7.29.2013

A Strategy to Begin Sanctuary Stabilization


            Emmanuel is blessed with a strong yet graceful masonry architecture for our church building.  We are a dynamic church and congregation, yet our church building reflects a heritage created from many energetic and dedicated Baptists.  Conceived during the Second Great Awakening of the 1800s, Emmanuel's church structure became a reality after the Civil War, before the era of electricity. 
          
             Funding repairs is problematic for our church; many, many needs call for help.  For Emmanuel's structure, no one single source of financing for these repairs will be adequate for this very large task.  Fund raising, pledges and contributions will be integrated with governmental and foundation grant applications. 
 
           Urgent repairs of $300,000 will occur in 2013.  Financial support from Sacred Sites and the New York Landmarks Conservancy have encouraged this process.  Estimated exterior needs, defined by our architect, will exceed $600,000 overall, so grants to date represent only about 5% of our needs.