Drive-Thru!

Since I started working at Third Presbyterian Church nine years ago (and I am sure for way longer. . . )I had heard talk talk of creating a drive through from the Arnold Park lot to Meigs street (between the back of the Parish House and 34 Meigs Street). With the Capital Campaign construction project, it isn't just talk anymore--take a look! And while I'm here and blogging, take a look at the staff hall as we await new carpeting (this view is from the door at the top of the Meigs Street stairs looking towards the Moot Room) And while we're talking Meigs Street stairs, I honestly have no idea what they are doing over here, but I do know that I need to get to my office a different way for the next few days. . . Those are just a few views from where I am. Lots going on, lots of busy workers, and new things happening every day! Looking forward to worshipping in our beautiful sanctuary VERY soon!

More photos from Jeff Sprague

Pictures from Jeff Sprague



Pews make their comeback in the sanctuary!




The Moot room has a new shape.




Flooring in the Celebration Center is down and protected.






The right tool... This bench holder aids with leg installation.

The walkway to the chapel takes shape.



The cloister walk has framing and floor.




New stairs now grace the connector.




The ramp to the chancel waits its wood-worked covering.



Oh the difference a day makes!

The view from the Third Church balconies changed drammatically this morning as trucks pulled in the parking lot and workers off-loaded the pews for our sanctuary. A complete single-seat pew stands near the middle of this picture.

Wood workers have installed and stained the choir risers, and are beginning work on the wainscotting. After the many months of demolition and structural reconstruction, the finishing details are now beginning to take shape.

I can almost hear the refrains of carols and songs, resounding from the rafters... and am excited that we are--step by step--making our way home toward that first Sunday back in our central worship space.

Can you pick out your pew from here?

Limestone and beams, loud building workers*

Things are coming along! The limestone and marble are going in on the sanctuary steps: And as for beams, oh, do we have beams! Yesterday as we emerged from Wednesday morning prayers in the chapel, we got the treat of seeing the framework of what will be the top of the cloister being lowered into place: *from the Hymn, "Earth and All Stars" copyright 1968, Augsburg Publishing House

Sanctuary tile is going in!

Check out some pictures that Chris Lenti and I took this morning of the new tile floor going into the sanctuary! Here is a close-up of the tile--it is more reddish than it looks in the picture--more terra cotta than orange. and here is the tile starting to fill in the floor of the sanctuary. . . The big "greenish" platform in the middle of the chancel floor is the new organ lift--how cool is that?!?!?!

Progressing. . .

Nothing says "progress" like a crane looming large over your building! Thanks to Finance Assistant Lisa Cramer for snapping this image on her cell phone on the way into work this morning!

Fling wide the sanctuary doors!

For the past few months, the doors at the Meigs Street side of the sanctuary have not only been closed and locked, they have actually had chain wrapped through the handles. This was due to the fact that on the other side of those doors was a drop down to the basement! Well, today, for the first time, I came in to see the doors wide open, and the buttery glow of fresh laid plywood beckoned me in, so up I went to get my hard hat and the camera from Jane's desk, and here are the results, enjoy taking a peek--it is actually starting to really look like something, and you can begin to imagine what the chancel will now look like!

They're starting the cloister!!

They're starting construction on the cloister that will connect the chapel to the sanctuary--check it out!!

Chancel progress. . .

Peter DuBois snapped these photos of chancel progress yesterday. . .

Look Mom, No hard hat!

No children were put in harm's way in the taking of these pictures! We took advantage of the calm and quiet of a Sunday morning to take the kids through some of the parts of the church that are safe to walk through sans-hard hats, and the kids had a blast! Thanks to Jeff Weis for his awesome "tour guiding", and to the parents for their patience as the kids arrived back from Sunday school just a wee bit later than usual. . .

The older kids in front of what will be the new wall in Johnston Hall Looking towards what was, just a few short months ago, the Children's Library, and what will, in a few short months, be our new kitchen!

The Celeberation Center--Bigger with the walls of the kitchen torn out--we can hardly wait to have Qabats down here!!

the Garth--minus stairs. If you look waaaay up in the top right corner, you can see the door to the classrooms on the third floor of the education building.

The younger kids making their way into the sanctuary. They are standing right about where the organ used to be.

The older classes in the ever expanding adult choir room! In the top left of the picture, you can see the silver supports that will become the new Johnston Hall wall.