Stewardship has taken a state-of-the-art approach at Washington Street Baptist Church in Winnsboro.
John Fish, chairman of the building and grounds committee, has helped lead efforts to refinish the church’s dome as well as the building’s vents, flashing, and side molding.
The new approach was prompted by two factors-economics and demographics.
For an aging congregation, the committee wanted to explore options other than having a dome repainted twice within a 10 year period, as had been the case recently.
While reading the Baptist Courier, Fish came across an ad for a company that used an acrylic, high build finish with a ceramic microsphere additive.
He learned that the coating had heat and UV light reflective capabilities. It offers a thicker, more solid content than paint, is stain resistant and can be cleaned off by rainfall.
Convinced the idea had merit, the five member church committee entertained bids from Rhino company as well as traditional painters.
After researching those references thoroughly and reading at www.thelastcoat.com, the committee made the proposal to the church board of directors that this new surface be used over traditional paint.
The congregation approved and the project was undertaken.
They eventually chose the Elasticoat option because it cost about 1.5 times more than a traditional paint job but provided the surface with a 25-year warranty.
Adam Calder’s Charolotte-based Elasticoat company had done work on other churches in the Carolinas including First Baptist in Monroe, N.C. as well as a Baptist church in Wateree.
The company’s experience with working on churches as well as historic buildings and residential structures was a major factor that prompted the church’s choice, according to Fish.
According to Calder, the church’s coating will save five to six paint jobs over the course of the project but it costs less than twice what a typical painter would charge. The church members are excited about the coating, according to Fish.
Fish is no stranger to building improvements at the facility, which is over 100 years old. His five person committee is charged with overseeing maintenance, water, air conditioning and other remodeling.
They undertook remodeling efforts last year removing the church’s organ and inserting beautiful stained glass where the instrument speakers used to be.
In recent years, the sanctuary roof was changed from a slate roof to a shingled roof and false beams with steel rods were inserted to correct a structural problem caused by the slate roof’s excessive weight.
They also did some remodeling in the front of the sanctuary in 2011, adding speakers and expanding the stage so it works better with their youth praise band. Those are efforts that approximately 250 member church is eager to share with the community.
“Come in on Sunday to check out the indoor redecorating as well,“ Fish said. “Come on by and stay a while and we’ll make it feel like home.” Washington Street Baptist has services Sunday evenings and Wednesday evenings as well.
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