St. John’s Episcopal Church in Getty Square will kick off a fundraising campaign next weekend in hopes of scraping together the cash needed to restore several historic stained-glass windows.
“These windows are in peril,” said the Rev. John Hamilton. “The situation is urgent right now.”
Sitting in the heart of the downtown, St. John’s Church -founded in 1683 - is the city's oldest parish. The Hudson Street church has a long history, serving as a worship place for George Washington and a makeshift hospital during the Revolutionary War.
But now, church leaders say it is fighting, and losing, a battle against time.
The lead inside four of the giant stained-glass windows has long since exceeded its expected lifespan. As a result, the windows, which are as old as 160 years, are in danger of collapsing, Hamilton said.
Already, the church was forced to remove one window when the glass inside began falling away.
“It’s a miracle the lead has lasted this long,” he said.
Three additional 80-foot-tall stained-glass windows, which sit high above the altar, are also in danger and in need of speedy repair, Hamilton said.
To make matters worse, the outside of the distinctive clerestory windows need repainting and the rotted wood need replacing, he said.
In total, church leaders have put a price tag of nearly $280,000 on the restoration project. The bulk of those funds will be raised through state grants, Hamilton said, but the church hopes to gather $40,000 through donations and fundraising events.
On April 13, those money-raising efforts will kick off inside the church from 1 to 3 p.m. with an open house, tour and wine and cheese reception. The event, which is free and open to the public, is part of the fundraising campaign dubbed “The Smith Cochran Legacy: Moving Forward.”
A tribute to the family who founded the Cochran School of Nursing and made many philanthropic contributions to the city, the namesake was a push to encourage others to adopt a civic philosophy, Hamilton said.
By inviting the community into the church, he said he hopes residents will notice the building’s significance and appreciate its history, regardless of their faith.
“This church is our history, our heritage,” he said. “We’re trying to use the campaign to build a sense of ownership in the city.”
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