FELC Expansion - felcexpansion

Status of Giving for the New Carillon System Project:  As previously reported, FELC received an anonymous “challenge grant” donation of $4,500 towards the purchase of the carillon.  We have been blessed to have received donated funds to date of $5,010.  This amount plus the challenge grant donation gives us $9,510 towards the purchase of the carillon and total project costs. However, we do not yet know what will be the final costs for modifications to our new steeple and for purchase/building of a control cabinet.  

We had estimated the carillon purchase price to be approximately $9,000, but this estimate did not include expenses for a cabinet to safely and securely house the carillon controls nor modifications to the church steeple to add a support system for the carillon speakers, electrical wiring, and louvers on the sides of the steeple to project outward the carillon’s bell(s) chiming and hymns.  We will be getting estimates for these costs as soon as possible, but getting these cost estimates will not delay purchase of the carillon nor any part of the expansion project. 

So, how does this impact donations to the carillon project?  You can delay your donations to the carillon project until we know the final steeple modifications and cabinet costs; or you can still donate now.  Any donations over the final costs of the carillon project (including the steeple modifications, and control cabinet costs) will go into our expansion fund.  We will let everyone know as soon as possible what the estimates for these final costs will be and when donations exceed the total carillon project costs.

What’s going to Happen to our Old Church Bell?  The Planning Council also voted to ask Nichols Bethel Methodist Church here in Odenton if they’d like the bell back.  FELC was given the bell in the early 1950’s by Nichols Bethel, as they had used the bell since the early 1920’s (the bell was cast in 1922 by the McShane Foundry of Baltimore for Nichols Bethel).  If Nichols Bethel does not want the bell returned to them, the Planning Council will meet at a later date to decide what to do with the bell.