Garden chapel to be unveiled Easter as part of Bethesda makeover

Years of restorations at The Episcopal Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea are nearly finished, with the creation of a chapel in the Cluett Garden expected to be unveiled on Easter and other renovations to be complete by Christmas.

The landmarked church has been undergoing a $5 million renovation for almost three years, said longtime parishioner and junior warden Wendy Victor. The work has included a series of projects, such as clearing corrosion and waterproofing the facade and installing a generator. Most recently, the church began an upgrade to the east end of the 700-square-foot Cluett Garden to create an outdoor worship space called the Garden Chapel.

I walked out into the garden at one point and just thought this has to be a worship place, said the Rev. James Harlan. Now, its going to be a wonderful, prayerful space.

The church is paving the east end of the garden, adding drainage, re-doing the landscaping and building stone benches and a stone altar. The work will allow the garden to be used for services, weddings and other celebrations, Harlan said. They plan to have the space ready for a 6 a.m. service Easter Sunday.

Its absolutely magical, Victor said. Its dark when we start the service, and the only light is coming from torches we set up, but we watch the sun come up slowly over the morning service.

The outdoor sunrise service is a church tradition, Harlan said. The recent work means priests will use the stone altar, rather than the foldable tables of years past.

Its going to add a whole new experience as a sacred space, he said.

The $500,000 Garden Chapel update has been underway for more than three months. The other renovations also are almost finished, Victor said.

As long as we have the money, we should be done by Christmas, she said. And these renovations should last us from 40 to 45 years.

The facade work on the church includes cleaning out weather corrosion between the stonework, waterproofing the walls and painting over the stones to maintain the color. Workers also are installing a generator to preserve power for the pipe organ during storms.

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Garden chapel to be unveiled Easter as part of Bethesda makeover