Canaan, Vermont --- One of the regions finest examples of a successful historic preservation community project will be fully opened to the public for free tours on Saturday August 27th during the 25th annual North Country Moose Festival.
Just three years ago, attendance at this historic church in Vermont’s Northeast kingdom averaged 5 to 10 people per Sunday. By all accounts, the Methodist Church in Canaan was dying.
Seeking help, several members of the church came to a preservation retreat hosted at the Grand Isle Lake House. With guidance from Partners for Sacred Places, the church leaders left with the tools necessary to rethink their church’s role in the community and avoid its imminent demise.
Starting with the declaration that the last good thing in town – their beautiful 1874 church – was not going to be lost forever, the community went forth to redefine and rebuild their role in town. The church building was acquired by a new group – the Grace Community Church, Inc. -- who expanded their federal non-profit board to include representatives from the regional service, arts and medical organizations. This enabled the church to reach deeply into the community to seek out and provide the many services that have been needed yet were never offered by anyone.
In saving this building from the sale and demolition that the denominational church organization had sought, this town has once again found their center and heart. With guidance from the Preservation Trust of Vermont and funding from the Freeman Foundation the exterior of the church has been fully restored and now is the pride of this town. Stained glass windows once again sparkle and the parsonage, that was vacant for many years, is now housing a local low income family.
Board members will be available to share the story of this preservation project and give free guided tours of the breathtaking interior. People that are curious as to how they may save a historic building in their community will be able to ask questions to those in Canaan that now have a proven track record. Guests will be able to play the restored Esty church organ, the magnificent Ivers & Pond piano and every hour someone will be able to pull the rope and ring the massive 1876 church bell that first rang out for our nation’s centennial on the 4th of July in 1876.
With a ten-fold increase in attendance at Sunday services, community events 7 days and nights a week, stable finances and a growing reserve, The Grace Community Church has demonstrated that perseverance pays. More than that, they want others to know that they too should “keep the faith” and move forward: if it can be done in Canaan Vermont, it can be done anywhere.
Additional information is available on Facebook, GraceCommunityChurchVT.