MACHIAS, Maine — The Centre Street Congregational Church is in the midst of getting a facelift.
With the aid of a bucket lift, Kevin Ackley and Damien Walston of Belden Morse of Machias, also known as “The Steeple People,” spent Tuesday scraping fragments of old, white paint from the church, built in 1836.
Church supporters have raised $80,000 so far as part of a $150,000 “Face-Lift Campaign” begun in November 2015 to paint the church and replace some wood that is rotting, especially around the front steps where it stays damp all winter, according to church member Greg Maxwell.
His wife, Pastor Susie Maxwell, described the speed with which the church raised money as “a testament to how well loved this building is.
“You either have to let it degrade or you’ve got to invest,” she said.
Church officials hope the project will be completed in time for the Machias Wild Blueberry Festival Aug. 19-21, the Maxwells said.
The contractors brought the lift over last week. Although the weather wasn’t conducive to getting much done, it was fortunate that the equipment was there because a storm window came loose near the top of the church and it threatened to break the stained glass window, Greg Maxwell said.
Crews were able to fix it easily with the aid of the lift.
“It was very lucky that they had the lift sitting right there,” he said.
The couple noted that the church building is a visible landmark in town and one of the first things motorists see from Route 1 when coming into town from the south.
For more information on the fundraising campaign or the project, contact the church at 255-6665.