The New Chancel

Shiloh Church is growing into its newly expanded chancel. We suspected that it would take some time for members and friends to explore the vast array of possibilities that the new chancel affords us. I am pleased to say that Shiloh is investigating some of those opportunities in creative and imaginative ways.

 

This week, on Tuesday and Wednesday, volunteers will gather in the sanctuary to begin the process of Christmas decoration. The process promises to be a bit of trial and error. Because of the expanded chancel, the decorations will not be the same as they have been for the past decades. Worship Committee has been working hard to plan for the changes, and has a couple of possibilities. None of us will be certain just how it will all come together, however, until we actually get in there and begin hanging the greens.

 

As planning has progressed for the Christmas Musical, presented at both 10:30 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, December 9, Shiloh's Music Director, Mark Barnhill, has been working at ways to fit the entire production to our new chancel. Because of the 12' extension in the rear, and 4' expansion in in front, we are fairly confident that the entire production will be presented from the chancel. There should be no need to move chairs or place part of the production on the floor.

 

Shiloh members and friends may have noticed that the chancel expansion project has included a new lift. The lift resides on the left side of the chancel, as one faces the front, behind the piano. It is barely visible, unless one walks to the side of the chancel and notices the mechanism. With the inclusion of the lift, the project is now complete.

 

Shiloh is fortunate to have had the ability to have done a vast majority of the work itself, relying on staff and volunteer labor. While we ran considerably over budget, the project would have cost us at least $54,000 more, had we not been able to rely on doing the labor ourselves.

 

As I have been saying frequently, way to go Shiloh!