June 18, 2020
Dear Fellow Residents and Supporters of The Chapel on Eagles Bluff:
Recently, the Covid 19 pandemic has interrupted work and communications. Nevertheless, our volunteers have been busy. Jan Cook has led establishing a Facebook page (just search on FB and request to join). Our website is up and working. Also, we’ve developed a database of residents and interested supporters. With a lot of new residents to the area, we may be missing some. If you know of anyone who needs to be added, have them send an email to [email protected] and request to be added to future communications.
Most importantly, this major disruption of normalcy has not delayed the construction of the Chapel. With brick and stonework winding down, we are on a path to having the Chapel available for prayer, worship, and contemplation soon, as our Mission states. Beautiful stained-glass windows (generously donated by our builder, Trent Williams) have been installed but covered for protection for now. A steeple will be installed before long. We urge you to visit some afternoon after the workers have finished (safety first) to see the progress up close.
Committees are working on plans for the Prayer Garden, furnishings, and potential activities as well as continuing the fundraising. On that note, we have been blessed by the generosity of many. We have reached about 80% of our goal for the funding of the building, the Prayer Garden, furnishings, and equipment. We need to continue our fundraising. We still will need to acquire about 150 chairs to use in the sanctuary, the library/meeting room, and elsewhere. We will have expenses for maintenance of the building, facilities, and grounds. We do want to acknowledge the work of Wallace Hibbard who is volunteering his tractor and time to help us maintain the lot.
The generosity of Steve and Cheryl Plybon and the LLC provided us with land adequate for the Chapel and for the adjacent Prayer Garden that is part of the overall plan. Landscaping around the Chapel and throughout the Prayer Garden will offer opportunities for contributions one can make to honor or memorialize a loved one. We are planning a brick pathway with 4-inch X 8-inch engraved bricks which can be purchased for the Chapel Garden for $200 each. There are likely to be some marble slates, benches and, in a later phase, constructing the Stations of the Cross. There will be opportunities for honorary and memorial contributions associated with these as they develop in the plan.
We have had cash, land, and stock contributions as well as donations for the steeple, the bell/chime system, a guest speaker fund, and memorial/honor funds. A number of Bibles have been donated. We have received donations for bookshelves and books for the library/meeting room. We have also established a way for donors to be set up for regular or one time ACH Debit payments. Attached you will find a page that outlines a list of the current ways one can contribute to this effort.
Cordially,
The Chapel on Eagles Bluff
