2024 Fundraising Letter

August 15, 2024

Islesford Congregational Church
PO Box 103
Islesford, Maine 04646

Friends,

Greetings to all from the Islesford Congregational Church Board on Little Cranberry Island! It is once again that time of year when we reach out to our neighbors and friends requesting assistance for monetary help in the upkeep of our beloved Islesford Congregational Church.

And when I say “our,” I genuinely mean yours and mine.

It has been a challenging year, with so many storms causing unprecedented damage to the church. One storm ripped nearly a third of the east end of the church’s vinyl siding from the outside of the building, while two other storms tore many shingles from the roof, leaving us with many bare patches and causing leakage through the roof into the summer chapel.

We will also be completing the last phase of replacing the fourth and final post, which is nearly rotten and struggles to hold up the majestic steeple, alongside the three other newly replaced and healthy posts.

For over two decades, we have been slowly working on the maintenance and upkeep of the Islesford Congregational Church and its steeple with the good works of Mid-Maine Restoration. They are a steeple jack organization that brings new life and much-needed repairs to the many churches across Maine. We would be lost without their unique skills and talents in preserving this church. What a blessing to have them working together with us, side by side, to realize the dream and desire of keeping the church’s structure sound and strong.

They are scheduled to return this autumn to replace the final post, repair the roof with new shingles, replace the torn and tattered vinyl siding, and apply fresh coats of white paint to the outside of all the windows that frame the outside of the beautiful stained-glass windows. The estimated cost of these repairs is roughly $20,000.

With your generous donations in the past, we have been able to keep up with the maintenance of the church and now, hopefully, with your continued support, to witness and fulfill the final stages of the necessary repairs of the steeple and other greatly needed maintenance and repairs.

When facing the daunting task of repairing a steeple at the cost of 10’s and even 100’s of thousands of dollars, some churches have had to make the sad and soul-wrenching but necessary decision to tear the steeple down.

We did not take that route. We knew the community would be heartbroken to see the steeple removed from the building. The steeple is one of the few iconic views one witnesses when arriving by boat into the safety of Hadlock Harbor in Little Cranberry Island.

What a sad view, such a void, if you can even imagine the loss, to see that beautiful piece of architecture removed from our gaze where it has stood proud and majestic in the heart of the village for over 125 years!

You can help to keep the torch burning….to continue ensuring the legacy of the steeple of the church proudly anchored on the Islesford Congregational Church and to help maintain the integrity of her structure so that she may stand firm and welcome her island community family, friends, and wayward travelers for generations to come.

Please be as generous as you can and donate, no matter how large or small; it will make a massive difference in the outcome of the maintenance and upkeep of our beautiful Islesford Congregational Church.

I thank you for all that you can share and do. Remember, it takes a village—every one of us—together, we can make a difference.

Sincerely,

The Board of the Islesford Congregational Church