Heritage Lutheran Church - Apple Valley - February 28, 2011

 A cyclone fence protects the site from intruders.

 The community has been very supportive of the congregation in this time of unsettled uncertainty.

President Chan Smith advises the congregation of ongoing details of the building collapse situation.

Pastor Anderson provided this account in a February 27, 2011 e-mail:
"For the first time since the Feb 4 collapse, the congregation was given 
permission to use the sanctuary for Sunday worship. The sanctuary still
looks pretty rough. The carpet on the center aisle and chancel platform
had been removed and were still bare. The altar, lectern, and pulpit
stood stark and bare, the paraments having been taken away for cleaning
and pressing. The various potted plants from the entry way were
relocated to the sanctuary to keep them out of harms' way.

The church organ is still off-site for repair. For musical accompaniment
we had only the small electric keyboard from the kindergarten room.
Although we had permission to use the sanctuary, the new main entry way
is still off limits, so no one was permitted beyond the doorway of the
sanctuary to the entry hall. Entrance and exit were through the doors on
the altar end of the building.

Still we were happy to be back in our sanctuary. It represented a move
in the right direction. We had a pretty decent attendance for a cold
winter day- 52 in early service and 75 in the later service.


We expect that demolition will begin tomorrow, staring with the east
wall, and then removal of lumber and materials from the interior.
Congregation chairman Chan Smith will continue working with the City,
engineers, and contractors toward gaining occupancy of the other
portions of the facility.