Q: How long will the renovation last and what will happen to our worship during this time?

Answer:
As the New Year 2009 began, renovation of the Nave, Narthex and Chapel was expected to be complete by late February. Although permitting requirements delayed the start of these significant repair and enhancement activities over the summer of 2008, progress has been rapid and impressive. With a short delay, we expect to complete a liturgy of transition back into these spaces and to rededicate them by March 22, 2009.

Our Worship Committee and the new Audio Visual Support Team has done a marvelous job of adapting our worship to the temporary spaces in the Parish Hall and Multi-purpose Room. Some adjustments will be required to take full advantage of the newly enhanced original spaces, but getting comfortable with the new lighting, acoustics, choir location and other aspects of the enhanced layout will be a task that we can anticipate with great relish. The final renovation item will be installation of the refurbished pipe organ. This event is expected in mid-summer. 

Q: Where will flowers in the nave be placed under the new plan?

Answer:
The details of this and other aspects of the nave redesign have not been worked out as yet. Please understand that these drawings are conceptual. Much more definition will be required before architectural drawings are ready for the bid process.

Q: How long would we be unable to use the nave for worship? Will we worship in the Parish Hall?

Answer:
Once renovation begins, it will take several months before we can utilize the nave. Worship will be held temporarily in the Parish Hall during construction, but details still need to be worked out in that regard.

Q: What will become of the large wooden cross that is now located in the nave front of our current reredos?

Answer:
Many people are concerned about the cross and want it to remain a part of St. Andrew’s. It would be extremely difficult to incorporate in the new reredos and will probably not remain in the same location it is now. However we are considering a number of ideas about the best way to include it into our newly renovated worship space.

Q: Has the leak in the ceiling that caused the damage been fixed?

Answer:
Yes, repairs have been made so that we won’t experience additional water damage. However, the damage sustained in the past has weakened our building structure, and this project will address additional repairs needed.

Q: What is the plan for the large shell-like baptismal font currently in the nave?

Q: Will the planned changes to the nave result in changes in the seating arrangement of clergy, Lay Eucharistic Ministers and Lay Readers?

Answer:
The only change is that the clergy will be seated behind the altar in order to provide for better flow during worship. The pulpit and the lectern will remain and the chairs moved from in front of the altar to behind the altar. One prayer desk will be removed.

Q: Why are we leaving the second prayer desk? Would it make sense to remove it for the purpose of symmetry?

Answer: 
Circumstances occasionally require seating for an additional Lay Eucharistic Minister in the
sanctuary. This seating space is most easily accommodated by retaining the prayer desk. 

Q: Are we finally converting the nave HVAC to gas? 

Answer:
We are also considering replacement of the current electrical resistive heating elements with a gas heating system like we have throughout the rest of the facility if there are sufficient funds available. The air conditioning compressor is fairly new, so we plan to keep that as is.

Q: Have we learned what is causing the noise in the ducts?

Answer:
Most of the noise we get from the HVAC system is from the fan. There are fans that are much quieter. At a minimum we plan to replace the HVAC.

Q: I have a concern about the baptistery relocation; will the proposed permanent location cause conflicts with sightlines? Can it be raised or relocated so that more people could view the baptisms?

Answer:
This will be looked at closely to ensure that the placement will have the intended effect of showing the prominence of baptism to our faith.

Q: Why do we want to make the baptistery permanent?

Answer:
From a liturgical point of view, baptism is central to our faith so making the baptistery permanent will highlight this concept.

Q: Can the current baptismal font be incorporated in this plan?

Answer:
The shell is not stylistically compatible with the redesigned baptistery. The current thinking is that it will be moved into the chapel under the Holy Spirit stained glass window. It can be used for small baptisms in this venue.

Q: Can all the hanging light fixtures in the Sanctuary be at the same level (on the same plane)? The drawing shows them at different heights as the ceiling slopes.

Answer:
We will bring this up to the Nave Renovation Committee.

Q: If we use spotlights on the altar, how will we change the bulbs?

Answer:
A major consideration in nave lighting will be to avoid the cost and difficulty associated with our current lighting.The Nave Renovation Committee will work closely with the architect to ensure that new lighting can be easily maintained.

Q: I have a concern about the skylight that will be above the reredos. Since we won’t be able to control the light coming through the skylight, won’t it lead to unintended changes in atmosphere in the nave?

Answer:
The architect has done several light calculations during different times of day and different times during the year. Your concern will be brought up to the Nave Renovation Committee.

Q: Can another row of pews be added behind the last rows on the two center sections? This would help make up for some loss of seating.

Answer:
Those walkways were initially put in to satisfy fire code regulations. We will need to review this with the architects as well as the current fire code regulations to see if it is feasible.

Q: Can we use a “folding glass wall” for windows in the back of the church so that the narthex can be used for overflow and the folding glass wall can be opened for better viewing.

Answer:
The narthex currently has a sound system so that overflow congregation seated in the narthex can hear the service as they view it through existing windows in the rear of the nave. Replacement of the current windows and brick walls may create structural issues and additional costs that are unjustified for the use that might be expected. This suggestion will be brought to the Nave Renovation Committee for their consideration.

Q: Will the current sound system be enhanced?

Answer:
Yes, it will be entirely redone. The three large speaker boxes will be removed and new speakers will be installed. We do not know yet what type of speakers we will install. Two ideas that are being looked at are vertical speakers and speakers within the light tubes.

Q: What audio/visual equipment will be purchased? Shouldn’t we wait to purchase audio/visual equipment until we plan to use it?

Answer:
The audio/visual equipment to be purchase will be decided by the Renovation Committee. We expect that the system will be designed to support an evolving spectrum of anticipated needs but that specific equipment will not be purchased until we plan to use it.

Q: Will the new reredos cover unsightly things like heating vents that are currently hidden by our reredos?

Answer:
This will be looked at closer by the Nave Renovation Committee, but it seems as if new reredos will cover up the things that we want covered.

Q: Won’t the clergy sitting behind the altar actually be more visible than utilizing the current seating configuration? It seems like we might just see their heads above the altar?

Answer:
This will be looked at closer by the Nave Renovation Committee.

Q: Where will the Bishop’s chair be?

Answer:
This will be looked at closer by the Nave Renovation Committee

Q: What about the shelf where the flowers currently are placed?

Answer:
It has not yet been determined where a shelf will be put on the new reredos, but flowers
will be accommodated in the design.

Q: What type of material will the new cross be made from?

Answer:
Not sure yet.This will be looked at closer by the Nave Renovation Committee

Q: Why are we designing a reredos that doesn’t accommodate our current cross?

Answer:
It would be very difficult to provide space on the revised reredos that can accommodate the size of our current cross, and which could be projected upon. Discussions are underway about the use of the present cross in the new nave design and it is possible that it could remain as part of the reredos with some re working.

Q: Are there really only about 4 seats lost? It seems like the calculations are off a bit.

Answer:
We are having the architects review their calculations and will pass along the information when we receive it. The loss of seats is not a compelling issue given our capacity to expand seating for special services and also taking into account our present average attendance. The church would feel more full and that could increase participation.

Q: As a follow-on to the last question, it seems that since we are expending a significant amount of money for our future ministry we should also be adding to our congregational seating, not decreasing it.

Answer:
That is a good point. We do hope to grow the congregation and ideas will be considered that will address the issue of a need for additional congregational seating.