A GOOD OLD-FASHIONED STEEPLE RAISING
... happened on June 20, 2009 on the Acworth Common with the entire community supporting the effort! The Steeple is Up! The Acworth Meetinghouse is whole once again and the Acworth community was there to share in this momentous event.
Beginning with what has become a Project trade mark fund raising event, the Pancake Breakfast, the Restoration Committee, the working crew and the community came together to begin a day we have waited for 3 1/2 years. More than three hundred residents of Acworth and the surrounding area joined together to celebrate this historic event. It had to have compared with the first joyous celebration of this architecturally historic building at its completion in 1821.
It was truly wonderful to see the families gathered together on the town common, watching and waiting as the Steeple crew, headed by Ken Christie, Project Manager and Restoration expert, Aaron Sturgis, performed this outstanding bit of historic construction. Co Chairmen of the Restoration Committee, John Putnam and Jon Clowes were on hand to assist the crew from the ground. The process began at 9am with The Rev. Peter Howe, Pastor of “Church on the Hill”, giving the blessing of the “Raising.”
The Steeple lantern was set in its rightful place about 1:30pm with Jon Clowes doing the honors of ringing the old Revere bell in the tower to signal the completion of the lift. Aaron Sturgis gave the crowd a “thumbs up” from the top of the tower and a big cheer went up in response. All the smiling faces told the story as friends and neighbors hugged and cheered the crew for their fine workmanship.
The generous outpouring of financial aid continued through out the day with the filling of donation jars and sales of Meetinghouse artifacts and memorabilia. A 50/50 Raffle was part of the fun, with the winner guessing the lift weight of the Steeple. When the Steeple was removed in January 2006, the crane weight was 11,700 lbs...with a center cast of metal and concrete from old repairs to the Steeple after the ‘38 hurricane... so it was a surprise to all, including the crew, that the final weight of this Steeple lift was 13,300 lbs! The winner, Don Nunes, a recent resident of Acworth, promptly donated his winnings back to the Project! The MacMillan Crane Company of Keene, NH is to be commended for their professional and outstanding work on the lift. They were cautious and careful with our historic treasure...the Steeple of the Acworth Meetinghouse.
There are many stories to be shared by those attending the Steeple Raising and will surely be passed down through future generations as an event to be remembered. It is not often that we get to be part of a history making event in our own home town. The memories of the Restoration committee will be of hard work well rewarded and they only have to turn their eyes to the centerpiece of their community to know they have shared in a job well done.
Our Ongoing Mission
The raising of the Steeple is not the completion of the Restoration of the Acworth Meetinghouse Project but the culmination of the first goal in the renewal of this fine historic building. We continue our efforts to bring new life to a building that our lives center around...a representation of community and togetherness that binds generations of Acworth families and will continue to do so for many years to come. It’s original plan placed it squarely in the center of our town and it has proved through the years to be the center of our lives as well.
The Committee will continue their work and fund raising so that the building may be completely repainted, trim work restored and the interior of the Meetinghouse can be refurbished to better serve our community as the center of activity.
Many, many folks are involved in this work
and we THANK YOU, ONE AND ALL!
Here’s an idea: If you would like to help give us a boost, we are asking each family to pledge $100 a year for the next 10 years for a total amount of $1000! With this plan, we will begin the Stewardship of caring for our Meetinghouse. At the end of this 10 year pledge, we will have accumulated enough funding to assure the future of our Meetinghouse.
Here's a form you can use to pledge. Or you can donate online, here.