Historic Park Slope church needs money to sanctuary ceiling

Anthony Lanzilote for New York Daily News

Pastor Daniel Meeter holds up a piece of damaged ceiling of the Old First Reformed Church in Park Slope.

Parishioners at an historic church in Park Slope where the ceiling partially caved in last fall are now hoping to raise as much as $1.5 million to make repairs.

Chunks of plaster fell from the sanctuary ceiling of the Old First Reformed Church of Brooklyn on Carroll St. last fall - and since then, worshipers have crammed into a smaller room next door.

?A million and a half is an enormous number. We have no idea how we?re going to raise it yet but we?re optimistic. We?ve already gotten so much community support,? said church pastor Daniel Meeter.

Since the ceiling collapsed, architectural engineers have been in and out of the church - built in 1891 - and estimated the cost of repairs to be anywhere between $700,000 to almost $1.5 Million.

Instead of the big, lavish standing-room-only holiday celebrations the landmark church has held, they?ve had stripped-down versions with classical guitars and a harpsichord replacing the grand pipe organ and lively celebrations.

The congregation - which has swelled to almost 400 people during holidays - is capped at just under 200 parishioners because of limited space in the area one-tenth the size of the church.

The first fundraising event - a bluegrass concert at the Bell House in Gowanus on Sunday - as already been a success. The venues 500 seats have completely sold out and more than $20,000 has been raised for church repairs.

?We need to do whatever it takes to save this space,? said Park Slope resident and concert organizer Michael Daves.

?It?s an architectural treasure and it?s really important to the community.?

Churchgoer and bluegrass performer Burkhard Bilger is one of seven different acts that are slated to take the stage.

Bilger - who performs with his wife and three kids - said he needed to do his part to get the hole fixed.

?I don?t think we can go on without using our main space,? said Bilger, 45. ?That combination of location, acoustics and physical beauty is something you just don?t find in this neighborhood.?

Daves and other churchgoers have more fundraising events in the works and are even mulling over which deep-pocketed benefactors they can ask for more donations.

Meanwhile Meeter said he?s not phased by the daunting figure. Almost $140,000 has already come in from local residents and Meeter said he?s holding out hope that the rest isn?t too far away.

?We?re people who live by faith,? said Meeter. ?Religious organizations believe in improbabilities and making the impossible possible.

To donate, log on to www.indiegogo.com/rescueoldfirst

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Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/nydnrss/new-york/~3/r8pcyl2-o90/story01.htm

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