March 6, 2012
Dear St. Paul’s Family,
Last week, I asked you to share with me your favorite memories of the church kitchen and Schuldt dining hall, which were ravaged by fire nine days ago. My inbox burst with messages from a wide cast of people, from recent arrivals to the St. Paul’s family, to those whose roots go back to Victor and Ruth Schuldt themselves. The stories range from the amusing (like Chuck Tolzin’s jello) to the moving (like Brenda Wetherell Kluger’s funeral luncheon for her father.) But all of them are personal, poignant, and fitting tributes to sacred spaces that have put God’s love into action for ninety-five years.
Also, for those of you who were not in the service last Sunday, read the end of today’s message for the latest developments in the recovery and reconstruction of the damaged areas.
MEMORIES OF THE KITCHEN AND SCHULDT DINING HALL
From Donald Schuldt, youngest son of Rev. Victor and Ruth Schuldt, after whom the Schuldt Dining Hall is named:
Rev. DeVega, I received the sad news of the fire today via e-mail. This is from Donald Schuldt, youngest child of Victor and Ruth Schuldt. I now live in Lakeland, Fl. I have many memories of St. Paul’s. Dad served there from June, 1962 thru June of 1974. Cherokee was my home for several years while I attended Morningside College (as both my parents had done). I was married in the sanctuary by my father in Jan. 1967 and we had our reception in the dining room. I also want to mention that following the memorial service for my Dad in 1985 we had a wonderful reception in the dining room. The last time I was in St. Paul’s was in 2002. I attended Sunday morning services and was warmly greeted by and enjoyed visiting with many old friends, again in the memory filled dining room. I hope all goes well with the work restoring the damaged areas. Sincerely, Don Schuldt
From Miriam Kashia, daughter of Vic and Ruth Schuldt:
Dear Rev. Magrey R. deVega, The sad news of your recent fire reached me through a roundabout route, and I share your sadness at the loss and difficulty your church community is experiencing. I hope your clean up and reconstruction and renovation proceed with all speed and ease. Thank you for your kind words about Rev. & Mrs. Schuldt. I am their daughter, and was married in St. Paul's sanctuary in 1962. I recently visited the church when I was passing through and was given a warm welcome and lovely tour by your church secretary. My parents had many happy memories of their time in Cherokee, and though none of us 5 offspring ever lived there, we visited the beautiful big parsonage on Roosevelt often during those years. Blessings to your and your congregation as your rise up from the ashes and, with the support of the community, "rebuild the temple."
From Mary Jo Carnine:
My earliest memories, as a small child in the 1940's, were when my Mother and Dad (Margaret & Jeffery Barry) belonged to the Sunday Morning and Evening group--usually a group of married couples, when they met in the evening for a pot luck supper. All of the children, myself included, had a fun time exploring other areas of the church while the adults did what adults did after our meal.
Other memories were when I was in MYF youth group, in the 1950s, for our monthly get-togethers locally or when we hosted district youth rallies. Rev. Feller was our 'fearless leader' most times, and he would join in with any of our games and become a 'kid at heart.' what fun we all had. But for serious times he was a great leader and role model as well as his wife, Mildred.
My other memory was the wonderful time spent with family and friends, when I was married at our church, with the reception held in the dining room. Also, I remember all of the many WSCS gatherings (a Methodist women’s group in the 1940s) which I attended with my mom. And, of course, I think of the many United Methodist Women’s events I have helped with and attended.
From Liza Parker wrote:
Throughout the two years I have attended St Paul's I have become familiar with more and more lovely people, but have especially become acquainted with my church family in the dining room. Face to face communication....(with the accompaniment of FOOD,) allows me to get to know people on a more personal level. I have great memories of delicious food for Thanksgiving, Christmas, the pancake supper, and good laughs while practicing the bells etched in my memory bank. All said, my favorite memories will be all the friends and family gatherings in the "old" kitchen and dining room hall at the St Paul's United Methodist Church.
Abby Hausmann-Virgil, Sheree and Louis’ daughter, wrote in:
I have many, many fond memories in that space from growing up in the church. From drinking the signature watered down Kool-aid during VBS to donning my choir robe on the stage – and many in between.
From new members Kim and Karen Aduddell:
Kim and I were so sorry to hear the news of the fire Sunday. We have only been members of the congregation for a little over a year, but I feel I have come home at last. St Paul's was my stomping ground when I was in Jr. High and High School. Then I got this notion to get married (a good thing) and joined the church my husband and his family attended. I wish it hadn't taken me so long to come back to where there are so many more familiar faces, friends and family.
From Linda Christensen:
I can remember many hours of prepping for the UMW Election Day Bazaar. With Sherry as the captain, the crew made an assembly line for adding the ingredients to our famous chicken casserole. I remember a long line of ladies gabbing as they "ta-da-dumped" their portion into the passing pan. I’m not going to say that we never goofed, but somehow they were always delicious!
During the Bazaar, we worked our stations in the kitchen with fun and efficiency. Every year, improvements were made in the system of dishing up, handing out, and cleaning up. It’s amazing how much we got done in a few hours time.
As for the dining room, besides after church coffees, UMW Mother/Daughter banquets, and potluck meetings, it means music to me. It is where I got the children’s choir lined up before they entered the church for their anthem. It is where I heard the bell choir practice before I went up to chancel choir practice in the sanctuary on Wednesday nights; and where the chancel choir put the final polish on their anthem before worship service began on Sunday mornings.
From former pastor Rev. Gary Armstrong:
One of my favorite recollections relative to the kitchen at St. Paul’s UMC was when we used to have “Bread Auctions” for missions. Cinnamon rolls would be baking in the kitchen while the worship service was going on. The aroma from the baking rolls would rise to the sanctuary. For a preacher to compete with the smell of fresh baking cinnamon rolls was something that seminary did not prepare one for. The fellowship and fun of such occasions is a great memory for a former pastor.
As pastor during the sanctuary renovation one of the facets I appreciated was that the congregation was more concerned with what happened to the church as a people than with what happened to the church as a building. That approach served to contribute to a cooperative spirit that helps make wonderful things happen in the life of a congregation.
My family and I feel blessed to have had 9 years at St. Paul’s – and the memories of that time together are indeed precious for all of us. You and the congregation will be in our thoughts and prayers as you meet another challenge.
From Michele Witcombe:
St. Paul's has been in my thoughts and prayers, as I received word of the fire happening as it was going on actually. My dad responded to the fire, and I couldn't believe what he was telling me. And Fireman Keith has to be very proud:)
I wanted to share my favorite kitchen and dining hall moment. I had my high school graduation reception in the kitchen and dining room area, and I can just remember all of the familiar faces helping out and it made my graduation so memorable. I had so many friends, family, relatives, teachers, and church family members in attendance at the reception, and it will always be a very clear, vivid memory. I was so full of joy and excitement that day for the past, present, and future. I am very grateful that I could hold such a great event at my home church.
I also have one other great memory. I went Christmas caroling with some of the members of the choir and a few others, and afterwards, we had very great chili in the dining hall area. I remember being so cold from the snow and cold, but it was great to share a warm meal with others. It was a good time that I still think about when December roles around.
I will continue to keep St. Paul's in my thoughts as I go on this week, and remember everyone on Sunday. Thank you for the update! Talk to you soon!
From Brenda Wetherell Kluger:
I'm so sorry to hear of the fire! St Paul's is the location of one of my happiest and one of my saddest memories. And one of my early cooking ventures. I was married there 23 years ago and we held our reception in the dining hall downstairs & celebrated our happy occasion with many family & friends. Then almost 3 years ago, a little over 20 years after walking me down the aisle, I followed my dad’s casket down the aisle & said goodbye to his physical being. After his funeral we had our luncheon in the dining hall & were surrounded by friends & family in our grief. At both events we were appreciative of the United Methodist Women for preparing & serving the meals. I remember UMYF but one still makes me giggle to this day. The memory of the look on Ande Leatherman’s face when Rob Pickens & I showed her our pan of egg & ham casserole that we had added food coloring to make Green Eggs & Ham for Easter sunrise breakfast! She advised us that us UMYF members would be the ones eating that!
And finally, here’s the story I shared in my sermon last Sunday, from Tasha Timmermann:
One Sunday not long after Kent and I had started officially dating, his parents invited both of us to attend church with them as well as the meal that was being served afterwards. Of course Kent and I weren’t extremely comfortable in their attempts to show off “Kent’s new friend” but there really was no arguing with his dad….over anything….so we went. After a lot of stares and whispers during the service, we joined everyone in the dining hall for lunch. I got the privilege of sitting next to Chuck Tolzin!
After a lot of small talk and questions about who I was and where I came from, Chuck asked a question totally out of left field, “Do you know what’s so great about jello?” You can about imagine the questions going through my head.
Who was this guy and what was wrong with him? Why did I decide to date a guy whose church family was crazy? Was this some sort of psychological test? WHAT WAS I DOING HERE??????
I simply smiled and said I really wasn’t sure what the greatest thing about jello was. He took a giant scoop of jello, put it in his mouth, looked at me, smiled, and squeezed it all through his teeth. I nearly choked on my food. It was one of the funniest things I’ve ever seen and is etched in my memory forever. He and I still joke about it quite often.
FIRE RECOVERY QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Q. How and when did the fire start?
A. Magrey received a call at 4:30 pm Sunday afternoon, February 26, from a person passing by the church reporting that the building was on fire. The Cherokee Fire Department arrived within minutes to dowse the flames and evacuate the smoke. After subsequent investigations by the fire marshal, our insurance adjuster, and an independent forensic investigator, the conclusion is that the fire was accidental in nature and originated with the north stove stop in the center island of the kitchen. No criminal activity is suspected.
Q. How much damage is there?
A. The process for putting a cost estimate on the damage is underway, but it is safe to assume that the kitchen will be a total loss, with significant renovation required in the dining hall. In addition, the Sanctuary, Feller Lounge, Heritage Room were filled with smoke that left behind a layer of soot on all the surfaces.
Q. What happened to the Sanctuary, and why are we worshipping off site during March?
A. Though the Sanctuary escaped major damage, it requires extensive cleaning due to soot and smoke odors. In addition, a structural engineer needs to verify that the structural integrity of the Sanctuary floor was not compromised. There may be additional concerns that arise as we move forward. For example, should the Sanctuary require repainting, it may take longer to resume worship, since it would involve removal of the pews and the building of scaffolding.
Q. How does this affect Sunday school?
A. We will be suspending Sunday school during the month of March as well, including Confirmation. The classrooms were largely untouched by smoke, but there is some soot on the surfaces in the Education Wing, particularly in the nursery. Sunday school teachers are welcome to come in and survey their materials by the end of next week, to help us determine what can be cleaned and what needs to be thrown out. All materials, including personal materials, should be inventoried for damage and can be replaced under our policy. Our arrangement with Service Master is that our own folks can come clean classrooms if they wish, but please help us keep track of the hours you volunteer to do so.
Q. How will the Sanctuary be cleaned?
A. Service Master has been contracted to do the cleaning of all areas affected by smoke and soot. Their services will be paid for under the provisions of our insurance policy.
Q. Can I see the damage?
A. Though all of the investigations have now concluded, we are still not allowing the general public to be in either the kitchen or the dining hall. There is still structural stability to determine, as well as the danger of asbestos.
Q. What will our insurance policy cover?
A. We are very pleased by the service given to us by Employers Mutual Insurance Company, whose representatives have been very active with us in the wake of the fire. We carry a policy of over 3.5 million dollars to cover the loss of church property, plus an additional amount to cover personal items used for church business lost in the fire. We also have funds to cover expenses related to continuing normal operations such as renting the Community Center. Our insurance company last week bumped us up to a “Large Loss” category; this means that the settlement should be sizeable. Everything lost in the fire or in need of repair will be addressed.
Q. How does this affect our plans for renovating the kitchen and dining hall?
A. The insurance company is willing to work with us on any changes we would like to make to the layout and equipment of the new kitchen and dining hall. Naturally, we will begin working from the designs approved by the congregation as part of our recent capital campaign, and we will make necessary adjustments as needed. Our insurance policy will pay for the replacement of all our equipment with new, updated pieces, as well as making sure the new rooms meet all necessary building codes. If there is significant additional cost associated with implementing the new designs, the church would have to pay for those. Nevertheless, our insurance company wants to be very flexible in working with us to get the kitchen and dining hall we need.
Q. How can we help?
A. We are thoroughly amazed and inspired by the overwhelming number of offers from church members to come in, get dirty, and do whatever it takes to help in the recovery. At this point, we are following the recommendations of both our insurance company and our Service Master agents, who strongly advise that our people refrain from being in the kitchen and dining hall for the foreseeable future. This is so that they can make sure that the areas constitute no structural or electrical danger, and so that professional people can handle the difficult initial waves of debris removal. All of this work is covered by our excellent insurance policy.
Q. How long will it take to get a new kitchen and dining hall?
A. That is very difficult to predict with any accuracy at this early stage in recovery. There may be new challenges that we discover as we further determine the extent of the damage, which would frame the length of time it takes to rebuild and renovate. The best guess at this point is that we could have a new kitchen and dining hall by Thanksgiving, but it could be sooner or later than that.
Q. What committees are overseeing the recovery and renovation?
A. The Trustees have all been apprised of the latest developments, and they will be overseeing the recovery, clearing, and cleaning of the damage. The Building Committee, created in 2010 as a subcommittee of the Trustees, will be overseeing the design and implementation of the renovations. The congregation will be kept informed of every major development, and we anticipate that a Charge Conference will be called to approve any final designs of the kitchen and fellowship hall. Along the way, comments or questions can be directed to any of the Trustees, particularly Don Witcombe, the Chairperson. You can also talk to Gene Anderson or any member of the Building Committee.
More than ever, it’s great to be the church together!
Magrey
The Rev. Magrey R. deVega
St. Paul's United Methodist Church
531 W. Main St.
Cherokee, IA 51012
Ph: 712-225-3955
Email: mdevega@sp-umc.org
WORSHIP IN THE COMMUNITY CENTER
We continue worshipping in the upper level auditorium of the Community Center as our sanctuary is cleaned and inspected for damage. There is no Sunday school while we are off site, but worship is at our regular 10:10 start time. For those able to park further away, please reserve the main south parking lot for those with accessibility needs. We will have a team of senior high youth available to escort to the door those who need special assistance.
NURSERY CARE
Over the next month, while worshipping in the Community Center, we will be using the upstairs carpeted classroom for nursery care. Karissa Wych will be there to take care of toddlers through 2nd grade.
EASTER LILY ORDERS
We are once again taking orders for lilies to be given in honor and in memory of loved ones. Please place your order by calling the church office or writing it on an attendance form. We need to turn in the orders by Monday, March 19. The cost is $12.00.
BOOK SIGNING NEXT THURSDAY, MARCH 8
Many of you know that Dr. Jessica Tinklenberg deVega, Assistant Professor of Religion at Morningside, has just completed a new book called All You Want To Know But Didn't Think You Could Ask: Religions, Cults and Popular Beliefs. The Book Vine will be hosting her for a book signing on Thursday, March 8, from 6:00-7:00 pm. Come meet the author, pick up a book, and have it signed!
GOLDSTEIN LECTURE
Come hear Rabbi Simcha Weinstein, author of “Up, Up and Oy Vey!” How Jewish History, Culture, and Values Shaped the Comic Book Superhero” as part of the Goldstein Lecture at Morningside College. It takes place Thursday, March 15, at 7:30pm in the Yockey Room of the Olsen Student Center or Morningside College. The event is free and open to the public.
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