Dear Parishioners,

This letter has a twofold purpose:

• Request your intentions for contributions to our General Fund, Paraclete Fund, School Endowment Fund and Capital Improvements Fund for our next fiscal year  (July 1, 2014-June 30, 2015)
• Request your consideration for contributing to a Roof Replacement Fund.

A Financial Intention form that you may complete to indicate your intentions for our four primary church operations and savings funds.  This sheet also has space for you to indicate the contribution you intend to make to our Roof Replacement Fund.  We need to replace the flat roof over our school, youth ministry room, narthex, baptismal area and connecting spaces.  The cost is expected to be $180,000 to $200,000.  (See “Why Replace the Roof Now”)

We have identified several needs in this letter that can only be met with your continued generosity.  Our Finance Council and I hope you understand these needs and will respond accordingly.

Why replace the roof now?

       We have occupied the church/school building since 1989 – 25 years.  The flat roof – approximately 25,000 square feet of roof surface – covering the school and extending down the school/church hall through and including the narthex to the Baptismal Font area is leaking, causing ceiling and wall damage and clean up time after rains and snow melt.

       Some roofing patch work has been performed as needed in the last few years – but we now need to replace the roof surface that has shrunk due to sun damage which caused holes to be stretched into the rubber membrane that forms the water barrier for sealing.

       Other considerations are included in our roofing project such as replacing all the metal protector cap on the outside building walls.  This cap provides protection for the rubber seal as it is laid over the wall top and provides a finished appearance to the building.

       A second consideration is roof insulation.  Once the old roof surface is removed, any damaged insulation will be replaced as needed and a 1.5 inch layer of new insulation will be added to reduce heat loss, providing future savings.

       Finally, the current roof is held in place with 10 pounds per square foot of river rock.  This rock will permanently be removed from the roof – all 125 tons – and disposed of.  The new roof membrane will be glued to the new insulating surface which will be mechanically fastened to the building.  The new surface will shed water faster; be less subject to rock damage and provide a longer, lasting surface – less likely to shrink.  The flat roof of the new facility portion completed in 2010, is similarly constructed.

       The timing for an expense of this magnitude is never good.  We should gain 20 to 25 years of sound roof service with minimum disruption.  The new roof is fully guaranteed for 20 years and in that time frame a whole new roofing solution may become available.