As a congregation, we recognize the value of having our pastor live in the Manse. Before the Vamos-Thomas family joined our church family in 2005, many volunteers spent hundreds of hours stripping, repainting and doing minor repairs to the Manse. It became clear at that time that the now 100-year-old Manse needed significant work from the foundation to the rafters to make it structurally sound and suitable for the needs of a modern family.
This renovation, which was completed in 2010, modernized the kitchen and existing bathroom, added a bathroom and closet space, replaced the rotted siding shingles, installed new energy efficient windows, built a new deck, and installed drains and pumps to waterproof the basement.
Below Peter Gibson, member of our congregation, shares reflections on growing up in a Manse that needed repairs, and his enthusiasm for addressing this need through the capital campaign.
“Two distinct memories were not as positive, and are the reasons I am writing this missive. The first was how the manse was cared for: Though the manse was virtually a public place–we were constantly entertaining the choir, staff and fellow parishioners–it was always given the lowest priority when it came to budget time. In my child’s mind, I remember how our kitchen and some other parts of our home needed desperate attention. This was a constant source of (minor) irritation for us as a family. We always felt the church needed to be a steward of all of its property, including the manse–yet this was not the case. I remember how overjoyed my parents were when the kitchen was finally remodeled.
“The second memory came after my dad retired and the new pastors were installed. They chose not to live in the manse–deciding they wanted their own home where they had control of maintenance and upkeep and could fully reap the benefits of ownership. The manse was converted into office space. Converting a home to office space and bringing it up to code for such use is a messy (and ugly) project. Enclosed stairwells, fireproof doors, and emergency lighting destroyed a beautiful Victorian home. I’d hate to see that happen to our manse. I’d also hate to see the manse neglected to the point that it became an unappealing place for our minister and his/her family to live. You might visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manse for a brief description of the word manse! Of the many important needs to be addressed by the campaign, the one that excites Margie and me the most is the renovation of the manse.”
If you have any questions about the campaign, please contact Jeanne Aicher or Jeff Vamos in the church office or one of the co-chairs for the campaign: – Bill Haines or Tom Wilfrid. (Wendy Simpson is temporarily out of town.)
