Restorationof a Heritage Center of Worship – some suggestions for consideration

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Dear Chairman and Team Members of the RestorationTask  Force of  Kadamattom  Church,

This is an unsolicited submission as part of our common concern for  the   preservation of the common  heritage institutions  regardless of the  faith and  order and  religious orientations.

Suggestions:

  1. After scanning the  physical  environment  of  the  church and its belongings,  a  SWOT  analysis  may be  carried  out  by  those  who  are  good at that  job with  peoples  participation.This  may be  presented  in  a  brain  storming  session either  virtually  — on line – or  physically  to  incorporate   welcome  suggestions  from the stakeholders.
  2. A development plan  –road map -may be  developed  spelling out the  priories   of  works  to be taken up  to  bring in synergy in its  totality.
  3. Take paid  professional  advice as  we  are not  seeking  any charity  form  professionals, unless  they offer  it as their  prayer  offers  to the  church.There  are no free  lunches!.
  4. Holistically the  parish  must  prepare  a  perspective  plan keeping at least  2050  as  the bench mark  target  in  view. Itmust  be  a  combination of  short term and  long plans integrated into   a master plan. It must be  animplementable  plan  taking into  account its capabilities in terms of  resources,  heritage and   futuristicchallenges. Itmust  be  a vision  document clearly  spelt out  for  the  posterity  to  work on taking into  account  the  latest   technologicaldevelopments  like  the ArtificialIntelligence  and  the  net  zero emissions and  the green  concerns  that  are being taken up  globally on war  footing.
  • Some  critical  points  for  consideration:
  1. The  churchmust be  kept in a  spick  and span  condition–  well  maintained —taking into consideration the large  number of  visitors every day.
  2. Its  toilets  must be user friendly and  with  the  state of  the  art facilities. If   required    visit  some  of the   best toilets  maintained  by  other  parishes  like Pala catholic  church,Muthalkodm, Edapally, Uzhavoor etc. If feasibleconsider  e-  toilets  too.
  3. Parsonage  must  be  refurbished   with  good  toilets.
  4. Old  parsonage/ Malikapuram buildings must be restored carefully  keeping its  heritage  value   fully intact. It must have  user-friendly  toilets,etc.
  5. The  main  church  building  must  be  given a  100 % restoration by retaining its  antique  style and  taste  with  due changes  to  the  wooden  frames in the  roof, the bell must be rearranged  to  restore  its near original  sounds.Why not introduce  the   electronic  or  electrically  programmed   prayer  timed bells as done in  many other  places  in India and  abroad? Let us recall  the  world  famous  church  bells  from Russia in this  regard.
  6. Why not  consider  introducing  the  pew system  for ordinary  Sunday  worship service with  wooden  flooring   to be  in conformity  with green  concept.
  7. The  artificial  ceilings must be  fully changed  with  eco-friendly  material andmay  be lowered its height too. Fans must be made energy  saving ones by  disposing the old ones.We may  consider  wall  mounted  fans, instead of  ceiling  fans.
  8. The  echo is  a big problem  while  addressing  the  congressional  audience  form  the   pulpit/  altar. It must be  addressed fairly to the  satisfaction of  all.
  9. The  roof  top  of  the  Malikapuram and  the main church may be considered  for  solar energy on  grid and  make  additional revenue from KSEB  for  our  charity  activities  too.   We  may  consider  the  air-conditioning   of  the   full church as  power is plenty for  us  to use  for  all our needs .
  10. The  pandal on the  women  side –  south-  must be  made  weather  proof and user friendly.
  11. The Catholicate  Centre  may  be  converted  into soft  skill  development   center  for  our   women with its  administrative  set  up.
  12. The  courtyards may  be made attractive  by  movable  garden plants with a  professional  gardener employed as a  retainer ( not regular  employee).
  13. The  cemetery  once  we  develop  confidence to  develop  it at  our free  will, must be made a smooth  area  for praying  for  our  departed  souls and  it must be made very  beautiful like  the  UzahvoorKananaya Church  cemetery. Plant -shrubs  in the  most  convenient  places in the  cemetery  to make  it  look like  a place  of hope in the  final  journey.Burial  may be made  hazel  free  with  well  arranged mechanized tomb  digging and mechanically  arranged   coffin lowering  system in place.
  14. Car  parking  must be  made user friendly and must be  provided for  at  least  200  cars and  bikes. Vicars must get  dedicated  car  parking   slots  with  Trustees.Visiting  metropolitans must  get  dedicated  car parking  slots.
  15. Car  parking  areas and  the  Western  Angaadi  areas may be  planted  with  decorative  short  variety  bamboos as  they are  the best  bet to  arrest  carbon  emission  to  participate  in the  fight  against  global  warming. We  might even become  eligible to claim  carbon credit as well.
  16. Roads  must be  taken up for  re-taring soon either  directly  or  through the local panchayath officials.
  17. We must  become  a champion  of  energy conservation by getting  appropriate  energy  audits on  yearly  basis.
  18. We must   make  arrangements  for  senior  citizens and  differently abled  perrons in our  seating arrangements with in the  church  during  worship  services.
  19. Apart form  physicalcomforts and  facilities,  spiritual  uplifting-upholding-  our  worshiping  community must  be  accorded top priority. Infact, eucharist aftereucharist,  we  must have the  experience  of  the  circumcision  of  our hearts and   spirits. Thenonly,  we  can  claim to be  Christ  indwelling  persons or  Christians.
  20. Digitalization  of  the  accounts must be taken up  on war footing. All  receipts must be  computerized  and  the master   computer must be  accessible  to the  trustees/ secretary and    the vicar  by  the end of  the  day, so that  we  do  become  correct  to  the last  penny and  become transparent in our dealings. Even bank  transfers  are done  online so that  the   pilferage is minimized. Any  pilgrim or  visitor  should  go back after  visiting and  praying here  as a  specially  blessed  visitor on account of our interactions and  the  holistic  appearance  of the  parish church. We  do not become  fleecing  agents  of  God in our  church premises  particularly.
  21. Every   one  in the  church –office  bearers–  employees- must   become a goodwill  ambassador  of  the  Parish and  finally  the living witness  of  Jesus  Christ.
  22. The  walls  in side the   church must get  appealing Russian Orthodox Icons. We may try  to get  suggestions  form  our own clergy  experts  like Rev Dr.  KM George,  Rev Dr. MP George ,Rev  Dr. Jossi  of Nagpur  Seminary and  even  our  own Rev John Thenugal.
  23. Drinking water must be clean and  really  drinkable and  its  sources like   the well in  front of  the  erstwhile  ITC  building  must be renovated  with   periodic  cleanings  done.
  24. There  is  a need  to  run a  token self-supporting  cafeteria , serving  tea ,coffee , etc with vending machines by company  sponsored   auto  systems.  The  clerks of the  church may  be made in change of its  operations.
  25. Salary   scale of the  employees may be revised taking in to  account  the  demands of  the   trying times and  the  extent of the  work load.
  26. Charity  begins at home. We must  earmark at least  some  25  %  of our offertory  revenue  for  charity, regardless  of  the caste or creed of the beneficiary for the  extension of His Kingdom on earth.
  27. Troubleshooting and  progress chasing  modern tools  like  the advanced  version of  PERT  like  tools may be used while the  project  is undertaken  to  bring about savings in cost  and time over runs etc.
  28. As Kadamattom Church is critically  important form the  archeological and  national heritage perspective, concerned  top notch  professionals may be  roped in  to  guide  our  initiatives  and  restoration interventions.
  29. Efforts  must be in place to get the very best  talents for  consultations   with civil engineers, architects, interior  designers,  land scape  experts, energy  audit   experts,   renewable  energy  professionals, perspective planers , financial  planners, physical and  financial  auditors, light  and  sound  professionals, etc.  We  should  not   compromise on  quality.  We  can   ill afford  to be  penny  wise and pound  foolish! Conflict  of interests in any form should be  discounted  and  discarded  form the very  beginning in the  project  design,  specifications,  procurements, implementation and  progress chasing.  We must  be,  fully guided by  critical thinking in  the  whole  project.
  30. The  Poyeadam  church  may  be treated  as a  separate  entity for  its  renovation.
  31.  The other crtical church property  at  Cheriyathukunnel must be  accorded  due consideration   as it may be used  for better uses in future.

PS 

If   you need  any further, inputs, please do not shy  away from  contacting me.

Dr.  KM George;  email—melmana@gmail.com;  Cell  9947670887

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