Harshaw Chapel is close to completion of its renovation project. Wil Posey
grant was more generous than we expected and enormously helpful. Beyond money, Partners gave us training on how to articulate our story and share a vision for the chapel— why it matters and why people should invest in it.
RB: Do you think improvements to the roof and steeple will draw more attention to Harshaw Chapel? WP: Absolutely. The new standing-seam metal roof and cupola catch the eye. People will notice it again, and that will be special for the chapel and for the town.
RB: What are some obstacles you have faced? WP: When our contractor began removing the roof, he discovered that one of the top brick courses had been replaced with two-by-fours that had since rotted. He had to custom-mill replacements to secure the structure. We also learned the old roof had never been fastened to the walls: it was just sitting there! Now over 100 bolts are anchoring the new one. Inside, we’ re balancing modern needs like lighting with the historic character of an 1869 chapel. And even getting equipment to the site is tricky: you must work carefully around the cemetery.
RB: How far are you from being done? WP: For this phase, I’ d say about five weeks. By then the roof will be complete, and we can ring the bell again. After that, we still need to repaint doors and shutters, finish the ceiling, and move furniture back in. But the largest part of the project will be complete.
RB: Who is one person who played a major part in this project? WP: Wolfgang Raffler, our contractor. Nobody wanted to touch a building this old. But he said,“ I’ m from Germany, where every building is 500 years old.” We told him,“ You’ re hired.” His skill and eagerness have been a blessing.
RB: What is the future of Harshaw Chapel? WP: It will be a site for ecumenical worship services, a setting for historical and cultural presentations, and a place for honest and redemptive conversations around uncomfortable topics, such as how the bricks were most likely made by the hands of enslaved folks. It says to our congregation, our town, and our community that this is where we’ ve come from and this is who we want to become. Preserving it is a way of leaning into that future.
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