Down to the Floors!

Part of the crew getting ready for the big rush...

Looking out into the hallways...

My co-workers looking as tired as I did!

Prayer breakfast members...

More members who attended.

Roger stopped by to check on the progress!

Grinding that ole concrete...

Vacuuming...

Prepping the floors...

Bathroom drains prepped...

Old stairwell stoop being worked on...

Buffing the floors...

Painting the floors...2nd coat!

Slick and clear look!

Attention has now moved down towards the floors...that's the update on where the CFA rebuild is at the moment!

Last Wednesday we worked hard on figuring out the cabinets and appliances for our church kitchen and also nursery areas. Excited at what the Lord led us to order...great deals!

Then on Friday it was a chance for me to work up at Conseco Fieldhouse for the State High School Wrestling Championships. It was a long night but it gave me the opportunity to raise some money for my son's fair share in the marching band. Remember last summer...it was many nights at Victory Field during Indian's games. This past weekend I sold everything from chicken tenders to hot dogs to hamburgers to onion rings to popcorn to...you name it, we sold it.

Saturday I took some valuable time to spend it with my lovely wife. Great time with a great woman. What an incredible lady God has blessed me with!! We laughed, we toured open houses, we dodged snow flakes and we did some shopping!

Sunday was our 100% Day! It is a day set aside for everyone to give God our best in worship, attendance and giving. Special guest David Delp challenged us to seek the righteousness of God. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled! It was an awesome service with people pressing in to God for more...

Monday was an extremely busy day in the office. I was pulled in all directions that day...lots of rebuild items on the agenda.

Tuesday was staff meeting and preparations for our Adult Bible Study & Prayer Meeting. We started a new study in the Book of John. Good group last night!

Today was a chance to attend one of our prayer breakfasts that is led by Ron & Sandy Horton. Nineteen people jammed into the tables at Denny's. Always a great time to gather with our people and call upon the name of the Lord.

Right now attention in the rebuild is focused on the flooring. Late last week work began on our epoxy floor surfacing and painting. The concrete floors were prepped and filled with epoxy in the cracks and crevices. Then a coat of paint. Next another coat of paint with plastic colored chips sprinkled in. The last coat is a clear coat to top it all off. Basement floors are looking 1000% better than we found them after the Flood of '08!!

Next, work will begin upstairs in the rooms that get VCT tiling. Workers should have that wrapped up in the next day or two. Also, one room in the toddler area will get some carpeting but the rest will have to wait until the bulk of the carpet arrives in Indy the 2nd week of March.

Painters have been painting and some other work has been completed by our contractors. Little by little...we get closer to one of our goals: Reclaiming our spacious regional worship center for the glory of God!

Visit our church website: www.columbusfirstassembly.org

Donations to help us rebuild DEBT FREE can be made through our online giving feature.

God keep you strong and filled with Holy Spirit's power to accomplish His will for your life.

Love to all!

My...How time flies!

Installing ceiling vents...

Ceiling grid and vent lines...

Basement classroom...

Another basement classroom...

An expandable double classroom...

One of the toughest frames to install...

...reinstalling upper office cabinets...

Bathroom door frames in...

Looking toward the toddler wing...

My lovely wife and daughter...plus my brother and his family!

Just came through a busy week of ministry here at our church. Wow...what a week!

One of our dear senior saints went to be with the Lord recently. Betty Darnall and her entire family have been a strong part of this church for a long time. She was quickly promoted to her eternal reward.

Preparations for the memorial service took place during the week with the service in our church on Friday morning. Family members led with the hymn and worship celebration. A former pastor, Rev. Truman Smith, participated in the service with me. Several children courageously rose up and called Mom "blessed." And I was privileged to lead this gathering and preach her funeral.

Following the interment, family and friends gathered for a wonderful funeral dinner in our fellowship hall. Our ladies were awesome! Considering we still don't have a kitchen (as a result of the flood), it was an amazing feat they carried out. So proud of our ladies!!

Then on Friday night it was my date night with Tammy. We enjoyed a lovely evening together. First, dinner...then out for a little "window shopping!" Been quite a while since we've been able to get out together. I love my wife!

Later on Friday my younger brother and his family stopped by our home on his trip back to Ohio. Mark and Kim are associate pastors in Lima, Ohio. The last time they visited us their daughter was only about 6 or 7 weeks old. As she now gets ready to turn 3, she is tearing it up in the vocabulary department. Are you smarter than this 3 year old??

On Sunday morning there was a special anointing for that service. I was led to minister on the subject of "Holiness" and God burned this word into the hearts of his people. Strong times of seeking God around the altars followed. "Lord, you're holy...and we recognize that our righteousness is as filthy rags. Apply your precious blood on the doors of our heart and wash us clean!" You can access this message @ columbusfirstassembly.org!

Sunday night we conducted our Annual Business Meeting for members and attenders of CFA. Reports, elections, flood updates and lots of financial information was shared. A ton of work to prepare for this meeting!

Monday was catch up day and prepare for a Board Meeting that night.

Tuesday was staff meeting day and prepare for the Bible Study that evening...since we can't meet on the regular mid-week day of Wednesday due to the flood.

Today was spent on all the details for the commercial appliances and cabinets that are to go in our kitchen and also nursery. You would be amazed at the level of accuracy that was needed for measuring upper and lower cabinets, space for appliances (and door swings), dishwasher, sink, pass through food window, etc. One thing unique about our church kitchen: I don't think there is one level wall in the entire space...lots of angles and uneven spots. But after it was all said and done (plus after I worked to secure all our discounts and special deals!!), we made the order and secured our items!!

Guess what tomorrow is?? MY DAY OFF! Hope to wind down and slow the pace down a bit. However, I must start the day off by meeting my basement flooring contractors as they get started on the epoxy floor surfacing. Gonna look sweet when they get 'er all done!!

Not as many picture updates as last week. Not as many sub-contractors on the job as the week before...but we still saw some great progress. Mostly installing door frames, a little painting, some electrical work and also installing ceiling and floor vents for the HVAC.

Please keep our church in prayer as we continue to "reclaim our regional worship center" for the glory of God!

Special donations to our "Flood Fund" would be deeply appreciated:

http://www.columbusfirstassembly.org/

Much love to all!

Light and Wind!

Bath before...

Bath now!

Painting that ugly mechanical room...

Door frames going in...

Work team for our drop ceilings...

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Snow last week...

Today!

What a difference one week makes. Since my last post on Feb.4th there has been considerable progress on our church rebuild.

In case you are wondering, we are now 8 months and 4 days in counting since the Flood of 2008 that struck our church!

Last Wednesday we had snow on the ground. Now the snow and ice have given way to warmer temperatures. We've reached up around 60 degrees...thank the Lord! So good to see the brown, dead grass once again! Today our electricity went out at the church several times with the whipping winds that drove through our community...

We experienced a great weekend here @ CFA. Sunday was a powerful day of ministry. Began with a fiery prayer team praying for the morning service. Felt strongly impressed to preach a message entitled, "God's Stimulus Plan." With everything that the U.S. Government is trying to do to stimulate our recessionary economy we needed to hear the points of God's amazing stimulus plan. To listen to this message online visit our website: www.columbusfirstassembly.org

Work is moving nicely on our church rebuild project. Electricians have been installing all the ceiling lights, emergency exit lights, etc. The lighted rooms and hallways look so bright and cheery now...what an awesome difference! Painters have been feverishly painting to keep up with the rest of the projects that are going on. A team of workers have been steadily installing drop ceilings room by room by room. Contractors have been installing door frames and trim. Plus we recently walled in two areas in the basement. Networking for our church internet communications system has been recently installed for the toddler wing, back office, library, fellowship hall and basement.

Pictures will show before and after shots to reveal the amount of work that has been completed. With all that has been done we still have a long ways to go before we can consider this FLOOD REBUILD PROJECT done!

We still pray for God to help us DEDICATE this regional worship center on June 7th DEBT FREE! If you can help us visit our website to donate online:
www.columbusfirstassembly.org

Thanks for holding up our hands as we continue to press forward in reclaiming our ministry center for the glory of God!

Love to all.