Keep a look out here for updates!

Each week on Saturdays at Noon there will be a brief guided tour of our progress. If you would like to see what is happening or are just curious this will be your only opportunity to do so as the building will be closed to the public!  No stops in, no peeking the head in, etc…   Progress tours will begin in front of the rectory on Saturdays throughout the project at noon and will be guided.  No late additions allowed.

What is being renovated?

Upgrade of the lighting:

We are upgrading lighting so you can see better and so the Church won’t be so dark.  The upgrades will include necessary electrical improvements as well as lighting of the statues, the main ceiling, the stations of the cross, and general improvement in the quality and volume of light within the Church.

Replace the drop ceiling: 

We are replacing the tiles in the drop ceiling around the perimeter of the Church (NOT the beautiful wood ceiling in the main part of the Church).  The ceiling we are putting in will allow us to add air conditioning ductwork at a later date and improve the beauty of the Church.

New Pews: 

We are replacing the pews of the Church as many of them are scratched and worn and in need of repair.  We initially explored refinishing and repairing the pews but discovered the most cost-effective way to move forward was to actually replace them with a harder wood that would last longer.  A great example of this is the pews at St. Mary’s in Rollinsford which are over one hundred years old and still look great, or the pews at Holy Trinity which are the same age as the ones at St. Martin but in superior shape. Softer woods scratch easier, chip, etc.… and thus need to be refinished often.  The cost of refinishing pews is almost 70% of the cost of replacing them.  Replace now, refinish less in the future, save much more in the long run!  So that is our plan!  Invest, Save, Sustain!

Replacing the Carpeting: 

The current carpet in St. Martin is 20 years old.  It is hard to believe!  It has held up well, but it is time to be replaced.  The replacement floor will not be carpet, but rather porcelain tile and hardwood.  The tile will be throughout the main body of the Church.  The hardwood will be used for the stairs into the sanctuary, and sacristy will receive new carpeting.  The switch to tile and wood will not only improve the beauty of the Church it will also save us money in the long run.  The porcelain tile will last well over 50 years and will be a huge long-term savings for the parish.  Much as when we repaved the parking lot, our emphasis is on doing things the right way and to last!  This of course requires a larger initial investment, but it brings with it a long-term savings.  A great example of investing wisely for the long term is the green missalettes we use each weekend for the readings and hymns.  Several years ago, we decided to invest $15,000 in purchasing the permanent missalettes for our three churches.  We spent more money to get the good ones, instead of the old disposable ones.  By doing so we now save $10,000 every year by not having to buy hundreds of disposable missalettes for each of our three churches, several times every year.  The long-term investment was greater, but the long-term savings made it worthwhile!