BRATTLEBORO — First Baptist Church may have a new owner, but its pastor and its advisory board said last week that the church is still very much alive.
Last December, the church entered into a purchase and sale agreement for the historic Main Street church with Bob Johnson, founder of Brattleboro-based Omega Optical.
Johnson plans to turn the church into a performance and conference space and has begun some renovation work.
But Johnson also agreed with First Baptist to allow it to continue to have its Sunday worship services - as well as weddings, funerals, and other special events - at the church for the next three years, rent-free.
In December 2019, when the agreement expires, both Johnson and the church have the option to renegotiate the terms.
First Baptist wanted to avoid the fate of other congregations around New England who chose to disband in the face of the double-whammy of declining membership and increased upkeep and maintenance for aging churches.
Now that they are tenants, instead of property owners, the church is freed from the crushing burden of caring for an old building and can shift their focus to keeping the church and their spiritual role in the community intact.
“It is a huge relief for us,” said First Baptist Pastor Suzanne Andrews. “It has been quite a journey for the church, but it's like God has given us a second chance.”
“Now we can put money into supporting our missions, and our pastor, instead of into keeping up the building,” said Jeanne Deyo, a member of the church advisory board. “Our main purpose is still on Main Street.”
Those missions included hosting the Winter Overflow Shelter for 11 years. While the shelter will have a new home somewhere else in town next season, the generosity of First Baptist Church will not soon be forgotten.
Long road
It hasn't been easy for the First Baptist congregation to maintain its historic church.
Built in 1870 and enlarged in 1889, it was designed by Elbridge Boyden, who later designed two other Main Street landmarks, the Brooks House and the former All Souls Unitarian Church building at 210 Main St., during the same period.
The 1889 enlargement paved the way for one of First Baptist's signature features, the stained glass windows created by Tiffany Studios of New York.
First Baptist's other signature feature is the immense Estey pipe organ donated by the Estey family in 1906.
But a dwindling number of members and rising maintenance costs forced the church to part with one of its prized Tiffany windows.
In 2010, it was forced to sell a stained-glass window that was made in 1896 and signed by Louis Comfort Tiffany.
The window, which depicted St. John the Divine and was installed in honor of former Vermont Gov. Levi Fuller of Brattleboro, was sold to a collector for $85,000.
But the windfall was short-lived, Andrews said, as the church needed $50,000 to repair its slate roof.
Since then, the heating system in the church has needed major repairs. That, along with other maintenance issues in recent years, made selling the building almost inevitable.
'A blessing that he bought this church'
Johnson, who also owns the former All Souls Church (now known as The Stone Church), stepped in as a buyer.
While the purchase price hasn't been disclosed, the church and its property has been assessed at $890,000 by the town of Brattleboro.
“It was a blessing that he bought this church,” Andrews said.
Deyo said the remaining congregation feels optimistic that it can continue, and perhaps grow, in the coming years.
“We're a very diverse and welcoming congregation,” she said.
“This is a time of isolation for many people,” Karen Davis, a member of the church's trustees. “The Holy Spirit helps us communicate with one another so we don't feel alone.”
Davis, along with church member Ray Holmes, records and edits the Sunday services for later broadcast on Brattleboro Community Television.
“It's an important ministry for us,” Deyo said, “but we hope that the people watching the services on BCTV will want to come to see in person.”
And Andrews said the spiritual mission of First Baptist will continue, even if the services may someday end up in a different location.
“The church is beautiful, but it is merely a material thing,” said Andrews. “It is the people, and not the building, that are the church.”