Chestertown church focuses on rebuilding

Posted: Sunday, March 25, 2012 2:02 pm | Updated: 2:07 pm, Fri Mar 23, 2012.

Work is under way to restore the Chestertown Seventh-Day Adventist Church on Kent Street, which was damaged by fire Feb. 21.

Kevin McDaniel, pastor of the church, said on Monday that demolition of "the burned stuff" was nearly complete. Damaged materials, including the flooring and subflooring of the sanctuary, have been removed from the building. The interior is being dried out, and the contractors are dealing with water damage and mold.

The next step, McDaniel said, is removal and replacement of the roof, which he expected to take place in about a week. He said the main contractor, Paul Davis Restoration, will be using a local subcontractor for the trusses, at the church's request. "We want to include as many local services and contractors as possible" in the work, he said, to support local workers and keep money in the community.

McDaniel offered a "guess-timation" of about eight months for the work to be completed, depending on the many variables that affect construction work. The repairs will include a complete updating of the electrical work; he said the church's insurance policy covers bringing it up to code. Also, he said, this will be an opportunity to replace the building's "old beast" of a heating plant.

Structurally, the church's walls survived the fire in good shape. McDaniel said they were inspected twice, the second time by an inspector who worked on the Pentagon after the Sept. 11 attack on that building. "The walls are fine," he said.

McDaniel said once the building is ready for use, the congregation plans a "grand reopening and thanks to the community." He said he was "overwhelmed by the good people and the good community" in their response to the church's need.

He said the church had received "lots of good offers" of alternate sites to hold services while the building is being repaired. After consideration, the congregation elected to use its church school building in Sudlersville, in part because the rent money can help the school.

McDaniel said the community's donations to help with rebuilding had been "great," but more are always welcome. Donations may be sent to the Chestertown Church Rebuilding Fund, Chesapeake Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists, 6600 Martin Road, Columbia MD 21044. For more information, call 410-995-1910 or see http://www.ccos da.org.

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Chestertown church focuses on rebuilding