Funding pg 1 4-28-11
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- Category: Past Issues
caption:
Projects Done
The Congregational Church of Putnam sports its new steeple and a now-functioning four-faced clock. Linda Lemmon photo.
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM --- It's been only six months since a pastor who is afraid of heights spent the day in a creaky steeple, kicking off a capital campaign at the Congregational Church of Putnam.
The goal for the campaign, over a two-year period, was $75,000. And yet, in an area in the throes of a not-so-nice economic climate, the church is a mere $3,000 away that goal.
When funds and pledges were last counted last week, the church had gathered a little less than $72,000, according to Capital Campaign Chairman Charlie Leach. "The generosity of the people in this area is tremendous," he said. "We really appreciate these gifts." One appreciated shot in the arm was the money raised by Steve Bousquet's ice fishing derby.
Leach said the church believes it will get to the $75,000 goal before the first year is up, in September. And since last September, the church checked off many capital campaign projects list.
First the steeple was lowered to the ground and completely renovated. A custom weathervane, designed by Pastor Rev. Tom Meyer, now graces the top of the steeple. The steeple was raised back to the top of the tower shortly after Christmas.
Meanwhile, the damage inside the church that was caused by the leaking steeple is being repaired, according to trustee coordinator Bob Picard. Some of the bricks on the inside of the tower have been repointed and some windows are being reinforced up in the tower this week. Outside the church the painters have been working for more than a week, repairing and then repainting the trim around the roofline, windows and doors. The dark cream color is lighter and brighter than the color that was there before, according to Pastor Meyer. "It's really brightened it up," he said.
Picard said other repairs are part of the capital campaign. "We have to go back next week and put the railings back around the top of the steeple and then run the lightning rod wiring down." Picard said the church would also like to replace some of the carpet in the sanctuary.
Leach said the chapel door, the entrance to the ell to the side of the main church, a massive Philippine mahogany structure, is being replaced.
April 23 the four-sided clock in the tower which had broken a few years ago came back to life.
Through the generosity and ingenuity of Scott Sherman of Woodstock, whose mother is a member of the church, a custom motor was designed and manufactured. Gary Picard, son of Bob Picard, created the long arms that attach the motor to the four faces of the clock so that the hands move.
While the projects covered by the capital campaign is in the home stretch, a rumbling in the ground while the pastor stood in the steeple last September, was the introduction of the next problem challenging the congregation: the oil burner needs replacing. Leach said while standing, watching the steeple campaign, he "felt the ground rumbling." Church members discovered that the oil burner was on its last legs. "We had the circulator replaced, but it's just a Band Aid," he said. The church is now investigating how to raise the estimated $50,000 to $75,000 it will cost to replace the burner with an energy-efficient model. "That burner has been there since who knows when," Leach said. "We need to replace it."