Our old pre-renovation 1980s-style storefront sanctuary, complete with two-toned, grubby carpet and warping drop-ceiling tiles.
While doing some repair work above the ceiling tiles, it's discovered that we have had a vintage, arched ceiling and classic bow trusses...and it gives us an idea...
"...Let's remove the drop ceiling and reveal the hidden beauty of the original building!"
...It's hard work, and quite dirty!
But once it's exposed, even with wires and boards strung about willy-nilly, we can immediately see its potential!
The old, ratty carpet was removed (and we discovered painted on the floor signs that we occupied what used to be a bicycle shop!)
One of the most exciting features is the classic, depression-era brickwork that lay just behind the drywall.
We began to remove the drywall and expose the bricks, and it also revealed some old vintage windows which we didn't know were still there.
We'll probably do something more interesting with them in the future, but for now, we needed to cover them back up.
Our newly-gutted, stripped-down sanctuary, ready for a bit of paint, lipstick and rouge, and some new furnishings!
Below: Some composite shots of our new, improved, and "restored" sanctuary. With a lot of hard work and elbow grease, it's gone from a functional but dreary sitting space, to a warm, inviting and classy worship center! We are so pleased with the results, and we invite you to come and join us!
