East Machias Cultural Arts Center
Friends of the First Congregational Church of East Machias welcomes you! We hope you will enjoy getting to know us and our cause. As a public charity, we rely on support from friends like you who share our passion for the community and for saving our Church.
News
The following is featured in the 2023 East Machias Town Report:
Built in 1837, the First Congregational Church of East Machias has served as one of the town’s oldest institutions and remained central to the community for over 185 years. Two years ago the church faced an uncertain future due to major structural failure of key timbers supporting the steeple. In July of 2021, the Trustees held a community meeting at the church with experts in historic preservation from as far away as Boston in attendance. The local community voiced immediate support for saving this historic building and the Friends of the First Congregational Church of East Machias was formed.
The Friends and Trustees worked with Maine Steeples Fund and Maine Preservation to save this historic building and identify a future use for this important community space. A collaborative stabilization effort commenced in April of 2022 with generous support from community members, Maine Steeples Fund, Maine Office of Community Development & the town of East Machias, Maine Community Foundation, the Belvedere Historical Preservation Fund, the Ann & David Ingram Charitable Fund, the Anna Marie & John E. Thron Fund, Maine Preservation, The 1772 Foundation, local businesses and volunteers.
A full structural assessment revealed extensive damage to the four 12×12 timbers that support the 115 foot steeple tower and front façade. Over the summer of 2022, Steeple People from Jonesboro tackled this enormous stabilization project using traditional timber framing to marry the old and new sections seamlessly in alignment with the historic construction used in 1837.
Historic documents have mentioned that the sanctuary walls and ceiling were elaborately decorated with “frescoes and moral tablets” in the late 1880’s to commemorate with the church’s 50th anniversary and a canvas wall treatment was later installed covering this historic paint. Through direct sponsorship, experts explored a section of the choir loft which revealed delicate trompe l’oeil and decorative painting. It was gently cleaned and touched up using preservation minded reversible techniques to give visitors a window into history viewable from the sanctuary below.
The Friends of the First Congregational Church of East Machias will execute Phase Two of the restoration in partnership with Maine Preservation, which received federal funding to rehabilitate and adaptively reuse this church and an endangered masonic hall in Kennebec County. The full restoration of the church is intended to welcome the broader public for community functions and cultural events while preserving the worship that has filled the church on Sunday mornings for the past 185 years. The organizing committee welcomes community members interested in assisting with planning and implementation. More information about the project may be found at https://www.EastMachiasCulturalArtsCenter.org.