Church taking steeple drive to the public

Published 6:00 pm Wednesday, September 14, 2005

Eagle Harbor Congregational is raising $125K to repair the belfry.

Eagle Harbor Congregational Church is sending out a community-wide SOS for the final phase of its restoration.

The goal of the “Save Our Steeple” campaign is to raise $125,000, to enable the church to repair the bell tower, purchase a bronze, custom-cast bell for the belfry and save a community landmark.

“This is phase two of the major refurbishing project. We don’t want to see it lost,” said Jim Chapel, a member of the campaign steering committee guiding fund-raising.

Like several of his fellow committee members, Chapel does not belong to the church, but feels very strongly that it deserves its pride of place in Winslow.

Congregants have already raised more than $400,000 to renovate the circa 1896 building, put on a new roof and add a sprinkler system.

To restore the bell tower, a community landmark, the drive is going public.

“A lot of groups meet in our church who are not members,” said church staffer Jennifer Merrill. “They are helping us with the pledge drive because they see it as a central focal point of Bainbridge Island and want to see it preserved.”

The public is invited to a campaign kick-off at 7 p.m. Sept. 15 at the church. Speakers will include Councilwoman Debbie Vancil, a team leader for the fund-raiser, and Town & Country owner Larry Nakata, who will provide the refreshments.

EHCC member and capital campaign member Reed Price recently announced the first major contribution to the steeple drive: $10,000 from Town & Country.

The kickoff precedes a series of special community events to bring the island public into the church. The first, from 2-4 p.m. Sept. 24, the church will celebrate all of the weddings that have taken place there over the years.

Invitations have been sent to people who were married in the church from the 1970s on; they can celebrate with music and dancing, light hors d’oeuvres, photographs by Joel Sackett, a wedding cake and memories.

The next event will be at 6 p.m. Oct. 29 and feature old movies. On Nov. 12, the meeting’s theme is “Going to Bat for the Belfry.” Chapel said the campaign team hopes to get some Mariners players over. The time will be announced closer to the event.

“(The church) is a place for people to meet…in the devotional and definitely the secular sense,” Merrill said. “We’re free-range Christians, really very open-minded. It’s a safe place to meet and talk to each other and we really would like to foster that in our community.”

To support the SOS fund, send a check to Eagle Harbor Congregational Church, 105 Winslow Way W., Bainbridge Island, WA 98110. Write “SOS” on the memo line of the check.

or more information visit www.eagleharborchurch.org, call 842-4657 or speak to a steering committee member: Bill Carters, Dee Eisenhower, Don Fisher, Trudi Inslee, Bob Burkholder, Tom Killable, Ed Kushner, Reed Price, Bess Alpaugh, Jim Chapel, Alice Tawresey.