Reclaim this Church!

What you see is what you get...and what you don't see is what you get.  Oh, and there were things left behind? Well, you might get those things too!

Those were the pictures that the real estate agent had taken for the sales listing of the church. What you see is what we got.  

There were many things not pictured....

Oh, and there is much more. Those things not pictured, lucky us, we also got. (I've not taken a picture of the kitchen yet, but can you see the glimpse of the pink counter tops by that lovely avocado green refrigerator?)

While the church was in a transitional title state this past August, a film company used the location for some shooting of a television series that might be picked up later this year. There were quite a few items left behind.  Two wonderful neighbors and I consolidated props that were scattered in the basement and main area of the church...

We really did not want to get those things too!~ Thankfully, 2 weeks after we closed on the building, the director made 2 trips with a truck to remove most of the items and yours truly took a huge load of trash to the dump (another great neighbor insisted on helping me collect that trash, claiming it was therapy!)

The most therapeutic and exciting part for me so far has been prying down the 2 dividing walls that were put in the main area of the sanctuary when the former owner ran his screen printing and embroidery business in the building.  We aren't done yet, but tearing down part of the walls has been quite rewarding for 2 teens, myself and my mom.  Guess what was found inside one of the walls - a whole 20 cents!~ Yes, we get that too - now added to the broken window fund.

 (The window you can see all the way through the 2 walls is above the original baptismal tub. Neighborhood hot tub anyone? Yikes!~)

My main man wants to tear down the upper part of the walls, hoping in minimize any potential ceiling damage.  He has been over the top busy with his real job, but once he digs into this, I know that he will think it is therapy too!~

We are making some "reclaim this church" progress and we will all be excited to see more light!~

The Adventure Begins

The day we closed on the church, my main man, husband, partner in life and all of its adventures, was out of town. Tony was in Texas.  I was bummed, as I had a plan for our first day of this adventure we'd been given.  It had been raining all day, which was a perfect backdrop, but alas, my plan would have to wait for a few days.

The day Tony returned home it just so happened to be another full day of rain.  A perfect setting for what I had in mind, but not so great for all of the trick or treaters who were going to be running from house to house in it.  Tony arrived home that day to find only our daughters to greet him.  They immediately insisted that he come with them, just up the hill.

As they entered one of the three entrances, one daughter made a comment about the wiggly square post topper that would need to be secured.  She took time to make sure that Tony realized the true wiggly-ness of it. 

Candle lit lanterns from our wedding a few moons ago lit the stairs...

As Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra sang away on Pandora, Tony and the girls walked up the stairs leading to... (did I say that we have an adventure on our hands? Broken windows, left behind film company props, former owner's stuff and all?) ....

And so a new adventure begins. Broken windows and all!~  

 

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Side notes:  

First and last photo were not taken on that rainy day.

Tony's all time favorite movie was the perfect inspiration.

Signage creation credit goes to my talented oldest daughter.

Jones soda purchase credit goes to my peppy youngest daughter.

Decision to purchase a church, truly a God thing.  Read here.
Purchase decision not related to our adventurous son graduating from the Bible Division of Cornerstone University, but isn't that cool too?

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Just in case you are wondering, stories of ripping up carpet, tearing down walls and sanding wood floors are sure to follow as time goes on.

PS.  The wooden cart used for our prop has quite a story too. Thank you to my friend who entrusted it to us for safe keeping. It has changed hands a few times and it's history could possibly be as long as that of the church itself.