The New Kitchen and Fellowship Hall

The new vaulted, sloped ceiling in the fellowship hall

August 7, 2012

Dear St. Paul’s Family,

Over five months since a devastating fire ravaged our campus, and after meeting nearly every other week with architects and engineers, the Building Committee and Board of Trustees are eager to present to you plans for renovating the kitchen and fellowship hall.  We believe that these plans more than adequately replace our damaged facilities, and improve the way we provide hospitality for future generations years from now.

For those unable to attend the information and feedback session last Wednesday, or were not in attendance to see the plans after the service last Sunday, I am devoting today’s Mid-Week Message to sharing a general overview with you.  More detailed plans are available at the church office or by contacting members of the Building Committee and Trustees.  And, of course, we welcome your feedback.  Here are the highlights:

A blueprint of the new kitchen and dining hall

AN EXPANDED KITCHEN

We were surprised to learn that the eastern wall of the kitchen was not a load-bearing wall, which meant we were able to completely remove it during demolition.  As such, we can now enlarge the kitchen by moving the serving counter about six inches into the fellowship hall.  Though the expansion will barely cut into the seating capacity of the tables and chairs, it will provide significantly more space for cooks and servers behind the counter to move around.

LARGER COLD STORAGE
We will be removing the southern door into the kitchen that leads in from the campus’ west entrance and moving it to the service counter wall.  That will create two doors connecting the kitchen to the fellowship hall, improving traffic flow between the two rooms.  That will also allow more usable wall space along the south wall of the kitchen to house two new cold storage units:  a large, triple-door refrigerator, and a double-door freezer. Those units, along with the residential refrigerator/freezer in the new beverage area in the fellowship hall, will more than adequately replace our prior freezers and refrigerators, and localize them in one convenient place.

NEW STOVE AND OVENS
The two electric stovetops that once occupied the kitchen island were only half usable, as four of the eight burners were not large enough to accommodate the 12-inch diameter soup pots often used by our cooks.  To replace them, we will be moving to a large commercial gas range, with ten burners.  The new stovetop will evenly distribute heat throughout the surface, so that pots can be placed in any configuration, rather than just directly over the burners.  Those concerned about switching to a gas stove can know that this state-of-the-art model utilizes an electric starter, without the use of a continuous pilot light.

Our old kitchen had six traditional ovens, which were used simultaneously during our peak cooking season.  Those units will now be replaced by two traditional ovens under our range top, along with a high capacity, energy efficient convection oven.  That oven will accommodate six large cookie sheets.  In addition, the new stove and ovens will be serviced by a large, Type II commercial hood that is required by code and will be covered by our insurance settlement.

AN IMPROVED DISHWASHING AREA
The cold, dark storage area north of the kitchen has been completely gutted and will be much better utilized as our new dishwashing, sanitizing, and drying area.  Diners will present dirty dishes through the new dish return window, and on the other side will be a new counter-level dishwasher. Rather than bending down to load and unload dishes, the new unit receives trays directly from the adjacent counter, and maintains a constant water temperature for the 0.95 gallons of water required for each wash.  The new unit will be simple to operate, and will wash a load of dishes within a few minutes.  The dishwashing area will also include a deep, three-bowl sink  for the washing of large pots, as well as a drying area for cookware and wash towels.

SERVICE COUNTER AND CENTER ISLAND
The service counter will look similar to the past:  two large serving windows separated by a center post that will provide electrical service. Underneath the counter will be storage bays for rolling carts that will house plates, bowls, and flatware. The center island will now be totally flexible, with the use of three large stainless steel tables on lockable caster wheels.  Those tables can be configured for convenience, around a center support post that will provide both 120v and 220v electrical service.

GREATER STORAGE AND UPGRADED ELECTRICITY
The electrical service of the kitchen will be greatly improved, with multiple outlets along the long, northwest counter top for roasters and other appliances.  Storage capacity will also be significantly increased, with a new pantry in the kitchen and new cabinetry in the fellowship hall beverage area.

A view of the new beverage and dessert area

NEW BEVERAGE AND DESSERT SERVICE AREA
Among the more noticeable changes in the fellowship hall will be a new beverage service area, where the stage once stood. That area will now house a long countertop along the north wall, for dessert service.  Under the counter will be storage bays for rolling carts for coffee mugs and glasses.  And on the west end of that counter will be a brand new coffee brewing station, which can be used to fill thermal carafes, as well as for individual service.  It is also portable, so that coffee can be brewed and  then easily moved to points of service elsewhere on the church campus.

NEW CEILING
The most striking improvement to the fellowship hall will be the removal of the drop ceiling, in exchange for an open, vaulted, sloped ceiling.  The slant of the ceiling follows the incline of the sanctuary floor above, and will provide a stunning visual dynamic to the room.  More importantly, the ceiling will be reinforced with fire retardant material to protect the sanctuary from future kitchen fires.  As such, the Trustees deemed it unnecessary to pay for a drop ceiling as a “second” ceiling.  The new ceiling will feature beautiful trim work along an arc that connects the six sanctuary support posts in the fellowship hall, as well as a combination of recessed, accent, and posted lighting.

NEW FINISHES
The fellowship hall will look dramatically updated in its styling and finishes.  Because the new vaulted ceiling creates an acoustic echo chamber, the Building Committee has opted to carpet the fellowship hall with a new, stain resistant carpet that will be installed (and can be replaced) with individual carpet squares.  The new carpet has a lifetime stain resistance warranty, and is highly suitable for commercial dining use.  (Note:  the colors in the 3D rendering above are not an accurate reflection of the pattern, texture, or colors of the carpet, walls, or ceiling.)  In addition, a new set of double doors will connect to the Feller Lounge, so that the lounge can be used for overflow seating for large gatherings without a traffic bottleneck through the current set of doors. And a new storage closet will be constructed adjacent to the old Parish Coordinator office next to the east stairwell to house the tables and chairs once stored in what will now be the dish return area.

IMPROVED ACCESS
Another great improvement to the area will be the ease of access from the Main Street loading sidewalk.  The northeast exterior door that accesses both the fellowship hall and the back sanctuary stairwell will be replaced, and the entrance into the fellowship hall will be brought down to ground level, so that persons bringing food and equipment into the kitchen can do so quickly and easily from their car into the building from the loading sidewalk, with no stairs and minimal doors.

NEW AUDIO-VISUAL CAPABILITY
Carey’s Electronics will also be installing new audio-visual equipment in the fellowship hall, which will include a projector screen, a digital projector, inputs for DVD players and laptop computers, and – most importantly – a live feed from the sanctuary cameras.  That means that the fellowship hall can then be used as suitable overflow for worship services and special events.  New speakers and wireless microphones will provide easy to use vocal projection, long absent from the fellowship hall.

COSTS AND TIMELINE
Little did we know, when the Trustees decided to change insurance companies two years ago, that it would be such a critically beneficial decision.  Our insurance adjuster has been wonderful to work with, and has been working with us on all our design plans.  Insurance has thus far paid for fees associated with the designs, and is generally “upbeat” (according to our Chair of Trustees) about what we are planning.  Of course, we are not yet to the point of assigning dollar figures to the cost estimates, which we will secure once a contractor comes on board, and we are still working on a final settlement with the insurance company.  But we feel very good that paying for the new kitchen and dining hall will not become a financial hardship for the church. Thank you, by the way, for your continued fulfillment of the capital campaign pledge you made in 2010, which will help offset any future costs not covered by insurance.

We look forward to beginning construction in the kitchen and dining hall shortly after we move back into the sanctuary, around the first part of September, if not before.  We are meeting with the architect again this Thursday to review the latest plans, and we will be including in that conversation any comments or questions that you may have.  As such, please direct all of your feedback and questions to me, to Don Witcombe (Chair of Trustees), Gene Anderson (Chair of the Building Committee), or John Cook (Chair of Finance).

Let us give thanks to God for the amazing spirit of optimism and energy that continues to run in and through the St. Paul’s congregation, as we prepare for a bright new future ahead, in facilities that will service many generations to come.

Grace and Peace,

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



THIS SUNDAY:  I BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST
Join us this Sunday as we continue our four-part series on the Apostles’ Creed with an in-depth look at the second section of the Creed.  The question of Jesus’ dual nature, his humanity and divinity, sparked the greatest controversy in the early church and prompted the church councils that eventually produced the creeds in the fourth century.  We’ll learn about the political drama, bitter division, and eventual bloodshed that marks the history of the creeds of the church.

NEW CARPET IN THE SANCTUARY
We continue to be on track for an early September return to the sanctuary.  Last week, Curry’s Carpet and Flooring from South Sioux City began installing the new carpet, and we received word that our repaired pews will be installed around the first of September.