RIDGE members view the esthetic part of our work. It will be important for you to understand that as some of the additions or changes to the building begin to appear.

The RIDGE mission statement follows:

To visually impact our community with unique beauty, completeness and assurance, welcoming the believer as well as the wonderer to enter in and see.

I think everything RIDGE has done to date can easily find its roots in that statement, which is further rooted in our past. In my opinion it has always been the desire and intention of most GBC members who have thought about the way our property looked (or could look) that beauty would show up as much as possible at the corner of 19th and Post Office. And it has in various ways over the years in limited quantities. But with the great loss to GBC and to the City of Galveston from Hurricane Ike, I believe the need for beauty to take a stronger place on that corner has been impressed on many of us.

RIDGE is now working to make that corner a beautiful, welcoming place for believers to enter into as well as a welcome place for passers-by. We hope the non-believer who is seeking something beyond themselves will be encouraged to consider the God we serve with our gifts as we beautify this place. It is our further desire that they will also see His beauty reflected there.

From what RIDGE has planned you will see the restoration of the grounds and building as much more than just a return to post-Ike conditions. Changes that are in the works are a new roof that is “over the top”. It will fit with the architecture of the building better and make it really stand out and stand up on that corner.

The paint scheme being considered will add to that look by the bucketsful. New rails for the porches will go hand in hand with those other more obvious changes. New fencing and gateways to the patio will invite all into a nicely landscaped setting.

We have even talked of developing a gospel garden that will tell the good news of Christ with plants and informational signage. And with a lot of creative input from the Logo Committee, a new GBC sign—a work of art in itself—will take its place in the landscape.

Tomorrow I will give you a little more information about the new, special roof and some of the things we are doing to make that happen. One other comment before I close for today: When Paul spoke to the Athenians at the Areopagus, recorded in Acts 17:16 and following, he got their attention by addressing them through the things that many of them treasured: their desire for new things to discuss and learn about and the worship of many gods, even an Unknown God.

I realized today that we have a similar chance, especially with the building God has given us. This building is within a famous historical district in a city famous in Texas and the nation for history. In fact the building will be 100 years old in a little less than 20 years. Big birthdays like that are always big deals, so start the countdown.

By speaking the language of those who live on the Island or those who visit here who love history and historic things we can show them that we understand some of what is important to them. While they may treasure the old rather than the talk of new things as the Greeks did, it is just as much a place where we can meet our neighbors on common ground from which to share the gospel in our community.

October 12, 2009 8:59 PM

The Support Team is focusing on improvements to the Exterior of the church building. In that effort the Support Team will be addressing a number of items on the exterior of the church. This is the mission statement that is guiding this task:

To visually impact our community with unique beauty, completeness and assurance, welcoming the believer as well as the wonderer to enter in and see.

Following are the items that will be addressed in this effort:
o Structure Details
o Sanctuary roof
o Sanctuary exterior walls
o Porches: surfaces and railing
o Doors
o Signage
o Lighting
o Courtyard
o Fence
o Plants and Irrigation
o Parking
o Property Acquisition
o Miscellaneous (anything not covered above)

The Support Team wants input and help from anyone with interest in any or all of these areas. Especially needed are willing workers who will eventually put some time and muscle into the work of improving the appearance or function of these items.

It is equally important to hear from anyone with an opinion about the way any of these items should look or function. So whether you just have an idea or have special talents or training that would assist the Support Team in accomplishing the task of improving the exterior of the church building, please send your idea or comment by email to Randy Talbert (randytalbert@aol.com) and Bob Duke (duke_lap@swbell.net). It would be great for the information to be sent to both but if you only have one copy, get it to either Bob or Randy. Also, if you can deliver it by Friday, August 7th, it will make it easier to organize the information into proper categories. The information can be in the form of magazine or catalogue clippings, web site images or links, sketches, written descriptions, etc. Input will also be sought from standing committees or teams.

You can also attend the next Support Team’s Building Exterior meeting at 7:00 p.m., Sunday, August 9th, in the sanctuary at the church building and bring the ideas or comments or both at that time. At that meeting, all the input received will be reviewed and discussed and soon after that the Support Team will make final decisions about what will be done in each area listed above. Then a proposed plan can be developed for review by the Congregation.

If you have questions that have not been answered by this email, please email the questions to Randy and Bob or call them at:
§ Randy (281-850-2607)
§ Bob (409-356-3503)

· Please be in prayer for the Support Team as plans are formed and for God to provide the resources needed to accomplish the plans He gives us. Pray also for God to be glorified in our church and community through this effort