After months of careful preparation, our Sanctuary windows preservation project is off to an exciting start. On Friday, August 12, a team of professionals from New Outlook Historic Window Restoration and Preservation firm began Phase 1 by removing the 10 sashes that make up the two windows on the South facade of the sanctuary closest to the DeWolf Chapel doorway. These were taken to the New Outlook studio in Swansea where they will be painstakingly preserved. As their CEO Bill Letoile stated, the first windows in any project constitute a learning phases, when his workers discover the particular quirks of this building. Along the way, they learned that certain sashes were held in by 3 inch screws, hidden by the paint. They also learned that:
The window’s wooden frame is in relatively good shape, i.e. not rotten.
There was no damage done during sash removal.
We lost no glass window panes.
Some of the sashes can be opened and some are fixed.
The windows that were removed represent 2 of the 7 windows on the South facade (Phase 1). In addition, there are 8 windows to be repaired on the North facade of the sanctuary (Phase2) and 9 windows — smaller — to be repaired on the West facade facing High Street (Phase 3). The total cost of the Sanctuary Windows Preservation project is $321,915. To date, we have raised or identified funding totaling $210,000. We are grateful to the families and friends of FCCBristol who have pledged toward the windows preservation project. Our stewardship of this historic building enables our congregation to welcome our Bristol community and members of the wider community into our family to carry out God’s mission of love.
We need your help to finish this project
We still have $111,915 to raise to complete the preservation of our sanctuary windows. Please consider all of the work that our church family undertakes to care for its members and for the wider community — and the role that our church building plays in carrying out that work: the weekly worship, weddings, baptisms, funerals, fellowship events, teaching and other activities by church members that take place in the sanctuary. And please make a donation. A pledge or gift of any size will be gratefully received. We are offering the option of having a personalized memorial plaque installed at the base of any sanctuary window for a donation of $7,500. All gifts toward this project can be paid over a 3-year period.
