New London ― A pair of signs posted Friday in front of the rubble that was once the First Congregational Church highlighted the vast changes that can occur within a week.

Inside a glassed-encased message box facing State Street was a reminder that “All are welcome” at the church. A few feet away, newer signs affixed to a recently installed metal safety barrier warned: “Danger No Trespassing.”

On Friday afternoon, eight days after the steeple collapsed through the roof of the 174-year-old church at 66 Union St., crews ferried away the last piece of heavy demolition equipment. Meanwhile, city public works employees prepared to scrub the sidewalks and roads of the dirt and dust that piled up after the violent collapse and subsequent demolition.

A plastic bag filled with ribbons of yellow caution tape sagged near the orange traffic barriers that previously shuttered a section of State Street for days after the Jan. 25 collapse.

The church’s annex, built in 1975, remained in place on Friday, its decorated glass windows and brick facade largely intact, though the building itself has been deemed too dangerous to use. Mayor Michael Passero said the structure, which connected with the north wall of the former church, is condemned.

“It has a sheet metal roof that has rocks all on top of it from the demolition,” he said. “We still have to make a decision on whether the building can be saved or not.”

Passero said the secured church property will remain lit and monitored.

The annex question is just one of several city officials are working to answer now that the church property has been cordoned off. One of the biggest outstanding issues is who will foot the bill for the demo work, pegged by Passero on Friday as “well into six figures.”

James Levesque, the founder of Engaging Heaven Ministries, which bought the church from the First Congregational Church in 2015 for $250,000, said late last week that his organization was prepared to reimburse the city for any outstanding costs.

Levesque, who could not be reached for comment on Friday, previously said the church was insured, but declined to provide details on the type of policy or its coverage limits.

Passero said there are discussions planned for next week between the city and a lawyer representing Engaging Heaven on a remediation plan for the piles of granite and other debris at the disaster site.

The city, concerned about the stability of the church after the steeple collapse, hired the Manafort Brothers construction company to demolish the church.

“Manafort is at some point going to present a bill,” Passero said. “We’ll give the church an opportunity to pay it, and if they don’t, we can lien the property. But at some point, the cost of the demo work will exceed the value of the property.”

The church disaster displaced two congregations: Engaging Heaven with its approximately 150 members, and a small number of First Congregational Church members who continued to use the building after the sale.

Jeanne Sigel, developmental director for The Garde Arts Center, said Engaging Heaven will again hold services at the State Street venue this Sunday, as it did last week.

“We’re checking on our availability for them to hold other Sunday services through March right now,” Sigel said on Friday.

The Rev. Cathy Zall, co-pastor of the First Congregational Church, said her congregation will hold services on Sunday – and the foreseeable future ― inside the St. James Episcopal Church’s chapel on Huntington Street.

“We’re so grateful for the generosity and hospitality (St. James) has shown us,” she said. “And we’ll keep planning our next steps forward.”

j.penney@theday,.com