News
Angels Update
Over the weekend, people may have noticed the orange cones at the back of the church.
What’s happening? About a week ago, the property committee noticed a crack in the angel next to the baptistry about where a clavicle would be. After examination with binoculars and a few photographs, it was obvious that the seams on the angel were separating.
Is this a structural problem? The short answer is no. St. Paul’s is a modern building in that the structure is steel. All the woodwork we see on the arches and the ceiling is decorative cladding. The angels are basically sleeves that slip over a steel support. The building itself is not going anywhere.
And what about the angels? The angels comprise six different components – the head and shoulders. the torso including the hands, two high wings, and two lower wings including the forearms. All of this is joined by glue, nails, and dowels. The angels are showing stress at these joints. The one on the south side that was blocked off especially shows stress at the joint between head and torso.
What are we doing about it? Monday morning saw a lift on site. We were able to see the damage up close and take a series of photographs. Four angels that showed particular stress have been stabilized with nylon web belts. While others are showing the same condition, they seem to be relatively stable.
What happens next? The property committee will look closely at the photos and other documentation to develop a plan to address the situation. We will likely need to engage an expert in historic woodwork restoration. Fortunately, there are ample resources in our area. More updates will follow.
