What work is happening?  
Our 115-year old church needs a new roof! The roof dates from the late 1940s. It’s leaking and causing water damage both inside and outside the church. We’re going to replace the roof, clean the brownstone exterior and make necessary repairs to the floor structure. This much-needed work will preserve our church for generations to come. 

How will this affect our church life?
During this project, we’ll need to close the church building and move all worship and other church activities to different spaces. Our weekly worship schedule will remain the same but take place in the Parish Hall. Our staff has been kept up to date during planning so they’re able to prepare for all our usual activities to happen in the spaces we have available to us. We hope to see continued participation from our church community in weekly worship, ministry meetings and events during this time. 

We’ll set up extensive signage so everyone – newcomers and longtimers alike – can easily navigate the campus and know where services are located. We’ll also update you frequently in person and online.

When will this renovation work take place?
We expect to start the renovation work in early June 2023. While construction project timelines can extend for unforeseeable reasons, we hope to return to worship inside the church in time for the start of the program year.

Why now?
Our church building is a grand old lady – more than 100 years old! – so this kind of repair and maintenance work is to be expected. We’ve been watching the condition of the roof and stone slowly deteriorate for some time, knowing repair would be a big project. The decline accelerated over the past couple of years, but the pandemic and leadership transitions prevented any significant action. This fall, the impact on the church interior became more visible, and occasions of water dripping inside the church during heavy rains made it clear that we couldn’t wait any longer. 

Why are we installing a slate roof?
Historical research indicates the church originally had a slate roof. That roof would have been removed in the late 1940’s (about the same time that the Parish House was built) and replaced with the current asbestos shingles, which means our 115-year old church has only had two roofs in its lifetime. We are returning to a slate roof because it restores one element of our historic church and because it is the most sustainable choice. Well-maintained slate roofs generally last 80-100 years – as opposed to the 20-30 year cycle of asphalt shingle roofs that are replaced and landfilled. This slate roof is a declaration of our faith in the future of our church and a commitment to our downtown location.

Do I need to worry about the asbestos abatement?
No. We’re working with experienced asbestos abatement contractors, and there is no danger to staff, churchgoers, neighbors or passers-by. It will be safe to be near the construction area, and staff will continue working on site during the week. No abatement work will happen on Sundays. 

Knowing asbestos was present in the roof shingles, we had the entire building surveyed. We found asbestos in church and Parish House roof shingles, in the breezeway roof, and in floor tiles in the sacristy. Asbestos was commonly used in the mid-20th century as a fire retardant and can be damaging to the lungs if inhaled. But none of the found materials are easily airborne, so they aren’t a risk as they remain in place. All these materials will be properly removed and disposed of according to an abatement plan developed by the roofer, environmental engineers and an abatement contractor. The primary concern is for the health and safety of the crew, who will be protected and monitored as work proceeds. The church’s interior will be protected from dirt, dust and debris falling from the ceiling, and the air inside the church will be circulated through specialized HEPA filters during the roofing. And once all the work is complete, the church will be thoroughly cleaned before we return.

Why aren’t you doing any work inside the church?
When we first looked into the project and realized that we would need to close the church for an extended period of time, we thought it would be best to do interior renovations (plaster repair, new paint, refinished floors, etc.) at the same time. However, once the Finance Committee had studied all the available funding options, it was clear that the best path forward this summer is to fund the roof project out of our short-term investment pool and that there are not sufficient funds to include interior work at this time. The roof cannot wait, and we commit to continuing the planning for interior improvements over the next year and completing them as soon as possible. 

As it happens, there are three benefits to phasing the project. First, the closure of the church this summer will not extend into the fall and disrupt the academic year programming. Second, we will have ample time for planning and parish conversations about the scope of interior renovations to ensure that long-desired items like acoustic and accessibility improvements are included. Third, additional funding sources like private donations and grant funds can be pursued.

How is the renovation being funded? 
The Finance Committee researched several funding options, including paying for the whole project out of the endowment; financing options; and drawing down reserve funds. They have recommended that the roofing portion this project be paid for out of our short-term investment pool. Current financing terms are not favorable, and it will be less expensive in the long run to use the funds we have available on hand.

Much of the money in the short-term investment comes from an unrestricted gift donated by an anonymous parishioner in their will in 2021. The donor indicated that the money should be used for whatever St. Philip’s needed most, and clearly the roof is an urgent need. We are so grateful for their generosity.

The Finance Committee recommendations include reducing the project scope to only the most necessary work, not withdrawing more than $675,000 out of the short-term investment pool, and protecting our emergency operating fund and endowment principal. Unfortunately, the necessary work adds up to a project budget of $875,000, leaving a funding gap of $200,000. We are turning to the parish community to help bridge the gap. All of the vestry members have committed to contributing, and we ask that you prayerfully consider how much you can donate.

Where will I park?

We’ll rely on the Queen Street Parish Hall entrance for worship and formation activities, so you’ll likely find it convenient to park in the new Queen Street parking deck or the DHHS parking lot across the street from the new deck. We’ll still have some parking available in our lot, but some of the lot will be used for construction staging (parking vehicles and equipment, storing pallets of slates, etc.). 

Will the Garden Close and Columbarium be open?

The Columbarium will be fully available for the duration of the project. There may be times when access to the Garden Close is restricted or only portions of the space are available, but we’ll use it whenever possible.

Additionally, parts of the church may be surrounded by construction fencing and/or scaffolding at times during the project. However, safe walkways will be clearly marked, and the work site will not be active on Sundays.

Where do parishioners go with questions and concerns? 

We aim to be fully transparent with this project, and we welcome your questions and comments! First, bring questions and concerns to the 10 a.m. Adult Forum on Sunday, April 30. We’ll discuss the project in detail and have plenty of time for questions.

And if you have questions or concerns at any time, please reach out to Liz Sappenfield, Junior Warden at juniorwarden@stphilipsdurham.org, or approach her at church. 

How can I offer help to support this work? 

Your active church participation is the best support. We know that closing the church for construction will be inconvenient, but we believe the gains ultimately will be worth the temporary sacrifice. With patience and flexibility, we can navigate this time together.