SPECIAL MESSAGE: April 11, 2025
HEAD OVERSEER’S WEEKLY MESSAGE
April 11, 2025
Remembrance of the 40-day Vigil (1981)
Dear Harold,
I hope this letter finds you healthy, well and blessed. I can’t believe it’s been more than four years since I’ve communicated with you in this way. That was for our successful project to repair, renovate and save the Cathedral Church of the Americas at the Red Rock Consecrated Sanctuary from its serious state of deterioration. You should be proud of the fact that between 2019 and 2021, we raised $70,000 for the extensive repairs. Because of your dedication and the dedication of your fellow Brothers and Sisters in The Community, the Cathedral and Monument to Human Spiritual Rights stands strong today and will continue to be a beacon at the Sanctuary for many decades to come.
Over the past few years since the Cathedral Church renovations were completed, we have been busy with several other capital projects. They include a wonderful makeover in late 2021 of the guest apartment in the Chapter House at the Sanctuary, which members of The Community love to use and do so regularly when they visit us. This was a worthwhile investment of about $10,000, which we promised to do after the passing into the Light of our beloved Reverend Mother Carol Ann Crabb; and it has turned out to be a very positive addition to the Sanctuary.
In the Fall of 2023, the old roof at Steamboat Hot Springs was completely replaced with a brand new one to the tune of just under $103,000. (The Winter of 2022/2023 was so extreme, the old roof was leaking like a sieve.) And this year, also at the hot springs, we are renovating a new events space which will be used for both public and private functions. However, the largest projects over the past three years (2022 – 2024) have been at the Rectory-Abbey and the Rectory-Abbey East Wing. Major improvements included an entire exterior reconstruction of the East Wing, including tear down and rebuilding of both the east and west sunrooms – quite an undertaking! In addition, the main kitchen of the Rectory-Abbey, which has served The Community so well over the past 50 years for so many auspicious and happy events, underwent a complete remodel, as well. The investment at these two important Church properties was $440,000.
As you can see, we have been making significant investments to our buildings and facilities. However, it is important for me to emphasize to you that all of these major projects and improvements were able to be made due to the very generous donations of only three individual persons – one, an outside donor; the other, a patron of the hot springs; and finally, one of the Church’s very important guilds. Without this support, these endeavors would have been much harder to accomplish and may not have been able to be realized at all at this time. We certainly are grateful to them.
The next phase of improvement and investment is the Chancellery and Chapel of the Holy Child. Over the past several years, multiple repairs have been made to the Chapel roof, including the replacement of several skylights. This has cost us in the neighborhood of $18,000. Last year, we purchased and installed a new air conditioning unit for the Chapel; and this Winter, we were forced to replace the old furnace for the main Chancellery offices. These two items cost approximately $16,000. You also may remember that in 2020, we experienced a major plumbing issue that affected the entire 1940s era building costing about $20,000. As these show, upkeep on aging buildings is a major task.
Now I need to ask for your help as our funding sources have been exhausted. The Community purchased the Chancellery building in 1979. That was the last time upgrades were made to the ladies’ and men’s restrooms – 46 years ago! It’s definitely time to remodel these two facilities, especially the ladies’ room. It is also important to make one of them ADA compliant (handicapped accessible). Additionally, we also need to repair the concrete steps at the front of the building which date from the 1960s. These three renovations – the two restrooms and the front steps – will cost about $50,000. And that’s what we need to raise. (A fourth renovation to the upstairs kitchen will have to wait.) I am enclosing a photo sheet, so you can see the need to remodel the areas I’ve
mentioned.
Once again, I am asking everyone in The Community to make a pledge towards this project. On the enclosed pledge form, you will see several ways to spread your contribution out over time – even over 18 months if necessary. I am personally asking you to make as generous a contribution as you can. If you will do that, I am confident we will be able to meet our goal. (Work on the front steps has already been completed.) Please remember that the Chancellery and the Chapel of the Holy Child are the public face of our Church Community in downtown Reno, and that our beautiful Chapel conveys something very special and unique to all who visit it, including blessings.
If I may answer any questions or concerns of yours, or if you’d like to personally discuss your pledge or these improvements to the Chancellery with me directly, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. I thank you always for your support, and I look forward to completing these meaningful improvements this year with your help. They will make a wonderful addition in time for next year’s Community Convocation.
(Click the button at the bottom of this message to bring up the pledge form)
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| Chancellery Washroom Ladies | Chancellery Washroom Ladies |
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| Chancellery Men’s Washroom | Chancellery Men’s Washroom |
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| Chancellery front steps (before repair) | Chancellery front steps (before repair) |
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