ROCKAWAY BEACH The state of Missouri has found that a Rockaway Beach church is in violation for failing to have a building inspected for asbestos before performing renovation work.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources stated in a letter of warning issued Thursday, Aug. 29, that Bridge of Faith Community Church failed to have a project inspected by a certified asbestos inspector prior to completing a construction project.

DNR Communications Director Gena Terlizzi said because the department was notified after the renovation had taken place, the department was unable to test for asbestos.

There has to be an inspection before any demolition, Terlizzi said.

According to the letter of warning addressed to Bridge of Faith Community Church Pastor Jonathan McGuire, The church renovated the 2,600-square-foot office of a resort at 200 Lake St. in Rockaway Beach, including removal of interior walls. The church failed to have the affected facility or part of the facility where the demolition or renovation operation occurred inspected by a Missouri certified asbestos inspector for the presence of asbestos, including Category I and Category II nonfriable asbestos containing material.

Asbestos, according to the Environmental Protection Agencys website, is associated with health risks such as: lung cancer, mesothelioma a rare form of cancer that is found in the thin lining of the lung, chest and the abdomen and heart and asbestosis a serious progressive, long-term, non-cancer disease of the lungs.

The inspection began on Aug. 6.

The inspection was prompted by a citizens concern reported to this office which alleged that the church did not properly document a demolition project, the letter states.

The DNR letter states that the church made a thrift store from a resort office.

The required asbestos inspection was not performed prior to the renovation, the letter states.

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Rockaway Beach church failed to obtain asbestos inspection before renovations

Church construction 2014
Church facade construction.

By: sogonline

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Church construction 2014 - Video

Star photo byFrank Gale

Our Lady of Mercy Historic Church was built a century ago in Port au Port East.

After a full century, stories about the building of Our Lady of Mercy Historic Church are still being bandied about.

But thats not strange when you have a structure with such historic significance.

Two seniors who live in Port au Port East and whose fathers both volunteered their time in relation to the construction of the church tell stories they heard as young people.

Eleven years was the time required for the construction of the church because of the desire to have a debt-free structure upon its completion. Every able-bodied man or boy old enough to cut wood would dedicate one week of work each year to the church project.

Sylvia Crocker, who is now 81 years of age, remembers her dad Stan OQuinn talking of some of his contributions towards the church. In addition to putting up the cross on top of the church, one of his other duties was picking up and delivering items that came in by train to Stephenville Crossing.

She said her father, who was born in 1900 and was 18 years old at the time, would make the trip on horse and buggy. During one particular stint he was going back and forth picking up the stations of the cross for the church.

These were made of carrara marble and framed with travertine marble and imported from Italy, so it was important cargo.

Crocker said on a particular trip to pick up one of the stations of the cross, Reverend James Joy, the parish priest at the time who was overseeing the church project, decided to go along for the ride to Stephenville Crossing.

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Stories of construction of Our Lady of Mercy Historic Church still alive

The smell of smoke still lingered at the Hilltop United Methodist Church Friday afternoon, and it was clear even from the street that the top of the old, brick building was charred.

But spirits remained high as church leaders focused on how to move forward, and others in the community offered to help in any way they could.

The owner of the James J. Barry Funeral Home across the street offered her building for Sunday services. Workers at the Henry Kauffman Center opened their door to people who normally visit the senior center inside the church for lunch and other activities, said City Councilman Bruce Kraus.

It was a fitting way, some said, to support a church that is much a place for the community to gather as it is a place of worship.

It goes far beyond just being bricks and mortar, Mr. Kraus said.I dont remember a time when I didnt affiliate the Hilltop United Methodist Church with the neighborhood of Allentown.

This year, the church hosted gatherings for the National Night Out, an event aimed at improving the relationship between police and residents. Members of a local Allentown community development group hold meetings there as does the occasional political group, said the Rev. Sue Hutchins.

Councilman Kraus attended a meeting there on best practice for community leaders about a decade ago, when he was first researching whether to run for office.

This church has always had a heart for the community, Rev. Hutchins said.

For Barb Ehrlich, the church holds many memories. She was baptized there and married there. Her children and grandchild were baptized there. And, of course, it was the site of Sunday services.

Another woman stopped by Friday who had been baptized at the church but hadnt been back in a long time.

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Congregation rallies around Allentown church after fire

Quake spells end for 91-year-old building

DEREK FLYNN/FAIRFAX NZ

CHURCH SERVICE: Catholic priest Father Aidan Kay and deacon Richard Booker, outside the earthquake-damaged St Peter Chanel church in Ward, which is to be demolished.

The St Peter Chanel Catholic Church in Ward is scheduled to be demolished today.

Like St Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Seddon, which was demolished on July 27, the Ward church was deemed unsafe after suffering earthquake damage last year.

Simcox Construction had been contracted to do the work, and project manager Paul Scott said the demolition would take about a day.

"We'll do the demolition work on Friday and cart the rubble away on Monday. They [church management] have already taken everything they want out of the church, and we will try to save the roof if we can, but we'll have to see how it goes," he said.

The small red-brick building is 91 years-old and was damaged in the 6.6 earthquake last August, which caused cracks in its tower and water damage from a broken cylinder.

The Catholic congregation has been worshipping at St Peter's Anglican Church since their church was declared unsafe.

- The Marlborough Express

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Church coming down

Construction of a multipurpose facility at Concordia Lutheran church and elementary school was 20 years in the making.

The new $2 million, 18,150-square-foot arena at 4245 Lake Ave. has come at a time when enrollment has grown along with church activities, said Michael Rosin, the schools principal.

We have an existing gym thats a little bit small, Rosin said. Its difficult to accommodate all of the sports teams we have. As a result, some of those practices for students in grades 5 through 8 have ended at 8 p.m. or later.

The new building will provide two additional gyms, one full-sized high school gym and another gym that can be divided into two middle school practice gyms. Play rehearsals may take place in the existing gym, Rosin said, but performances and other events such as outside speakers could see a crowd of up to 1,000 using a combination of bleachers and chairs.

The new stage is 40 feet across, whereas the existing one is 23 feet.

The space will also be used for contemporary worship services. The congregation is 2,000 strong.

Its great for the school and great for our future outreach for our community, said Brian Schlegel, who has three boys in the second, fifth and seventh grades at the school. Schlegel is a basketball coach there, and two years ago there were so many basketball teams that we had to rent space at Speice Fieldhouse.

The enrollment for K-8 grades has jumped from 320 to 368, much of that attributed to the states voucher system, Rosin said. About 180 students receive vouchers, half of which are church members, he said. Tuition of $4,600 a year is paid from 50 percent to 90 percent. The K-8 school could accommodate 450 students, up to 25 a class in kindergarten through eighth grades.

There are currently 415 enrolled at the school, including preschool children.

Church officials expect construction to be completed in May. They broke ground this month on the arena.

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Construction begins on Concordia arena

By Cynthia Bigrigg

Multimedia Journalist

The congregation will be singing praises from their pews by the end of 2015, when the newly rebuilt Grace United Church is set to be unveiled.

Members of the church board gathered on Tuesday afternoon to receive a $12,500 donation from Bexson Construction, which will help alleviate the cost of the $4 million project.

Were taking apart the old church and leaving our existing sanctuary standing, said Alison Weaver, president of the Grace United Church board.

The sanctuary was built in 61 and everything else was built previous to that, so thats whats coming down.

Out with the old means in with the new, and the plans for renovations include a new hall, kitchen, choir rooms, meeting rooms and offices. All of the amenities of the church will be on the same level, making the building accessible to everyone.

The demolition of the old church comes after maintenance issues became too much.

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Grace United Church to receive $4 million facelift

Two Christian congregations and at least 40 Allentown senior citizens were left without a place to gather after a Thursday afternoon fire ripped through the roof of the church where they assemble.

The three-alarm blaze began at 4:14 p.m. while workers were on the roof of the church at 631 E. Warrington Ave., city public safety spokeswoman Sonya Toler said.

Ripley & Sons Construction workers hired by Hilltop United Methodist Church told the Rev. Sue Hutchins that something caught fire while they were working on the roof, she said. Pittsburgh fire Chief Darryl Jones said he had also heard that, but an investigation into the fires cause is ongoing.

Its pretty devastating, but God is bigger than any fire, said Rev. Hutchins, whose congregation, along with Redeemer On The Mount, and the Allentown Senior Citizen Center are housed in the church.

She said she was working in her house next door when she saw burning material falling from the roof. She then helped ensure that those in the senior center were moved to safety and that the roofers were OK.

A third alarm was called by 5:06 p.m. in deference to firefighters safety in Thursdays steamy weather, Ms. Toler said.

Chief Jones said fires in churches can be very difficult to extinguish because of the vaulted ceilings.

Firefighters removed items from the sanctuary that they believed to be of sentimental value to the congregations, such as plaques and items used in religious services, the chief said.

Its a small step, considering the amount of damage, he said.

No one was injured in the fire, Ms. Toler said. A roofer hyperventilated but declined care, she said.

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Fire rips church that was 'heartbeat' of city's Allentown section

Proficient And Skilled Church Construction Project Managers
View more details at http://www.anrdoezrs.net/click-7584677-11670979.

By: Rose Bratton

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Proficient And Skilled Church Construction Project Managers - Video

TURA: In another case of burglary from a Church, miscreants on Monday night broke into the Sacred Heart Church, one of the oldest Catholic Churches in Garo Hills, and made off with a considerable amount of money and also damaged sacred items of worship kept inside the Church.

According to the Sacred Heart Parish Priest, Fr. Theodore T Sangma, the miscreants first entered the store room of the Church and got hold of construction tools including a pick axe and a crowbar which they used to break open the main entrance of the Church.

The thieves then broke open the donation box to get at the cash and offerings kept inside.

The thieves also brought out the tabernacle containing sacred items of Catholic worship which they broke open desecrating the items inside.

A steel almirah containing amplifiers and microphones was also badly damaged when the thieves broke it open. However, nothing inside was taken. The total value of the damage to Church property has been estimated to be around Rs.1.5 lakh.

Meanwhile, the Sacred Heart Church Committee, the Parish priest and others concerned have condemned the incident in the strongest possible terms.

Desecrating the Holy Church and the Holy Articles of Faith has hurt the sentiments of the faithful of this Parish Church community. It is wrong to steal; however desecrating sacred items is a senseless act which is unpardonable, said Fr. Sangma. It may be reminded that earlier the Tura Baptist Church was also burglarized in the same way in which miscreants also damaged several items inside the Church. In that incident the culprits had made off with cash amounting to several thousand rupees which was kept inside the Church.

The Hawakhana Baptist Church and the Goanang Baptist Church have also fallen prey to thieves and were broken into not too long ago and just weeks apart from each other.

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Burglars break into church in Tura