When Jeff mentioned the Trustees’ “business proposition” for me to sell the pews, one of my first thoughts was, ‘I’ll need more bubblewrap’. Really, it only lasted for a second. I agreed to do some research via my normal contacts to see what the market was like for church pews. My research showed a very unpredictable market so I said I’d give it my best shot but couldn’t make any guarantees. They were grateful for anything I could do. I called around locally but no one was willing to take them on consignment. I went the usual eBay route, sure that my impeccable feedback would count for something. Alas, no. 7 days later I had one person wanting 1 pew. Great! Only 28 left to go.
I had heard about craigslist.org but had never used it. I was acutely aware that there was a truckload of chairs with UBC’s name on it somewhere in the midwest and heading our way so I decided to give craigslist a try. This was immeasurably more successful.
Within 24 hours, Janice arranged by phone to meet me at the church to check out the pews. She returned that Friday with husband Phil, and friend Ed and gladly bought 5 of the 10 foot pews. She wanted more and said she’d call in the morning. Emailing back and forth over the next few hours I learned that Phil’s back went out and Ed wouldn’t be available for the next day delivery either so she’d have to cancel her trip. Knowing that she only had the UHaul trailer until 2:00 Saturday I offered Sonny’s help (luckily he agreed after the fact) and she and Phil made the trip the next morning. They were able to fit 3 pews into the trailer in 8 foot sections and really wanted to take 2 more pews in the back of the pickup but it started to rain. I offered to go to Lowe’s to buy a tarp and she agreed. All together, 10 pews to Janice of Dover for resale in her antique store.
Erin and Mike from Milford agreed to buy one next and arranged for pick-up. We had originally talked about them meeting me August 4 but opted for a week earlier since August 4 was Erin’s due date. The caveat being as long as Erin didn’t decide to go into labor that day. Jeff was able to help disassemble and move the pew with Mike although I did suggest Erin lifting a pew might move the whole labor thing along nicely. Erin and Mike will use their pew in the kitchen, perhaps mitering it to make for nice seating in a corner. Update: Catriona Grace arrived weighing 7 lbs.and 19” long at 3:44 a.m. on August 4!! Mother, Father, Brother and Baby Sister are doing well.
Ron from Hampton arrived a couple days later for 2 pews. Ron has a French Cooking School on the seacoast and will use the pews in the waiting room of the restaurant that adjoins the school. Ron arrived at 10:00 a.m. He had a really small truck which could only fit 2, 8 foot sections at a time so I arranged to meet him again at 2:00 that afternoon. When he came the second time he brought his 12 year old son Trevor. Trevor is autistic. Trevor found great joy in the 4 little pencils that rolled out of the pew when we turned it on it’s side and didn’t let go of them the entire time he was there. Ron and Trevor went to get some ice-cream at Friendly’s after and left me with a “Come check out the school sometime, Carol”.
Louise and Don and I had a lovely email relationship for about 2 weeks. Louise and Don live in Littleton and Don works in Concord. They agreed to buy 3 of the pews to incorporate into their deck. We arranged for pick up on a Monday. The Trustees had the pews apart and waiting for him and Sonny met me at UBC after work to help out. Don had a lovely little covered trailer that he purchased because when he moved out here from Iowa and it was almost as much to rent a UHaul. He handed me the money with “an extra $20 for the church”. We got to talking and somehow the fact that the kids were at Sentinel for the week came up in conversation.
“That’s on Dan Hole Pond, isn’t it?, he asked. As it turns out his 2 brothers attended Sentinel when they were young. Don left and took with him my regards to Louise.
Helen called me from her work at Concord Hospital, while I was painting up on Manchester Street. She really wanted to see the pews before committing to buy so I said if she and I were to leave immediately we would meet at the church at about the same time. She pulled in right after I opened the front doors. She admired the pews, and thought they would be perfect for her porch. As we sat in the new chairs and chatted she said, “The church is beautiful, I love churches”. She remarked on the richness of the woodwork at the front of the church and I told her what made the church even more appealing to our community was the richness of fellowship we share. She thanked me and called later that night to arrange for pickup of 2 pews on Wednesday.
Chip, a real estate agent from Manchester arrived with his brother to pick up a pew. He was going to have “his carpenter” incorporate it into his new kitchen . I didn’t know people could own a carpenter…Nate arrived a few minutes later. I showed him the pews and he immediately decided he’d get 2 instead of 1. In the discussion that followed I found out that he had bought a “crack house” in Keene and was gutting and remodeling it. I told him the church pew was probably the best choice he could make for seating in his newly redeemed home.
Cathy bought a pew for her mother. Since she was storing it at her brother’s house (and he was present) he said he only had room for the two-sided 8 foot section and I told them they could leave the other half of the pew at the church and I’d look after it for them.
Maria emailed me a few times asking about the pews. In our phone conversation I learned she was from Milford. “Oh, I sold a pew to a nice couple from Milford, Erin and Mike, do you know them?”.
“Yes,” she politely said
I said . “She had a baby girl.”
“Yes, I’ve seen her.” She (still politely) said. Well, anyways I don’t know how long it took me to realize that Erin and Mike were good friends with Maria and that’s why she got in touch with me in the FIRST PLACE - anyways… Maria’s husband Carl and Mike arrived on a Saturday to pick up Maria and Carl’s pew. They had been to Mike and Erin’s house and had seen their pew already firmly established in place in their kitchen and asked them where they got it, (hence the emails to me from Maria). In adherence to the Official Rules and Regulations of my Refer-A-Friend Bonus Pew Incentive – Mike was eligible to take home the 8 foot section that the previous pew purchaser (Cathy) left behind at no charge. Not only had he brought a friend to buy a pew he ALSO brought pictures of his newborn daughter Catriona which fulfilled all requirements of the RAFBPI– that plus he’s a really nice guy and I thought he might be able to use it.
Bill and Nancy took the last two pews. When Nancy used to live in Concord she would frequent UBC’s Snowflake Bazaar every year. The pews they took will become have a new home in the South Tamworth Community School.
And so ends, or perhaps begins anew, the story of the pews.
Carol
