News - St Isan Roof Revival
The much needed project to restore the roof is about preserving St Isan Parish Church as a heritage building, making it sustainable, preserving its history and breathing new life into our beautiful Church to reach its full potential.
This will enable us to open our doors to the community as a vibrant, welcoming and interesting place to worship and visit.
Before the work began
On a cold and damp Sunday morning we were greeted with a sad realisation that the roof was leaking and where there should have been people sitting there was buckets and bowls catching the rain!!!!!
Checking out the damage
On further investigation by an inspection of the roof the source of the problem was revealed to our shock and horror.
Preparation
The organ has been sealed in plastic to protect it from dirt dust and rain water but never fear our faithful and resourceful organist Karl will not let us down and has managed to sit behind an opening in the plastic protection despite adversity and plays sealed behind the plastic protection – amazing. What a man!!!!
The work begins, 28th August 2018
The scaffolding is up and away we are hoping the late summer weather will continue and most of all hoping we will beat the rainy season. But we will have to wait and see.
A new way of storing the choirs robes
Hey let’s hope this doesn’t catch on!!!! Always thought pews were for people. Unfortunately, because the organ and the pipes at the back of the organ had been sealed for protection the Choirs Robes were also sealed up!!!! So after the first Sunday when the Choir sang at the 10:30am service in their smart casual gear the Robes were retrieved from the protective plastic and the organ pipes resealed. But never fear the Robes have got a new home and the Choir are back singing better than ever all robed up!!!
A working daytime look
Trials & tribulations
Oh dear Storm Callum came with vengeance on 11th & 12th October and caused our beautiful Church to be torn to shreds with copious amounts of dust, disorder and water water every where. Even the defenceless hymn and prayer books came under attack. As can be see the bookcase is empty and drying out.
Three times in fact down the walls it runs such a terrible sight and shame to see. But alas we are assured this area of the roof is now water tight hurray !!!!
Even the organ didn’t escape Storm Callum with water managing to get into the ‘chest’ of the organs rendering it unplayable. Fortunately a week later and after an independent organ specialist has investigated the condition of the organ 50% of the organ is working again but the other 50% will need to be repaired. Fingers crossed it all works out and we will have our beautiful Church and organ better than ever before the works began.
The contractors came on Friday morning and repaired the damage and batten down the hatches and installed a drier/de-humidifier. Our trusty Verger Marilyn has worked tirelessly cleaning, drying , vacuuming and anything else that was needed to protect our Church and reduce the damage. So now onward and upward to get the ‘Roof Revival’ completed before anymore bad weather dares to darken our doors.
The work continues
No sooner said than done here are the workers on the roof. The new replacement boards are going down soon the roof will be water tight.
On our way
Will you just look at the beautiful apex cross. We will have the best roof in Llanishen. Can’t wait to see the two of these new crosses back up on the roof where they belong in their place of honour on the apex . Just wonderful.
First World War Centenary
Despite the roof works still taking place and the many times the rain water has entered the church building we would not be beaten and our WW1 display still went ahead.
A very colourful display of Flanders Field prepared by the children of Messy Church for the WW1 Commemoration Display in St Isan which took place for 2 weeks 29th October to 11th November 2018.
Indeed this was one of the most commented upon and popular of the many wonderful displays and memorabilia provided by parishioners and friends.
The event was a huge success with 273 visitors recorded in the visitors book coming into the church over the 2 week period. In addition not all visitors were recorded in the visitors book and the numerous services held during the period were also well attended boosting visitor numbers even higher.
The Armistice Cantata on 7th November audience numbered at least 150 and the Remembrance Sunday service had a congregation of about 125.
On Wednesday 7th November the winners of the National Lottery Best Educational Project 2018 performed their wonderful Armistice Cantata in St Isan Church.
The pupils of Thornhill Primary School wrote a 30-minute musical marking the war in a production called Armistice Cantata.
The Church was packed with extra seating brought in to accommodate the huge audience. We were treated to a wonderful, heartfelt, passionate and enthusiastic performance by these very talented children.
I don’t think there was a dry eye in the audience it was a real privilege to be there and see and feel the children’s passion and enthusiasm reaching the audience. A truly outstanding performance.
The completed work
