Strong community foundation: United Presbyterian Church of Hornell repairing towers, façade

With a prominent location and an arresting design, the United Presbyterian Church of Hornell has provided spiritual, cultural and financial support to the greater Maple City area for decades.

And while the church's spiritual foundation and commitment to the community remains strong, according to members, the physical building is showing cracks, especially the façade and the century-old stone towers that rise high above Main Street.

According to church members, stone pieces have shifted, and in some cases deteriorated, raising safety issues and structural integrity concerns.

The approximately 100-member church has taken action, hiring a contractor to make repairs and launching a capital campaign to support that effort.

Bowmansville, N.Y-based building contractor R.E. Kelley began the nearly $250,000 masonry restoration project on May 17. The work is expected to take about three months to complete, provided the weather cooperates.

In conjunction with the project, UPC's “Stones Supporting Our Community” capital campaign is soliciting financial backing from individuals, groups and businesses committed to maintaining the church's active role in Hornell.

"Outreach is an integral part of the UPC mission as we seek to grow in faith and to nurture our community," the Stonework Campaign Committee said. "We strive to provide a caring fellowship that is welcoming and reaches out to believers and non-believers alike.”

As of May 10, the capital campaign had raised $182,00 in banked donations and pledges, the committee reported.

UPC has strong ties to the Hornell community

The church’s active role in the community is “something that we take very seriously,” said Jim Varner, the church's Clerk of Session. “We view it as a mission of our church to serve our neighbors and to serve our community. And we try to do this in different ways."

The Hornell UPC is probably best known for its nativity crèche, a life-sized representation of Christ's birth that has been a Christmas season fixture at 150 Main St. since at least the early 1980s. In 2020, the church added a Star of Bethlehem in the east tower.

The creche is an annual destination for many local families each holiday season.

Several community groups and non-profits benefit from the church facilities. The facilities serve as a meeting place for Guiding Eyes for the Blind and the Hornell Fortnightly Book Club, host rehearsals for both the Hornell Community Choir and the Orpheus Chorale and provide space for workshops and other special events.

"We continue to search for ways that we can use our building," Varner said. "We recognize we have a central location in the downtown area and we do have space. We like to see the building being used. It's not just there for Sundays but it's open to groups who have need."

For the past several years, UPC has hosted Sunday Meals, a socialization time and free meal prepared and served by a rotating group of churches to upwards of 75 people.

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UPC is also a partner for Hornell’s Community Garden, which in the first three years provided almost 1000 pounds of fresh produce to area food pantries.

The green space behind the church is now Krug Park, a community reflection and recreation spot. It is used by St. Ann’s Academy students as an outdoor play area.

In June, St. Ann’s Academy will hold its graduation ceremony in the church sanctuary.

The church also supports Faith in Action, programs that benefit the Salvation Army and the Food Bank of the Southern Tier and Steuben County schools.

Stone towers to be repaired

According to Bill Banker, a member of the UPC Stonework Campaign Committee, the areas slated to be repaired are more than a century old.

“The church itself goes back to the 1830s but there have been major renovations over the years,” Banker said. “In 1916 there were wood towers and they took the wood towers down and built stone towers, and refaced the front of the church with stone.”

Banker said there has been some minimal upkeep and repairs to the stonework over the years but he noted "with the freeze-thaw cycle of this climate, the water gets into the mortar joints and the cracks and pushes the stones around.

“Basically what they are doing is, they are going to repair any cracks and stones that are loose — they are going to remove them and reset them with new mortar," he said. "Over the peak, they are going to take off the capstones and cover the peak with copper."

The construction project manual includes detailed descriptions of the restoration including:

• Installation of cap flashing over all gable stone coping units at both the upper and lower-level cornices;

• Repoint stone mortar joints;

• Mechanically wire wheel, prime and paint all louvers on both towers

• Reset three displaced stones and replace five damaged stones on and near the east elevation of the building.

How to help

Visit the church webpage to access a capital campaign pledge form or contact the church directly at 607-324-0755.

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This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: Hornell United Methodist Church launches restoration project