Wonderful Blessing of Outdoor Projects Completion

UCE is now even more welcoming! The Capital Campaign Implementation Committee has been working for about a year planning a series of projects to make our church building and grounds more safe, accessible, welcoming and beautiful. Rev. Eileen led a meaningful and fun Blessing Service September 2nd at our front door…all while keeping physically distant. Everyone really enjoyed coming together for a service, since it has been 6 months since our last service at the church.

We had drumming led by Alicia Hempfling, we sang familiar songs, gave appreciation and gifts for all of the hard work put into these projects… and even a little celebratory dancing. Adam Gough made sure that if people wanted to stay in their car they could hear everything through their car radio (very cool –right?). Members also enjoyed the Blessing Service standing by their cars and in the garden.

Projects Blessed

We completed:

Installing new storm sewers under the parking lot
Ripping up and laying new asphalt in the parking lot
Striping and laying car stops on the lot
Cleaning up the landscaping around the lot and the north garden/sidewalk area
Designing and laying a brand new sidewalk to enter off Greenwood, so you don’t have to walk through the parking lot

Lots of landscaping work to create a new pollinator garden, surround the new sidewalk with grass and gravel borders and clean up the bushes
Repaired parking lot lighting and added new lights along the sidewalk
Added large white flower pots at the front door for beauty and protection

People To Thank

Sandra Robinson and Greg Grabowski were the project leads on most of these projects spending thousands of hours planning, deciding and overseeing to make sure every detail was taken care of well and budgetarily responsible. Janelle Brittain generally oversaw everything, while Vickie Doebele tracked our spending. Sandy Danforth, also on the CCIC team, has been busy working on the indoor projects which we’ll hear about more later. And not to be forgotten are our two blessed souls who were on the committee from the start: Ann Peterson and John LaPlante. Ann was instrumental on the Capital Campaign, the Feasibility Study and the beginning of the Implementation work. John also worked on the Capital Campaign and the early stages of the committee. The north sidewalk was a passion project for him.

What a wonderful experience the Outside Projects Blessing Service was!