CROSSES FROM AROUND THE WORLD ARE ON DISPLAY
A display of crosses from around the world is on exhibit at the Presbyterian Church now through early April.
Pastor George Pasley said a display of crosses was a logical choice for display during this season of the church year, Lent, which marks the period leading up to events of Holy Week, when Jesus died on a cross
The crosses on display in the church narthex include two hand-painted wood crosses from Central America, one from El Salvador and one from Guatemala. The crosses were purchased in Guatemala by Presbyterians who were there as part of an exchange with Mayan Presbyterian congregations.
Also on display are a large oil-on-canvas cross, painted by church member Mary Ida Henrikson, and a small pencil sketch cross, drawn by church member Sever Gilmartin.
Other church members loaned crosses from their homes for the display, which includes a reproduction of the Kildalton Cross from Scotland; a wood cross from Minnesota; crosses designed for wearing as necklaces made of nails, fishhooks and sealskin; a cross made of woven yarn; and a hand-painted wooden cross from Peru.
The Presbyterian Church is located at 2711 Second Avenue. The exhibit is open for public viewing on Sundays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and at other times by appointment. Phone 225-3619
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH BEGINS WORK ON BUILDING ACCESSIBILITY
Work began January 12 at the Ketchikan Presbyterian Church on several projects to make their building handicapped accessible. When finished, the building will boast of two handicapped accessible restrooms, a new kitchen, and a handicapped lift.
The Presbyterian Church, located at 2711 Second Avenue, is a two-story building constructed in the early 1960s with ground-level entrances on both floors.
Pastor George Pasley said access from one floor to the other in the current building is only possible by means of a stairway, which is a difficulty for some and an impossibility for others.
Church elder Karl Luck points out that handicapped parking spots are designated near the entrance on the second floor, but the parking spaces are not level making egress from vehicles and walking to the entrance difficult at best.
The governing board of the church spent several months in 2006 consulting with an architect and developing a proposal for remodeling the building to correct accessibility issues. The congregation considered the proposal in early 2007, made modifications, and began raising money to pay for the work. More than $25,000 was raised in 2007, and when combined with money the church had in savings, became sufficient to begin the first half of the project.
Members of the church began removing walls in the lower level on Saturday where the new bathrooms and kitchen will be built. 
Contractors hired by the church began working on Monday. The congregation hopes to have the work finished by early summer.
Meanwhile, the church has begun raising funds to do the second half of the project. Pasley said it will take more than $57,000 to reconfigure stairways in the building and install an ADA approved handicapped lift.
Renovations were designed by the firm of Millard and Associates. Schmolck Mechanical Contractors have been hired to do the plumbing work, and First City Electric has been hired to do the electrical work.
