Sterling church seeks help with basement repairs

For more than a century, members of the United Protestant Church have helped their fellow townspeople.

Now, they say, they could use some help.

The church basement sustained heavy damage in 2009, when the nearby Sterling Pond section of the Moosup River overflowed because of heavy March rain. It sent water cascading across Church Street into the small church. The water was removed from the basement, but it had damaged the floor enough that the wood had to be removed.

The floodwaters also left heavy mold about 2 feet high on the basement walls, which also had to be ripped out.

“The walls were built with tongue-in-groove boards that were heavily nailed together,” church member Bruce Glaude said. “That made it difficult to remove the damaged boards without causing some harm to the remaining sections of wall.”

Pastor Bonni Piccione said church leaders were unaware they could have applied to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assistance until the application deadline had passed. She said the church also did not have flood insurance.

Glaude said he hopes the church will be able to pour a new concrete floor in the basement and is looking for donations of wood, especially two-by-fours and drywall to fix the basement walls.

“If contractors have wood left over from jobs and would be willing to donate it to the church, we’d be truly grateful,” Glaude said.

He said workmen are scheduled to overhaul the furnace in the basement this week, including redesigning the heating system to create separate zones for the basement and the sanctuary on the main floor of the church. Presently, the sanctuary has only a large grate in the floor near the pulpit where heat rises from the basement.

“Sometimes we all gather as close to the vent as possible for our worship services,” Piccione said with a laugh.

The United Protestant Church has been part of Sterling for 115 years, opening for worship services and other gatherings in 1896 on land donated for its construction two years earlier. In its early days, it was a vital part of the Sterling village community, members say.

Church treasurer Mary Brown said a history of the church indicates it has a lengthy record of helping local causes.

“Our church donated money to help with the construction of St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church next door,” Brown said.

St. Joseph was among several churches closed in 2009 by the Diocese of Norwich. A “for sale” sign now sits on the front lawn of the church.

Piccione said the small congregation of about 25 members, 20 of whom are active, knits mittens, gloves and hats for local schoolchildren each year, contributes to food drives at Project PIN, the food bank that serves the Plainfield-Sterling area, and helps in other community causes.

If funds can be raised, Piccione said, the congregation wants to refurbish the kitchen in the basement so it can serve suppers again and host other fundraisers.

“We’d also be able to offer our basement facilities to community groups such as Boy Scout or Girl Scout troops or other organizations looking for a place to call home,” Piccione said.

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Sterling church seeks help with basement repairs