preservation

The Friends for the Preservation of Union Church was founded in 1997 in response to a crisis.

One by one, the fan-shaped decorations on the parapet of the tower were blowing off. Funds were needed immediately, and the Friends were formed with the mission to aid “the preservation, maintenance, care of and appreciation for” the Union Church structure. The Friends’ members go beyond the tiny congregation to a large circle of supporters – both local and far flung- who love this building. The founding members were Maggie Howard, Nini Gilder, Molly Curtin-Schaefer and Tom Dillon.

The first goal of the Friends group was restoring the distinctive tower anthemia. Looking beyond this emergency, the Friends hired the noted Albany preservation firm, Mesick, Cohen Wilson, Baker Architects to make an historic structures report, and sought inclusion of the church on the National Register of Historic Places. The Church was listed on the National Register in 1999 making it eligible for state funding through the Massachusetts Historical Commission (MHC). We have received two matching grants over the years.

In 2018, Holly and Roger Ketron re-energized the Friends. The roof was leaking into the sanctuary, and the front porch was becoming an increasingly alarming challenge.

While the congregation continues to pay for day-to-day expenses, the Friends raise funds for historically appropriate, high quality capital improvements.