As you may know, the Vestry of All Saints Church has been preparing for a major project to renew our 1920s heating system, and to replace some of the now badly corroded 1920s metal window frames in the nave, for some time. As you may also know, events have rather overtaken us in that there has been a serious leak from one of the large-bore water pipes under the floor of the nave. The leak was caused by a split in one of the original 1920s cast iron pipes which had become badly corroded. We have been advised that, even if a repair could be carried out in such a difficult location, the likelihood of the remedial work causing further breaks in the corroded pipework is very high.
It seems we have little option but to bring forward the replacement of the heating system. Almost three years ago, the Vestry commissioned Christopher Dunphy Ecclesiastical Limited to undertake a survey and produce a report and quotation. This they did and, in the last fortnight, have produced a revised figure. The Vestry was minded to commission Dunphy, once we had raised sufficient funding for the whole project (windows included), to renew the heating system. The company, which undertakes nothing but church heating systems, undertook a similar, though considerably larger, project in our cathedral in Perth some three years ago.
Although they are fully committed from this autumn onwards, Dunphy could undertake the work early this summer, due to a cancellation. Moreover, they can offer us an 8% discount on the revised quotation if we find ourselves able to commission the work before the end of May. The cost of their work would be in the region of £63,000, to which we need to add further sums for the provision of a new gas supply and also the removal of some asbestos from our existing boiler.
Clearly, we have to do something before the autumn and the return of the colder weather. The Vestry has decided that we must go ahead as soon as possible, and wishes to commission Dunphy to carry out the work. Which brings us to the question of money and the reason for writing this letter to the congregation.
The Vestry is examining various sources of funding, not least from grant-making bodies of various kinds. Inevitably, this process is very slow and we need to be able to commit ourselves to substantial expenditure now. The current financial situation is the worst possible time to be doing this: in common with everyone else, the church's reserves have fallen considerably in value during the past months. However, we face the stark choice of trying to undertake this now or being without heating next winter.
The Vestry has decided therefore to ask the congregation if individuals would be prepared to make donations or interest-free loans to the church for the purpose of renewing the heating system. We would ask you to consider this matter carefully, and email jpm2(at)st-andrews.ac.uk, if you feel you might be able to help. Any loans would, of course, be formally agreed; we have taken advice on the precise nature of any agreement.
This is a lot to ask, the Vestry is well aware of that, but the circumstances are very particular and time, unfortunately, is of the essence.
Professor Edmund Robertson Fr Jonathan Mason Professor Philip Winn
People's Warden Rector Rector's Warden