According to Ken Ortiz of OBI Deconstruction, we are right on schedule.  It’s actually going faster than I anticipated.  As planned, the entire sanctuary has been gutted down to the studs.  It looks and feels like one of the hay barns I used to play in when I was a child.  Workers have started to remove the wood floors.  There is so much wood!

Our trainees have been present every day on time and they are still enthusiastic–quite the accomplishment considering how dirty the work has been.  There is nothing more insidious than plaster dust!  The 95 degree heat only made it worse.  I’m so glad they have a long weekend–no work on Labor Day.

Up next week:  26th Ward alderman, Roberto Maldonado, will visit the project and meet the trainees on Tuesday, September 6, at 2:30 pm.  Watch our flickr.com page for pictures.

Honestly, there have been more than a few moments over the last week when I thought, “Did we make the right decision to deconstruct our building?”  Yeah, it’s ‘green’ and it’s providing training for jobs in deconstruction, but  our church building is going to be gone!

But yesterday, I received a confirmation that God has led us in making the right decision.   God saw something we couldn’t see.  We knew the foundation on the north side of the building was eroding.  We knew there was a hole that had developed where the 1901 building and the 1904 building were joined.  That hole had become the front door for the squirrels who had taken up residence in the attic.  What we couldn’t see until we took out the ceiling and investigated the rafters was that the 1901 building and the 1904 addition are pulling apart!

So, if we had proceeded with repairs to the building, we would have had structural problems later on that would have required thousands of dollars more and–get this!–would have required deconstructing a portion of the ceiling!

We made the right decision.  And God who has led us safe thus far will safely lead us home.  Amen!

The first week of deconstruction has concluded and it is amazing what has been accomplished.  Half of the ceiling wood has been removed, the choir loft, baptistry and the platform are gone, a third of the walls no longer have plaster or lath, and the fellowship room is filled with wood of various widths and lengths awaiting transport to the Rebuilding Exchange or storage for future use.

Our deconstruction trainees have filled the dumpster, removed nails from the wood taken from the ceiling and walls, organized the wood by length in preparation for transport and learned how to preserve tongue and groove wood.  The project supervisors have said that we are currently salvaging about 80% of the materials.  As the trainees improve their skills, it will likely go up to 90%

We thank God that everyone has been safe during the work with the exception of a few blisters.  The rain on Tuesday and the heat on Wednesday was a physical challenge, but everyone recovered and is standing on the Word, “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”  Needless to say, all the trainees were happy to see the weekend arrive so their bodies could recuperate.

The work will begin again on Monday, August 29.  The forecast calls for cooler temperatures and dry.  Thank you, Lord.

After worship service on August 21, a number of us went into the church building to see what it looked like now that the stained glass windows were removed.  Where there had been a golden glow thanks to the amber and yellow panes, there were gaping holes covered with paneling that had been ripped from the basement walls.  It was difficult–sadder than expected.  The sanctuary seemed empty–dead. It was as if the life was gone.  Someone made the comment, “What was hallowed ground is now hollowed ground.”

However, one window remained–the large window depicting Jesus praying in the garden.  Jesus was praying, “Take this cup from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”  Jesus was facing his own “deconstruction”, yet he knew he had to proceed.  He was confident that God had led him to this point, but he struggled with going forward.  That’s how we’re feeling: Knowing this is where God has led us and yet struggling to take the final step.  Standing there in the hollowed place, we felt that Jesus was praying for us.  We are not abandoned.  Jesus came through his “deconstruction” by God’s mighty power.  We will too.

Starting Monday, August 22, 2011, the process of deconstructing the Kimball Avenue Church begins. Sometimes, the process is known as “reverse construction”. IT IS NOT DEMOLITION. The building is not trash. The building is resource. It is not destined for the landfill. It is destined to be used in new construction and alternative uses. Over the next 55 days, the building will be taken apart piece by piece. Some materials will be saved for our own future use. Most materials will be sold through the non-profit organization, The Rebuilding Exchange. Some materials like plaster will end up in a dumpster. But only about 10% of the total materials will end up in landfill. This fits with our church’s values to be environmentally responsible and care for God’s good creation.

 
The work of deconstruction will be performed by OBI Deconstruction. However, 12 of the workers will be men from the community that are currently unemployed. Over the project, they will receive training in deconstruction. At the end, they will receive a certificate which could potentially lead to employment with a deconstruction company. The loss of our building is actually becoming a gift of hope and security for these men and their families. We believe that’s what Jesus would want.

Throughout this process, we’ll post pictures, share memories and report how God is at work in this project.  We’ll also post pictures at www.flickr.com/kimballavenuechurch.  We invite your comments and appreciate your prayers.

Join us on this journey and watch how God will turn difficulty to blessing.