A new steeple was installed atop Wiscasset’s First Congregational Church before a crowd of happy and relieved parishioners Oct. 17. A milestone in the Church’s multiyear renovation project, the steeple and roof replacement came about as a result of a $320,000 capital campaign.
The Church began their capital campaign in 2010, identifying several key projects needed to renovate the 102-year-old building. Along with the steeple and roof, the Church required a new coat of paint, front steps, and furnace.
“The whole idea is maintenance, maintenance, maintenance,” said Clerk of the Works Charlie Howe.
Pointing to the chipped and decaying paint on the church tower, Howe said that a new coat must be applied every seven years to the tune of $60,000.
Of the $320,000, nearly $250,000 has been raised, $220,000 of which came from member pledges. An additional $25,000 has been donated from several local businesses and organizations, including the Wiscasset Garden Club, Ames Supply, and TD Bank.
The capital campaign still needs some $75,000. The remaining funds will be channeled toward replacing the front steps of the Church and painting.
The new steeple, though made of fiberglass, was built to mimic the structure it replaced.
“It’s supposed to be 100 percent like the old one,” Capital Campaign Committee Chair Doc Schilke said.
The Church had initially looked into refurbishing the old steeple, but found it suffered from extensive water damage and leaks.
“There was no way they could have saved the old steeple,” Schilke said.
A decision was then made by the congregation to move forward with a major capital campaign to have the steeple replaced.
The new steeple was supposed to have arrived a few weeks ago, but production of the structure was delayed by the recent wildfires in Texas.
According to Howe, production in Texas was halted for three weeks as temperatures soared to 120 degrees.
The heat was so intense, Howe said, that the fiberglass could not be fully set.
The new steeple finally arrived last week, lying on its side on the front lawn of the Church until steeplejack George Burgess finally raised it into place Monday.
Though cold, the weather was sunny with blue skies.
“We couldn’t have asked for a better day,” Schilke said.
