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The sign sets behind the church, positioned to be read by motorists on US212. The church faces downtown Nisland.

 

Back of the church as seen from US212. Nisland is in front of the church down a steep incline.

From downtown Nisland, the church sets as a beacon on a hill.

The project begins with removal of old cedar siding by Bill and Chuck on the west side of the church. Carroll, one of the church members looks on and lends a helping hand picking up debris.

Dick begins working on the north side of the church. The offset seen on the north end covers a raised pulpit that was used for years. Sermons are no longer delivered from that pulpit and the entry door is sealed off.

Bill and Chuck continue removal of the old siding on the west side. Ed is operating the front loader and directing the work.

Ed operating the front loader positioning Bill and Chuck to remove old siding.

The north side demolition and reconstruction of corners to provide solid wood for new siding. The north side became a series of problems to be solved. Scaffold could not always be used where needed because the buildings were to close. Corners were not plumb and roof pitch did not match side to side, or church roof to alcove roof (covering the old pulpit). The church had also settled over the 90 years since built and was not level side to side.

Scaffold in use during demolition by Bill and Chuck. Ed was already working on a solution to get a safe working platform where the scaffold did not fit.

Ed’s solution was to build scaffold. This was sometimes called Ed’s contrivance or machination. What ever you call it, it worked and very well.

Ed, marked with an x continues to fabricate a higher level of the contrivance, as left to right Dick, Bill and Chuck continue work on the church.

The contrivance is complete and serves well, Ed, Dick and Bill are pictured. The working platform reaches completely across the north side of the church. The plan was to build it as we went up, and tear it down after painting as we came down. It worked!

Siding being cut by Chuck, and Dan delivering to guys on the scaffold.

Dan is a member of the church and was another willing hand to help.

The west end of the contrivance can be seen with a ladder for carrying material to the guys working on the north side.

The TyPar vapor barrier and siding installed up to the bottom of the old windows. The new windows did not arrive on schedule. The north end of the church was completely finished and painted before the new windows arrived.

Chuck doing the layout and cutting of the hardy board siding.

The new windows finally arrive Wednesday during devotions at 2PM. Tuesday (the last project week) we had begun working from 6AM to 1PM, then lunch, then devotions, to escape the afternoon heat on the west side of the church. We all came back to work at 6PM for a couple of hours to check fit on the new windows. Dick and Bill are removing one of the old windows.

Ed making a declaration that those windows had better fit. Dick and Bill are attentive.

 

The new windows fit so we removed all the old windows and boarded up the openings to be ready for Thursday. Dick and Bill are in the bucket with Ed operating.

Chuck removing window trim and casement from inside the church. The MMAP crew installed the new windows Thursday, during another extended workday 6AM to 1PM and 6PM to 8PM in the evening.

Bill installing siding early Friday morning. Several members of the church Neil, Dan, Carroll and Bruce began with us at 6AM. It was a very windy day and an extension latter leaning against the church was blown off by a strong gust of wind and hit Bruce’s head. Bruce was taken for medical attention and after few stitches came back to work. Praise God, Bruce was not seriously hurt.

The north side of the church finished.

The west side of the church as left Friday. Several men of the church that had worked with us will be able finish before winter. A pattern we made for cutting the arch curves, and instruction for its use, was left with them.

A lot of work was completed on this project. The plan was to complete the north and west side of the church this project and schedule another project for the front and east side. We would have finished if the windows had arrived on Tuesday of the second week, but when they arrived the third Wednesday at the end of the day, there was little chance to finish. Even with all the extra effort and hours worked, the project could not be finished as planned. Everything was done right by the church people, as for ordering on time and follow up. Only God knows why the windows did not get here and the final timing and plan is His. His timing and plan are always best for us, even though we may not understand at the time. As a result of the window delay, other tasks were finished; we installed a window, replaced a broken window pane, installed floor underlay for tile, and replaced a sliding glass door with an atrium door, at the pastor’s home.

 

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28 (KJV)