By Bobbi Pelletier
If you have driven by the Gray Memorial United Methodist Church on the corner of Prospect and Sweden streets lately, you may have noticed that something is definitely going on. The church is receiving a much-needed facelift. The most visible pieces of this project include the complete interior and exterior restoration of the church’s steeple (home of the original “Town Clock”), removal of some of the exterior vinyl siding and replacing/restoring the original siding, and all the stained glass window trim will be repainted. The church congregation first started discussing the need to restore their church more than 10 years ago, but the restoration really became a priority two years ago. Pastor Tom Bentum led the congregation through a series of planning meetings on the future life of the church and the first major effort would include the restoration of the church’s exterior and its steeple in preparation for the church’s 100th anniversary in 2013.
The congregation then embarked on a three-year capital campaign in the fall of 2010 that would run through to Dec. 2013. A goal to raise $150,000 was set to go toward several projects, including finishing electrical wiring and adding insulation to the church attic, upgrading the church sound system, complete restoration of the steeple and exterior of the church, repair glass and build new frames for three round stained-glass windows and restoration of the other beautiful stained glass windows.
The capital campaign was a great success accruing pledges totaling more than $215,000 as members of the church congregation began contributing their donations Dec. 2010. In addition, some members began to research grant opportunities and in February 2011, received a steeple grant of $40,000 from the Maine Community Foundation.
The projects to upgrade the electrical wiring and adding insulation in the attic projects were completed in the spring of 2011, and a new sound and video system was installed in the sanctuary as well.
In November 2011, the church trustees began to draft the Renovation Project package to outline the exterior work to be performed. In March 2012, the package was completed and the bid proposal was advertised with bids received in early April.
The original project package had included a complete restoration of the exterior, the steeple and repair/restoration of all the stained glass windows, but the contract bid costs exceeded what the church would raise. The contract was then amended to cover only certain aspects of the work and was awarded to J.P. Martin & Sons in May.
Work began on-site June 3 and should be completed by December. The existing contract will essentially completely restore the steeple and remove and replace/restore some of the exterior siding (Sweden and Prospect street sides); clean the windows and paint all the trim. The remaining exterior siding work will be accomplished later by congregation volunteers.
Church members continue to search for potential grant opportunities to complement the funds they have already received. Since this building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is widely known as a Caribou landmark, the congregation is determined to restore it as much as possible prior to their planned celebration in 2013.
Any centennial organization or individual wishing to donate to help restore this historic building (which includes the town clock) may do so by sending it to the Gray Memorial United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 69, Caribou ME. 04736.
Editor’s note: Bobbi Pelletier is secretary of the church.
