LDC - how are projects going in your area

[DarinS]

Just wondering how LDC is going throughout the country / world??

 

we are back to Covid Level 4 - and wearing masks outdoors also….(it was only indoors for a month or 2)

 

and I really wanted to give props to the All-girl crew that did some fantastic concrete prep today….in 90+ degree weather

we pour Friday…small pad, long sidewalk, dumpster pad ..stairwell…building Entry area and a large site entry that will be stamped and stained

 

8-9 sisters (from 20-60+yrs old)

 …dug…formed…footers-jack hammer-compactor…pick axe-staked and framed..squared & leveled…expansion joint..tied rebar & built rebar mesh matt ….laser  leveled  and cleaned up

 

I stood around and watched….lol

 

I think this is the first time …in decades….I’ve ever seen an entire Concrete project or feature completed/prepped entirely by sisters

And tomorrow they will be pouring leveling finishing and stamping the concrete

 

The army of sisters is a joy to watch in their service to Jehovah

[Esined]

Amazing! Any updates? I would love to join LDC so I love reading this. 

[jwhess]

Our congregation has a complete replacement of our 3 HVAC units on Nov 10 & 11 next month.  I have a couple of skills in LDC one of which is HVAC.  The project oversight is with a brother who I have known in the business (as well as the Truth) for decades.  His father (also a brother) and I worked together for many years.

 

I have looked forward to this project for many years.  But now, I can only work on the first day because the LDC scheduled it during our Circuit Pioneer Day on the 11th.  The Assembly Hall where the Pioneers meet is close to 2 hours away.  My daughter (a pioneer) has a part and has to be there an hour early.  She is driving so we will be leaving before 7 am.  I wanted to work on the project both days but it is not to be.

 

 

[BLEmom]

We are having the roof replaced at our hall this week but they are using an outside company to do. 

[Qapla]

We had a "major remodel" planned before COVID. It got put on hold for two years. When regulations started to ease the LDC advised us that our project would be put back on the schedule. However, with the recent increased demand for LDC activity in the wake of hurricane Ian, I expect to hear that our project is back on hold.

 

 

[DarinS]

We had a local maintenance day - this Saturday @ 1:00  …

we also had 20 folks head to Naples Florida for DRC/Stabilization (for the weekend) 

Seen 2-3 hubs running on west coast (Florida)

Ft Myers / Cape Coral  /Naples

transitioning from local support and local DR to full DRC hubs

Heard informally 5200 folks were displaced 

Those I personally saw … some friends had 2’ of water in their home

…many thoughts and prayers to those dealing with these disasters

[WestBro]

We have an approved project to air-condition our Kingdom Hall.

 

According to the LDC, we are on schedule, but we have some KHs in the region in need of urgent renovations, so we are still waiting, we can't wait to start this project, the climate here continues to heat up.

[cme]

On 10/18/2022 at 9:34 AM, BLEmom said:

We are having the roof replaced at our hall this week but they are using an outside company to do. 

 

Yep.  Same here.

[jwhess]

Thursday and Friday we are replacing 3 Heating AC units.  Last week we poured some concrete for pads for these units.

 

I am skilled in HVAC and this is my Kingdom Hall.  But I am able to help Thursday only.  On Friday we have the Circuit Pioneer Meeting 2 hrs away at the assembly. hall.

[MullumMiss]

One of the Kingdom Halls in our area had a major renovation started pre covid then halted due to covid.  It was about 3/4 completed.  A couple of months ago it was started up again.  I am going to work for 2 weeks starting next Monday, on the painting team.  It should be completed shortly.  2 congregations use it and since in person meetings resumed, due to travel issues one of those congregations has continued all meetings on Zoom.  They are really looking forward to getting back to the  Kingdom Hall.  Plus this hall never had air conditioning and now finally has it.  I live in the town closest to this hall and many locals thought we halted the renovation due to running out of money.  Funny how people think.  I was at one time in the congregation that met there and not having air conditioning was horrible as we live in a sub tropical area the heat/humidity made meetings very uncomfortable.  In summer the brothers never wore jackets on the platform etc.  

[Michał]

We installed tv screens and removed old projector yesterday.

 

Decided by LDC, assembled by local brothers, made out of love to Jehovah. 
 

 

[Sequoia]

As many of you know two of the Kingdom Halls in the Olympia, Lacey area in Washington state, burned down from arson and others in the area were targeted.  One of the Kingdom Halls that burned down is being rebuilt and it's almost ready.  It will begin being used in January.🙂

Edited November 27, 2022 by Sequoia

[WestBro]

Last weekend we had maintenance on our KH.

 

The main objective was the ceiling. We cleaned the lining inside, replaced the burnt out light bulbs, replaced the faulty speakers, and the sisters finished leaving the ceiling shining (after so many handprints 😄)

 

It was great to receive instructions from the LDC to carry out this work safely and efficiently.

[Parale]

On 11/27/2022 at 5:38 PM, Sequoia said:

As many of you know two of the Kingdom Halls in the Olympia, Lacey area in Washington state, burned down from arson and others in the area were targeted.  One of the Kingdom Halls that burned down is being rebuilt and it's almost ready.  It will begin being used in January.🙂

 

 

 

September 2022: Jehovah’s Witnesses work to rebuild Olympia Kingdom Hall after 2018 arson attack

Via The Olympian - Tuesday 27 September 2022

 

Jehovah’s Witnesses from across the region have volunteered to help rebuild an Olympia Kingdom Hall that burned down in a 2018 arson attack. Volunteers broke ground on the project at the building’s original site at 2225 Cain Road SE on Aug. 23.

 

About 200 volunteers between 18 and 72 years old had contributed about 2,000 hours of work as of Friday, said public communications representative Manuel Torres.

 

https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article266246056.html

 

 

 

 

September 2022: Jehovah's Witness congregants working on rebuilding Olympia church destroyed in 2018 arson

Via KING-TV (channel 5) - Friday 23 September 2022

 

 

https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/jehovas-witnesses-rebuild-church-after-fire-olympia/281-da0239a1-bf76-49ab-b916-0e52948cd749

 

 

 

 

 

January 2023: Volunteers finish Jehovah's Witness hall rebuild years after fire destroyed last building

Via KOMO-TV (channel 4) - Monday 16 January 2023

 

Click the link to see the two minute TV news segment.

 

 

Sunday marked the first service for hundreds at their new Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Thurston County after the previous building burned down in 2018.

 

The reunion was four and a half years in the making, involving about 1,000 volunteers to rebuild.

 

In total, it took an estimated 32,000 volunteer hours to rebuild the new Olympia site.

 

“We had over 1,000 volunteers from nine states. Over half of those volunteers were women from 17 to over 80,” Regional Spokesman David Keegan added.

 

https://komonews.com/news-brief-newsletter/volunteers-complete-kingdom-hall-rebuild-jehovahs-witness-arson-fire-burn-mikey-diamond-starrett-michael-jason-layes-olympia-tumwater-yelm-thurston-county-building-justice-case-worship-congregation-law-enforcement-prayer

Edited January 16, 2023 by Parale

[Parale]

Front page picture article in today's The Olympian, Tuesday 17 January 2023.

 

 

https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article271171037.html

 

 

 

 

Edited January 17, 2023 by Parale

[Parale]

The Olympian has now uploaded a short video to their website today -  Tuesday 17 January 2023 - showing the congregation inside the Kingdom Hall and enjoying their first meeting in their rebuilt Kingdom Hall!... Remember to turn the sound UP

 

 

https://www.theolympian.com/news/local/article271284262.html

Edited January 17, 2023 by Parale

[Parale]

In Augusta, Kansas, USA, from today's Times-Gazette newspaper, on page A6....

 

 

 

Construction on Augusta, Kansas Place of Worship Exceeds Safety Workplace Standards

 

Butler County Times-Gazette, Saturday 20 January 2023, page A6

 

Jeremy Patrick, owner of a small construction business in Newton, Kansas, is joining other unpaid volunteers from across the state to remodel the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Augusta, Kansas.

 

“And safety is always a priority,” he said. “Secular companies say ‘safety first,’ but they don’t really identify the hazards,” Patrick said. “But at Kingdom Hall projects, we split into separate crews each morning where we discuss the possible safety hazards of the job we’re about to do and how we can prevent them. Safety really becomes a mindset in how we approach our work.”

 

Work at the Augusta Kingdom Hall project started in November 2022 and is scheduled for a safe completion at the end of February 2023.

 

https://www.butlercountytimesgazette.com/2023/01/20/construction-on-augusta-kansas-place-of-worship-exceeds-safety-workplace-standards/

Edited January 21, 2023 by Parale

[Parale]

From Port Clements, British Columbia, Canada:

 

Volunteers make quick work on new Jehovah’s Witnesses build in Port Clements

 

The Northern View, Tuesday 24 January 2023

 

Construction is well underway on a new place of worship for Jehovah’s Witnesses.

 

The new Kingdom Hall is being built on May Ave. in Port Clements and Correia estimates it will cost $435,000. The money to pay for it was raised entirely through voluntary donations rather than through collections or tithing (a practice where congregants are expected to give a prescribed amount of money on a regular basis), Correia said.

 

The project is expected to be completed by mid-March. Volunteers began working on the structure Jan. 3 after pouring the foundation in December 2022.

 

It is anticipated more than 100 people from across the country will volunteer to be part of the construction crew. Already people have travelled from Vancouver and Edmonton on their own dime to help.

 

 

The existing Kingdom Hall in Masset was built in 1976. “This new Kingdom Hall, both the size and the location, will better suit the needs of the community of Jehovah’s Witnesses there,” Correia said. The new building in Port Clements will be more central and accessible to congregation members who live at the south end of the island, in comparison to the existing meeting location in Masset, which is at the northern tip of the island, he said. It will be slightly smaller than the previous building but will offer more current amenities and features.

 

https://www.thenorthernview.com/news/volunteers-make-quick-work-on-new-jehovahs-witnesses-build-in-port-clements/

[Parale]

From Great Abaco Island, Bahamas:

 

Jehovah’s Witnesses dedicate Kingdom Hall

 

The Nassau Guardian, Thursday 12 January 2023

 

“Today feels like a piece of paradise,” said Swain of Dundas Town, Abaco, who was one of the 175 people to attend the dedication service.

 

The new Kingdom Hall, which can now accommodate 115 people at capacity, a 25-seat increase, was filled to capacity. A tent had to be erected as an overflow space to accommodate everyone in attendance, including Witnesses who flew in from overseas for the occasion. Another 245 families connected over Zoom for the event.

 

“The roof is rated to withstand 200 miles per hour winds. The glass door and windows are rated to withstand 200 miles per hour winds. The foundation anchors, holding the walls down to the foundation at about two feet apart. The uplift is top-notch, because of all the additional hurricane straps installed at two feet apart, tying the roof structure to the walls,” said Ritchie Eyma, Jehovah’s Witnesses public communications representative, United States (US) branch.

 

The new Kingdom Hall was rebuilt on the site of the previous 27-year-old structure that had been built in 1992 and that had been completely destroyed. After the passage of Hurricane Dorian in September 2019, the only thing left standing was the concrete slab.

 

https://thenassauguardian.com/jehovahs-witnesses-dedicate-kingdom-hall/

[Parale]

From Great Abaco Island, Bahamas:

 

Rebuilt Kingdom Hall Dedicated in the Bahamas

 

Jw.org, Thursday 26 January 2023

 

On January 7, 2023, Brother Mark Sanderson, a member of the Governing Body, dedicated a rebuilt Kingdom Hall on Great Abaco Island in the Bahamas. The Kingdom Hall had been destroyed by Hurricane Dorian in September 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic halted work on the Kingdom Hall just three weeks before it was scheduled to be completed in March 2020. Construction volunteers returned in 2021 to finish the project.

 

The hurricane-resistant building is the only Kingdom Hall on the island and is home to 49 publishers in two congregations, an English-speaking congregation and a Haitian Creole-speaking congregation. There were 175 in attendance for the dedication program and another 167 virtual connections.

 

https://www.jw.org/en/news/jw/region/bahamas/Rebuilt-Kingdom-Hall-Dedicated-in-the-Bahamas/

[Parale]

From Montego Bay, Jamaica:

 

Dedication of the Kingdom Hall at Providence Heights, Montego Bay, Jamaica, with Luther Georges

 

Saturday 15 October 2022

 

Currently used by the Queens Drive and Providence Congregations. The first 70 minutes comprises local background and interviews etc. The Dedication Talk - from 1:17:00 - is given by Luther Georges from the Wallkill Bethel, NY. Luther and his wife, Shirrell, served at the Jamaica Bethel from 1995 to 2014.

 

 

Luther Georges: Does Jehovah Recognize You? (from the 151st Gilead Graduation)

• https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/VODPgmEvtGilead/pub-jwb-091_9_VIDEO

 

Shirrell Georges: Interview (from the 2020 Annual Meeting - 5:55 to 10:30)

• https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/VODPgmEvtAnnMtg/pub-jwb_202101_10_VIDEO

[DarinS]

Since you mentioned grand Abaco….

here are some picture before — PINK …post storm ….and after rebuild Blue

it was mostly rebuilt …walls - roof plumbing, windows and doors before Covid…but we were sent home before it was completed

 

not supposed to show the during…..but think this shows you a little of the Storm  damage and restoration 

Edited January 28, 2023 by DarinS

[Parale]

5 minutes ago, DarinS said:

here are some picture

 

Cool, thanks.

 

The newspaper report indicates that the seating capacity was increased by 28%, from 90 seats to 115 seats. But the building looks very similiar size? (On the same concrete base?) How did they manage to increase the number of seats? The chairs in your picture look quite generous in width? Or maybe they are narrower, from front to back, instead?

[Parale]

From Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA:

 

There was already a KH building at the address from at least 2007, and up to as late as May 2019, so the existing KH must've been pulled down and rebuilt? Wonder why??

 

Jehovah’s Witnesses Host Open House In Chattanooga Feb. 4

 

chattanoogan.com, Monday 30 January 2023

 

Jehovah’s Witnesses invite Chattanooga residents to an open house on Saturday, Feb. 4 at their newest Kingdom Hall in the city at 3741 Carl White Place in Chattanooga.

Visitors will be invited to tour the new meeting facility and watch a slideshow covering highlights of the construction project. Informational banners will showcase the educational and construction activities of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide, and volunteers will be on hand to answer questions.

"We are so excited to make this special effort to invite our neighbors to visit our community’s Kingdom Hall and learn how we will use this building as a center for Bible education," said Tim Weaver, local spokesperson for Jehovah's Witnesses in Tennessee. "This building is evidence of our care for our neighbors, our community and our environment.”

 

https://www.chattanoogan.com/2023/1/30/463327/Jehovahs-Witnesses-Host-Open-House.aspx

 

 

 

Trivia: One of the old Chattanooga KHs was sold-off, converted into a house, and was featured on HGTV's You Live in What?

[Qapla]

I have been on a number of total remodel/rebuilds where the old building was demolished for some reason. Sometimes the new KH is built on the old slab or in the exact same spot, sometimes it is moved to another spot on the same property.