Project LLCER Building

It's A Wonderful Time of the Year - The Christmas season is such a wonderful, joyous season. A time for the Sunday school Christmas program, Christmas services, Christmas parties, family gatherings, entertaining visiting guests, traveling to visit family in far off locations, and other enjoyable events. Throw in a wedding or two, since family will be in town for the holidays, and you have a pretty slow season for making progress on building a church with volunteer labor. So, without much building activity there has not been a lot for the chronicler to report, which makes for a great time for the chronicler to take in the Sunday school Christmas program, attend Christmas services, take in a Christmas party or two and entertain family visiting from afar. In all, a very pleasant and enjoyable couple of weeks, even if I did not attend any weddings. Some Progress -  Despite the labor shortage, there was still some progress. On a very cold evening before Christmas a few hearty souls work...

Merry Christmas

Twenty Below Zero - Saturday morning I got the following text from Bob saying, "Don't know if you've gotten the memo but no work at the church today". I think the high temp for the day was minus 10. Well, I was hoping to get out to the job site Saturday, but with the weather so cold I was not sad to stay home by the fireplace. I did hear later that both Bob and Sam were there, and Sam told me on Sunday that a few more hearty souls also ventured out. By Monday it was in the twenties above zero. So I made the trek Monday evening. We also received a fresh snow job before the sub-zero temps moved in so the building actually looks quite pretty. Maybe we should hang a wreath on the door for Christmas. I took the above photo when we first arrived. I took the one at left just before I left. Note the photographers shadow stretching all the way to the door. The shadow is caused by the car approaching the photographer from behind. Needless to say I hastened my exit. New Heat -  ...

December 10 - Insulating Above the Ceiling The big event on Saturday was blowing fiberglass above the newly installed ceiling panels. The first target was to pile up twelve inches of the blown in material. Later I understand that fourteen inches was the new goal. This picture shows the fluffy stuff piled up like blown snow, but much warmer and not subject to melting. The red lines are not molten lava coming from a volcano but rather are laser marks delineating the desired depth. I did not stick my nose topside but Eric, who was among two or three others manning the business end of the hose, sent this picture to me. The raw material comes in plastic wrapped bales. The bales are cut open and the fiberglass insulation is stuffed into a barrel. One guy cuts open bales and adds material to the barrel while another one shoves it down the throat of the hungry auger residing at the bottom, trying to stimulate a gag reflex action. The auger digests the material so fast that it immediately passe...

Heat - We who live in Minnesota can be pretty certain that winter will come and bring in some rather cool weather. This fall has been amazingly mild which allowed the roof to be completed and the windows installed before the cold stuff rolled in. All of which is very good.  Not quite so good was snow followed by very warm days which caused a very muddy approach to the church. Now winter is flexing its muscles and Canada has been very generously exporting brisk refreshing breezes this way. Which is good because now the 'driveway' from the road to the church is again solid. As in frozen solid. Now it is easy to drive on. Foam was added above the sheeting on the ceiling. Randy blew foam over the flat ceiling and the south half of the sanctuary ceiling. I think the building would be nice and cozy if it had some heat added. I asked Bob on couple of occasions recently when will the heater would be connected and working. He replied, "It is in negotiation." Well, apparently t...