Medford church receives much needed face lift

About 15 years ago, the historic Grace Episcopal Church on High Street faced the possibility of closing its doors to parishioners for good. Church attendance dwindled, maintenance problems mounted and the Episcopal Diocese deemed it a “troubled parish.”

Without the resources to maintain the 143-year-old building, rainwater began seeping in through the roof and between the field-cut stones that make up the exterior, damaging walls inside the sanctuary.

A dramatic shift occurred in the last few years, however, because last spring the church managed to raise $700,000 in just four months for its capital campaign to restore the historic building.

“We spent years going after grants,” said the Rev. Noah H. Evans. “There was not a lot of money in state grants so the parish had to pull together and raise the money ourselves.”

With the first phase of renovations now complete, Evans points to the lay leadership’s active persistence as the impetus behind the church’s rejuvenation.

“The parish became invigorated in its mission,” Evans said. “Lay leadership became strong, reached out to the diverse families of Medford and embraced a radical welcome of all people.”

While Evans credits parish members for the positive changes, parishioners like Wes Foot, who chairs the church’s building committee, turn the blame back on their pastor, who assumed the post in March 2008.

“I think our current rector is just the kind of man to inspire this kind of stewardship and taking care of our building,” said Foot. “I think that’s the biggest thing that’s happened.”

Over the last 15 years, average Sunday attendance more than tripled, increasing 25 percent in the last two years. Annual giving grew more than 30 percent in the last three years under Evans’ leadership, despite the economic downturn.

Phase 1 complete

The Grace Church restoration project encompasses three phases: sealing the exterior and replacing damaged inner walls, restoring the bell tower and “greening” the church with new environmental features like LED lighting and solar panels.

The first phase, which just wrapped up, took on the most pressing issues facing the church, namely leaks and water damage.

“We had a lot of water leakage either through the walls by rain or from the roof leaking at the upper level and it damaged the interior walls,” said parishioner Warren Ramirez. “Interior walls were stained and plaster was damaged. Our primary concern is finding a way to waterproof the outside of the building.”

The contactor assigned to the project, The Architectural Team, “repointed” stones, or reapplied mortar around the original outer stonework, to prevent water from seeping back into the church.

Architect Michael Fontaine said the biggest challenge with a project like this is making sure the appearance stays the same while using newer materials that provide a longer lasting structural lifespan.

The church is the oldest standing building designed by Henry Hobson Richardson, the famed 19th century architect who also designed Trinity Episcopal Church in Copley Square, Boston. That’s one reason why it’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

For the first time in decades, Grace Episcopal parishioners got a peak at the church’s exposed back wall where waterlogged plaster was torn down and replaced.

Tiles were also replaced on the roof with shiny copper flashing, and an ice and water shield was reapplied beneath part of the roof to prevent future leaks.

The second phase of the project, which consists of restoring the 90-foot-tall bell tower, will take place in the spring of 2012. Parish historian Allison Andrews pointed out how the tower, dating back to the 1880s, remains one of the largest in the city.

“It was meant to be used as a fire bell for the city of Medford, but for some unknown reason it was never used,” Andrews said.

Andrews also pointed out how the field cut stones that make up the exterior climb all the way to the top of the tower, unlike the rest of the building. Andrews regards the stones as one of the church’s most fascinating historical and architectural features.

“It’s built with uncut filed stones and natural boulders,” Andrews said. “They jut out at various angles and some stick out more than others, giving a very textural effect.”

Andrews added the church’s most famous parishioner was Amelia Earhart, who moved to Medford with her mother and sister in the 1920s.

Another significant historical feature of the church includes a famous piece of stained glass in the sanctuary called “Rebecca at the Well,” which was created by American artist John LaFarge.

With parishioners like Jonathan and Alicia Hunt, who have organized “green up/cleans ups” at Medford parks and supported other green initiatives around the city, adding an environmental component to the historic renovation seemed almost inevitable.

Jonathan Hunt said the church currently uses two commercial-scale boilers that are about 40 years old. Replacing them with two similarly sized, high-efficiency boilers will save the church 10 to 15 percent on its energy consumption.

The church will take other steps to increase efficiency as well by installing interior storm windows to help insulate the building. Hunt also worked in concert with Andrews to find appropriate, higher-efficiency lighting for the church.

“The lighting levels are not where we want them to be, especially for aging members of the parish,” Hunt said. “People won’t see the direct light. It will increase the ambient light levels and make the stained glass more visible, but it won’t be obvious as to the light fixtures in the historic place.”

The church will also lease part of its roof space in the newer wing for solar panels, which will offset 25 percent of the building’s electricity usage. Hunt said the solar panels not only save electricity but will also include a monitoring station to get more parishioners and community members interested in renewable energy.

“It’s about doing what we can to meet our needs now and in the future, but it also helps our parishioners be better stewards of the environment,” he said.

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Medford church receives much needed face lift