TURN UP THE HEAT
TURN UP THE HEAT Updates
|
October 24 2025 The team is removing the old feeder pipes to many of the radiators in the church so they can install new feeder pipes and install shut off valves. Once this is complete, they will bring in the new main steam pipes and connect the feeder pipes to them. Things are progressing well and we should have heat back in the church within two weeks! God is so good! October 17 2025 Our Lady of Hope Home School Mass With the pipes being replaced in the church, there is no heat and it can get noisy, so we are having our weekly Mass with Our Lady of Hope Home School up in one of our classrooms! The children are reverent and warm - God is good! |
|
October 16 2025
Here is an update on Turn Up The Heat:
With all the asbestos abated and the old pipes removed, we are now heading into the next phase of this project: new pipe installation!
The contractor was on site yesterday to map out in the crawl spaces all the radiators in the church and where the connections will be to the new steam heating pipes. With that done, it is time to start bringing in the new pipes, installing them and connecting the radiator feed pipes to the new main pipes.
Once that is all complete, the final step will be to cover the two openings that were cut into the church floor to allow for proper air flow during the asbestos abatement and to allow easier pipe installation in the back crawl spaces of the church. Then reinstallation of the pews that were moved to make room for the floor openings. And then, HEAT!!!! God is so good!
Thank you again to all who contributed to, spread the word about, and prayed for this project! We are so very grateful!
God bless you!
Here is an update on Turn Up The Heat:
With all the asbestos abated and the old pipes removed, we are now heading into the next phase of this project: new pipe installation!
The contractor was on site yesterday to map out in the crawl spaces all the radiators in the church and where the connections will be to the new steam heating pipes. With that done, it is time to start bringing in the new pipes, installing them and connecting the radiator feed pipes to the new main pipes.
Once that is all complete, the final step will be to cover the two openings that were cut into the church floor to allow for proper air flow during the asbestos abatement and to allow easier pipe installation in the back crawl spaces of the church. Then reinstallation of the pews that were moved to make room for the floor openings. And then, HEAT!!!! God is so good!
Thank you again to all who contributed to, spread the word about, and prayed for this project! We are so very grateful!
God bless you!
October 3 2025
The Heat is on!!!! Well, it is not actually on yet, but we hit our Turn Up The Heat Campaign goal of $326,000.00 to replace our main steam heating pipes in the Church! We are in absolute awe of the goodness of God and the generosity of the people of Western New York and people from across the country including Florida! We could never adequately thank all who prayed for, contributed to and spread the word about this campaign. We consider you all a special part of our St. Luke’s Family!
We would like to thank Eileen Buckley and WKBW Channel 7, Dillon Morello and WIVB Channel 4, Courtney Cortright and WGRZ Channel 2, Chelsea Lovell and Mattar Helps, and Townsquare Media and Joe Chille for sharing our campaign and story with the incredible people of Western New York. They all did such a great job and we are very grateful.
The first part of the Pipe Replacement is complete. The asbestos has all been abated and the old pipes have been removed. Starting Monday, October 13 we will begin having the new pipes installed. We are still on schedule for completion by November 7. God is so good!!!
Again, on behalf of the Lay Missionaries of St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy and all the people that come here to serve and be served, thank you! May God, who is never outdone in generosity, bless each of you and all your families in awesome and wondrous ways! You will all be in our hearts and prayers!
The Heat is on!!!! Well, it is not actually on yet, but we hit our Turn Up The Heat Campaign goal of $326,000.00 to replace our main steam heating pipes in the Church! We are in absolute awe of the goodness of God and the generosity of the people of Western New York and people from across the country including Florida! We could never adequately thank all who prayed for, contributed to and spread the word about this campaign. We consider you all a special part of our St. Luke’s Family!
We would like to thank Eileen Buckley and WKBW Channel 7, Dillon Morello and WIVB Channel 4, Courtney Cortright and WGRZ Channel 2, Chelsea Lovell and Mattar Helps, and Townsquare Media and Joe Chille for sharing our campaign and story with the incredible people of Western New York. They all did such a great job and we are very grateful.
The first part of the Pipe Replacement is complete. The asbestos has all been abated and the old pipes have been removed. Starting Monday, October 13 we will begin having the new pipes installed. We are still on schedule for completion by November 7. God is so good!!!
Again, on behalf of the Lay Missionaries of St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy and all the people that come here to serve and be served, thank you! May God, who is never outdone in generosity, bless each of you and all your families in awesome and wondrous ways! You will all be in our hearts and prayers!
TURN UP THE HEAT
|
We are kicking off the St. Luke’s TURN UP THE HEAT campaign to help raise money to have our Steam Heating Pipes replaced beneath our Church. One of the first things I learned after becoming Interim Director is that our heating system pipes would not make it through another winter. They have to be replaced for us to safely heat the church this winter.
We have had the various contractors who need to be involved looking at the situation and providing cost estimates on what it will take to replace the main steam heating pipes beneath the St. Luke’s Church. And the total is in: $326,000.00! I realize this is a large amount but it is very important for us to have this work completed and get the pipes replaced to provide heat to the church before the winter. There are many reasons for this. First, every ministry we provide at St. Luke’s, in fact everything we do, flows from the grace, goodness and mercy of God. Without God, we would be able to do nothing. And the church is God’s house. It is where Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament is reposed in the Tabernacle. It is where we have our Masses. It is where people receive the sacraments. This is where the Missionaries make their promise to God each year to live and serve the poor and abandoned. Without this spiritual center, St. Luke’s would not be able to do what it does. Second, our two large holiday food drives as well as our Christmas Toy Drive rely on the church to store food / goods during the packing and provide a large enough space to pack the bags / boxes for delivery to those in need. Without the church, it would be almost impossible to provide the holiday ministries at the scale we currently do. Third, the church itself is a beautiful and historic structure and needs to be preserved and maintained. This is the building that Amy and Norm first saw when they visited St. Luke’s and where they first knew in their hearts that this was the place they needed to purchase. The building is approaching its 100th anniversary (2028) and it needs to be preserved for future generations to enjoy and benefit from its beauty. So I am asking you to prayerfully consider contributing whatever you can to our TURN UP THE HEAT campaign, to spread the word to others who may be moved to contribute and to pray for the success of this event. May God, who is never outdone in generosity, bless you and your loved ones in wondrous and beautiful ways for all you do to help us serve God’s poor! We thank God for each of you and pray for you every day! Denny Gilhooley |
Donations may be made by:
Credit Card via PayPal Write Turn Up The Heat in the “Write a Note field” Check Make checks payable to St. Luke’s Mission of Mercy Mail to: PO Box 448 Buffalo, NY 14215 Write Turn Up The Heat in memo field |
Turn Up the Heat...in the news...
WIVB's Daytime Buffalo featured St. Luke's Mission of Mercy on their Mattar Helps segment. Thank you to WIVB and William Mattar for this opportunity:
Click on the Image below to view the video.
Click on the Image below to view the video.
Channel 2 aired a news spot on our TURN UP THE HEAT Campaign. Thank you WGRZ!
Click on the Image below to view the video.
Click on the Image below to view the video.
Channel 4 aired a news spot on our TURN UP THE HEAT Campaign. Thank you WIVB!
Click on the Image below to view the video.
Click on the Image below to view the video.
Channel 7 aired a news spot on our TURN UP THE HEAT Campaign. Thank you WKBW!
Click on the Image below to view the video.
Click on the Image below to view the video.
A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words
Our TURN UP THE HEAT campaign is underway and we thought it would be helpful to see some photos of the condition of our pipes.
Here are a few photos of the damage we sustained last winter when we had a rupture of one of our main steam pipes. The floor has been repaired but we can expect more of the same this winter if we do not replace our pipes.
Please consider helping us by donating, spreading the word and praying! Thank you and God bless you!
