Caring for Our Buildings

by Thomas Favret, Managing Director of Parish Operations

Summer is often a quieter time at Holy Trinity, but this year our facilities team was busy making important upgrades around the campus. Drawing on reserve funds and working closely with the parish facilities committee, headed by Maureen McAvey, we made some long overdue repairs.

Most visible may have been the scaffolding around the church and Chapel of St. Ignatius. The exterior windows and wood supporting the roofs had not been painted in decades, evidenced by extensive wood rot and peeling paint! The iconic bell tower of the chapel also had serious damage. Week after week, carpenters and painters restored these hallowed buildings to pristine condition, making them fit for another generation.

Our historic church organ, acquired from the Library of Congress, suffered greatly from high humidity during the start of COVID (when windows and doors were opened) and by months of idleness during the pandemic. When the congregation returned, the air handling system struggled to maintain the proper humidity for the organ - while making the church too cold for the congregation to bear. After making a necessary electrical upgrade, we installed a duct heater to maintain proper humidity and temperature, while ensuring the long-term health and magnificent sound of our organ.

The Parish Center and Faber Annex were constructed in 2000, and the aging roofs of both buildings had begun to leak and needed replacement. We took this opportunity to replace the black tar roof material, which absorbs heat, with white thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) roof material that reflects up to 90% of the sun’s rays, significantly reducing the need for air-conditioning. That, coupled with our upcoming solar panels, LED light replacement and other initiatives, make Holy Trinity “greener” than ever!

At the same time, the sacristy and first and second-floor officers received a makeover, with fresh paint and new carpeting.! With these improvements, we continue the work of those before us.

“According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.” 1 Corinthians 3:10