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As phase 1 of the Sanctuary Preservation and Readiness Project, the Bell Tower reconstruction, moves into full swing, we wanted to update you about important developments in planning for phase 2: making the whole sanctuary ready to stand and serve for the next 100 years.
For the past several months, our leadership has been working on key configuration issues for the Sanctuary, a very important aspect being the location of the new world-class tracker organ that will be built by premier organ builder, CB Fisk. A team from Fisk visited us in late January, including those with expertise in organ construction and voicing, acoustics, and liturgical architecture. We learned that the location of the organ would significantly impact the quality of the sound and its liturgical role. As a result, we retained an additional acoustical consulting firm, and working with Fisk we have considered many different organ locations and variations.
As of this writing, we have narrowed the consideration to two locations, each with its own advantages and challenges. One is at the front (east or altar-end) of the church, and the other is at the back (west) end of the church. These options reflect a range of trade-offs as to likely acoustic and liturgical quality, integration with the internal church architecture, and consistency with the historical look and feel of the space. We considered holding a Town Hall meeting before summer to get your feedback on these choices, but we find ourselves a few weeks short of being fully prepared to do this. So, rather than do this in the "down time" of summer when many are away, we are targeting fall for the meeting. We are planning a brief survey after the town hall so we can gather your quantitative feedback. We look forward to seeking your input before a final decision is made about the organ.
We have also decided to use the summer to have Fisk build scale models of both locations. While we have some computer generated renderings of the concepts, the physical models will allow Fisk to hone both designs and will give us all a far better basis for judging these designs and locations. Once we have a clear time-line for the model building, we can firm up a date for the town hall.
We are really excited about how the project is unfolding and about our fund-raising progress!
God's Blessings,
Rev.
Aimée and Tom Mack, Senior Warden and Organ Committee Member
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Capital Campaign Fundraising Reaches 75%!
Matching Gift Fund Inspires Support; Gifts of All Sizes Needed, Appreciated
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The
How Firm Our Foundation campaign continues to generate wonderful success. So far 124 gifts totaling $8.7 million have been received. "We are deeply grateful for everyone's support," said Rev. Aimée. To view the Honor Roll of Donors, which is the list of all who have given thus far, please click on the link below.
The matching gift challenge announced last month has already inspired 41 new gifts. Every dollar committed by July 31 will be matched dollar-for-dollar up to a maximum of $500,000. Another $240,000 is needed to fulfill the match. Remember, all gifts paid over 1 to 5 years qualify for the match!
"If you've been thinking about your gift we encourage you to finalize your commitment soon. Our many campaign volunteers are working diligently to reach the $10 million mark later this summer so we can authorize work on the Sanctuary construction drawings," Aimée explained.
To learn more, please call the Church Office. For anyone ready to make a gift, just click on the link below to open and then print a Statement of Intent form. Gifts of all sizes are needed. Know that the challenge match will double a gift, so please consider supporting the project now.
"Our goal is to achieve giving by every single member of the parish," Aimée noted.
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| Click on the image above to see the latest campaign status report. |
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Amazing Surprise Found Under Cornerstone!
Bell Tower Work On Schedule
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By Chip Nichols
As most everyone hopefully knows by now, our 116-year-old bell is now resting inside the Sanctuary, just beyond the baptistery, along with the cornerstone that was set into its original place in 1900. They will be set back into place in our brand new Bell Tower in September.
Over the past two weeks, teams of workers on scaffolding painstakingly numbered and then removed each and every stone from our historic yet unsafe Tower. They then dug out the boulders that had served as a foundation in preparation for drilling caissons to support the new Tower.
We should be able to reuse about 80 percent of the stones that were carefully carried to the ground, better than budgeted, which gives us a credit to address surprises like the lack of proper framing in the west wall behind the tower and a rusted-out water valve.
Another surprise: beneath the cornerstone was a lead time capsule from 1900 laid by our first Vicar, the Rev. Moore, the contents of which will be presented after services on June 12. More information about this amazing and exciting moment will be revealed in the coming week!
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The tower's capstone is gently removed before every stone was carried to the ground. Each stone's unique number will allow it to be re-used in just the same spot as before!
Below is the Bell Tower on its, well, last leg. |
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No header beam over the door and no continuous wall framing but still hanging in there -- by the grace of God. |
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Check Out Bell Tower
Construction Photo Album
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Click the link below to see behind-the-scenes (or in this case, behind-the-fence) photos of all the work being done to remove and rebuild the Bell Tower. It's amazing!
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Freaky "Flyby" Outside and Inside the Sanctuary!
Check Out This Truly Amazing "View" of the Church Using Lasers
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By Sheri Benninghoven
If you click on the link below you will be able to view (on YouTube) one of the freakiest things you'll ever see. The surveyors hired by Bob Easton, our project architect, had to do a laser scan of the Bell Tower in order to provide the exact dimensions for its reconstruction. On their own dime, since they apparently love to use their scanner technology, the surveyors put their laser scanners all around the entire site and inside the Sanctuary and used this incredible technology to do this "flyby." The images are created by digital scans, not photographs! Check in out.
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The Humphry Family Connects With New Vicar of Montecito
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By Carolyn Kincaid, parishioner and All Saints' archivist
Found in the diary of the Rev. Melville M. Moore, Vicar of Montecito:
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Check out the proper spelling of the donor of the bell: "Humphry." |
"1901, Jan. 18 - On the day of the consecration of the church, Mr. and Mrs. Walter Humphry presented a bell to the church in memory their three daughters. It was received this week and placed in position this date and rung for the first time. It bears the following motto, which is my composition.
O Soul! I ring to warn thee time is fleeting;
I pray thee save thyself by pardon seeking.
Mrs. Humphry died Jan. 9, 1901."
The three daughters, as the bell itself informs us were Ann Alida, who died at age 16, and her two sisters Mary Ellery and Charlotte Elizabeth Maud, both of whom died at age 21. A little research tells us that all three are buried in the Santa Barbara Cemetery (although the surnames are often spelled, incorrectly, "Humphrey"). Their mother died of "pleurisy" and the girls of "consumption." Perhaps all four suffered from
tuberculosis [called "consumption" in earlier times] and had come to Santa Barbara for their health. Whatever their sad history, their lives remind us today that indeed, time is fleeting.
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Just three years before the bell rang out the Rev. Melville M. Moore of Springfield, Missouri had accepted the call to head the Episcopal Mission of Carpinteria and Montecito. The Santa Barbara Morning Press headlined on Nov. 27, 1900, "Dedication of New Church Building," calling the new home of All Saints-by-the-Sea "one of the prettiest little edifices in Southern California . . . partly of stone and partly of the heaviest of timbers . . . . The entrance is crowned by a heavy stone belfry of artistic pattern . . . in which now hangs a handsome 616-pound bell, manufactured in Troy, New York in 1900 by the Meneely Bell Co."
In July 1898 the Rev. Moore had set about constructing a tiny temporary church on the Miramar grounds, an arrangement Moore regarded as short term since he retained almost immediately a well-respected Los Angeles architect, Arthur B. Benton, who had been highly recommended by the Rt. Rev. Joseph Johnson, Bishop of Los Angeles. Work began almost immediately.
As a young man, Rev. Moore had worked as a clerk and bookkeeper before he entered the ministry, and he kept meticulous financial records during the building of his new church, leaving bids and invoices for the entire church construction, debits and credits, beautifully summarized onto one single sheet. Construction time: 10 months. Cost: $2,881.65.
As to the Bell Tower, George Ferguson was paid $358.50 for the stonework; $33 higher than Benton's estimate "due to the original height of wall and tower being carried out" although there had been discussion of shortening them to cut costs. Benton indicated he was sorry for the overrun but was sure "the increased amount of stone in tower and walls will . . . compensate." Cement from Santa Barbara Cement and Lime came to $75.01, hauling stone and sand $117 and lamp black for cement $.30.
And in that stone Bell Tower was mounted the bell, commissioned by Mr. and Mrs. Humphry in memory of their beloved young daughters.
The simple little church, the only building on Eucalyptus Lane, was born. The church was consecrated and the bell pealed forth.
This article was aided by the research of parishioners Patsy Brock and Susan Evans, and friend/project supporter Bonnie Raskin.
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Inscription on the All Saints Bell
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This bell was presented to the
Church of All Saints-by-the-Sea
Montecito Valley, California
on the day of its Consecration
By Mr. Walter Humphry and Wife
To the Glory of God,
and in loving memory of their three only daughters
Ann Alida, age 16
Mary Ellery, aged 21
Charlotte Elizabeth Maud, aged 21
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How to Care for a 116-year-old Bell
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By John Woodward
[Editor's note: John is a noted local historian. He has joined the effort to help All Saints rebuild our Bell Tower, as a friend and a supporter. We are grateful for his advice about how to care for our bell before it is replaced in its new Tower.]
The All Saints bell is in need of a little bit of TLC, but very little. My main concern is with preserving the 116-year-old green patina on the bronze bell itself. I know of horror stories of well-intentioned people polishing the bronze to a bright shine thereby destroying the bell's character as an historical artifact. Of course the shine becomes dull within a few weeks when exposed to the air, especially near the ocean. The whitish bird droppings on the top of the bell can be easily removed with water and a brass brush and, if necessary, with a mild acid solution like vinegar, LimeAway, etc. It probably should be removed because it is alkaline and could permanently discolor the bronze.
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The author, along with parishioner Patsy Brock, examine the bell on the morning it came down from the tower. |
The church should clean the rust off the iron and steel parts that surround the bell. You might consider coating it with a rust inhibitor of some kind. I found that Penetrol works pretty well and is virtually invisible. The main reason to inhibit rusting is to prevent future rust from staining the stonework under it. I also noticed that the wooden bell-wheel has weakened with age and use, and should be reinforced as needed.
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