Many of you have noticed over the past year that Sunday services have often been downright humid and uncomfortable. Temperatures have been difficult to regulate in our sanctuary, meeting spaces, offices, choir room, and sacristies, leaving them stuffy and inhospitable. The culprit is our HVAC system (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), specifically, the chiller, which is well past its expiration date. The situation is unsustainable, and the issue is critical. The current chiller will fail within the year if it is not replaced.
Over the last several months, St. John’s Vestry, Property Commission, Finance Committee, and your clergy, have done their due diligence and prayerfully discerned a way forward. You can see it outlined below.
St. John’s clergy, and our HVAC Project Committee Chairs Mary Byrd and Ramsay Sims, are asking for your financial support to keep our sanctuary and campus welcoming and cool as we continue to do God’s ministry and work at St. John’s.
Our financial goal to accomplish this critical work is $1.5 million. We recognize this is a significant goal, slightly more than our budget for an entire year of pledged giving. There are many ways to accomplish this, through cash, checks, IRA distributions, charitable funds, or stock gifts. You can give easily by clicking the button below.
Our shared life together at St. John’s is a source of continual joy. Help us to “keep cool” as we steward our beloved grounds into the next generation of faithful life and service.
For more information, please view Fr. Lonnie’s January 21, 2024 sermon where he explains the need for the HVAC replacement on our YouTube Channel by clicking here.
UPDATE AUGUST 29, 2024: Work on the HVAC will begin this Tuesday, Sept. 3 at 8 AM. Our contractor, Rippee Construction, will be onsite every day (Mon.-Fri.). No work is currently planned for the weekends. The handicapped drive and ramp will remain available for all to use during the week and on Sundays. A temporary chiller will be in place and our church and campus will have air throughout the construction process. Thankfully, the overall timeline has been reduced with substantial completion occurring in Nov. 2024. Please see the updated timeline below:
Tues. 9/3: HVAC Construction begins
Fri. 9/20: Temporary Chiller will be delivered
Mon. 9/23: Transfer to Temporary Chiller
Wed. 9/25: Old Chiller removed, and new Chiller installed
Thurs. 10/17: Begin Installation of the new DOAS
Mon. 11/11: Substantial Completion
UPDATE JULY 3, 2024: During the last few months, contractors were interviewed and submitted bids. A bid submitted by Rippee Construction was selected. They have given us an installation timeline which you can view below. Pre-construction work has already begun and a new chiller will be shipped on July 29.
Please note, while the new chiller will be up and running on October 8, it will still be in the construction phase. The work should be substantially complete on October 25, 2024 with DOAS work substantially complete by January 24, 2025.
During this time, all care will be taken and measures will be in place to ensure ongoing church operations.