The Rev. Stan LeQuire holds a trap door open in the hay loft of The First Baptist Church of Nobleboro’s barn Wednesday, June 7. (J.W. Oliver photo)
The Save the Stalls campaign underway at the First Baptist Church of Nobleboro aims to raise money for repairs to a barn adjoining the parsonage.
The church has about $19,000 on hand for the project. The Save the Stalls campaign aims to raise about $7,000 more. The church will use the funds to repair the foundation of the barn and address drainage issues.
The Rev. Stan L. LeQuire, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Nobleboro, led a tour of the barn Wednesday, June 7. The barn adjoins the parsonage – the pastor’s residence – at 239 Center St., a few doors down from the church.
The church renovated part of the barn to make a study for the pastor some years ago, but many original features remain. A stall with a feeding trough and trap doors throughout the building point to its days as part of a working farm.
The barn and parsonage play a role in the church’s history as the former home of Sarah Pillsbury Perkins, the granddaughter of the church’s first pastor. Her grandfather, Elder Pillsbury, was the pastor at First Baptist from 1807-1836.
A stall in The First Baptist Church of Nobleboro’s barn. The church’s Save the Stalls campaign aims to raise funds for repairs to the building. (J.W. Oliver photo)
The church bought the property in 1961. It uses the barn to store items for yard sales now, but the repairs could enable more uses of the barn.
LeQuire would like to see the second floor of the barn host functions for the church’s youth group. The only “youth group” in the barn now consists of a nest of phoebe chicks on a beam under the main floor.
LeQuire would like to bring in students from nearby Nobleboro Central School to see some of the neighborhood’s heritage. The church could also use the barn as a garage – it is not safe for vehicles now.
The church will hold a series of suppers this summer and a yard sale, with all proceeds going to the campaign. The suppers will take place at the church from 5-6:30 p.m. on three Saturdays: June 24, July 15, and Aug. 19. Each will cost $7 per person. The yard sale will take place at the barn Saturday, July 22, beginning at 8 a.m.
To donate, send a check payable to the First Baptist Church of Nobleboro with “barn campaign” in the memo line to P.O. Box 35, Nobleboro, ME 04555. To arrange a tour of the barn, call the church at 563-5816.
For more information about the First Baptist Church of Nobleboro, go to fbcnobleboro.org or find FBC of Nobleboro, Maine on Facebook.
