Capital campaign to help Port Gibson's 'shining light'

Staff Reports
·2 min read

The Port Gibson United Methodist Church, considered by many to be the “shining light” in the hamlet of the town of Manchester, is embarking on a capital campaign to raise funds for the restoration of the building's foundation and the repair of the base to the steeple.

The cost of the repairs exceeds the capability of the small congregation, church officials said. The congregation noticed cracks on the interior walls, above the beautiful stained-glass windows and doors. In December 2020, an engineer and architecture visited the church to look at the structure and foundation of the church to determine the cause of the cracks.

A capital campaign is underway to fund repairs to the Port Gibson United Methodist Church.
A capital campaign is underway to fund repairs to the Port Gibson United Methodist Church.

Bero Architecture assisted the church in applying for a Sacred Sites Grant as well as helped them through the bidding process and the costs of the project.

After the pandemic, the costs of the labor and materials skyrocketed from the quote in 2021, so the church cannot complete all the recommended restorations at this time. The trustees and the committee chose to repair the masonry foundation and spalling bricks, and replace the wooden handicap ramp that must be removed to repair the masonry foundation and rotting wood at the base of the steeple.

The bid that was received was $144,671, but church officials said a substantial amount still needs to be raised in addition to money already in a church restoration fund.

The Port Gibson United Methodist Church was built in 1871 on the foundation of a smaller cobblestone church that was first built in 1834. In 1996, the church was listed on the National and State Historical Registers.

In December 2021, 150 years of worshipping in the present building was celebrated.

To help support the tradition, preserve the heritage, and ensure that a local landmark remains intact by contributing to the church's restoration fund, please send a check in any amount made payable to Port Gibson UMC, Attn: Restoration Fund, PO Box 234, Port Gibson, NY 14537.

This article originally appeared on MPNnow: Capital campaign to help historic Port Gibson United Methodist Church