STEEPLE WORK IN TURNER
Turner Village Church, with help from our Lord and the Maine Steeples Fund has completed repairs to the church’s steeple. The church building has been a part of this community since the early 1800s. Through the years it has undergone many changes, including a merger of two churches into one and has become a historical symbol in our Turner community. The steeple can be seen from many vantage points, and is especially pretty on a drive down Lower Street during seasonal changes.
Before repairs, Photo by: Jaylene Gonyea
After repair. Photo by: Jaylene Gonyea
The paint on the steeple was peeling and due to inadequate roofing repairs made in 2018, interior and exterior damage occurred. So members reached out to the Maine Steeple Fund for help. After a visit by the Maine Steeple Fund, a Site Visit Report was provided with their suggestions for repairs and an invitation to apply for funding. The church then also hired Dirigo Architectural Engineering to perform a Structural Evaluation. After the Structural Evaluation Report was received, a two-phase project plan was developed. Phase one of the project began in early spring. It included repairs to the flashing, new steeple siding, and the scraping and painting of the steeple. This work was completed by Above All Contracting, Inc. of Turner. Phase two of the project included structural repairs to the interior steeple, which were completed by Bragg Construction of Sumner, Maine in September
Other work on the church building during this time included scraping and painting of all exterior trim along with extensive repairs to water-damaged ceilings and walls. The members of Turner Village Church are thrilled with all of the work that was done including the personal touches to repair damage to the old plaster walls and the ceiling tiles by Chris Bragg. We encourage you to stop in and see the changes that were made. We would also like to extend a huge thank you to the Maine Steeples Fund for their support of history and culture in small-town Maine.
Written and submitted by Jaylene Gonyea, Turner Village Church
