Congregation Votes for Steeple
by Nancy Wood,
October 6, 2011, page 11.....

The members of the Charlotte Congregational Church voted by a wide margin on September 25 to start a fund-raising campaign to build an historically accurate reproduction of the old steeple. The vote was 58 to 10 and limited the expense to no more than $238,000.
During 2009 the church underwent major renovations. Using $435,000 raised from over 100 church members and friends, the church received a new slate roof, rebuilt chimney, upgraded front porch and new column bases. The exterior of the church was painted and storm windows were replaced over the stained glass.
The contractor discovered that the steeple had been leaking for possibly over 100 years, and the steeple and the truss structure were badly damaged from ice, snow and rain. One of the trusses was 50% burned, possibly from a lightning strike that extinguished itself. The deterioration was so severe that the steeple had to be dismantled and discarded. The bell was lowered and placed on the front lawn and the steeple cap was put behind the Vestry – where they are today.
Rather than starting another capital campaign immediately, many members of the church wanted to support other missions, including the Habitat housing project in Charlotte, and to develop a strategic plan for the future. So a decision was made to delay further work on the steeple. In the meantime, a Steeple Fund was established to accept donations from individuals and the greater Charlotte community, as well as money generated by small fundraisers.
The newly formed Steeple Committee spent 18 months exploring options for a new steeple, including fiberglass, aluminum and different architectural styles. A survey was conducted this summer to determine the level of support for various approaches. Of the 115 respondents, 85% favored building an historically accurate wood replica of the original steeple, which became the committee’s recommendation to the congregation.
Lane Morrison, a member of the Steeple Committee and chair of the Prudential Committee, said that they are moving ahead with fundraising activities. Donations of $27,000 had already been received, and an additional $15,000 was pledged last week. Apple pies are selling fast on Wednesday and Friday afternoons, with some enthusiastic purchasers identifying themselves as “steeple people.” (A portion of the pie proceeds will support the steeple fund.) A $20,000 historic preservation grant is being sought from the state. The Steeple Committee has begun approaching potential donors and will start the actual fund drive in January 2012 after the church’s regular budget for 2012 has been subscribed and final pledges received for the earlier phase of restoration.
According to Morrison, competitive bids were received previously for the steeple, and the low bidder has been informed of the plan to move forward. The bid is good through March 2012. Morrison said that the church wants to be sure it is “on solid ground” with some significant pledges before signing the contract.