As with all things, time has taken its toll. As the church building has gotten older, things have deteriorated, worn out and required repairs. The needs and expectations of members of the church and of the community have changed over time. Therefore, the congregation held a meeting and formulated a list of items that would help us better preserve our building and at the same time serve the community more fully.

Some of the concerns and requirements are:

• The foundation leaks during heavy rainy seasons and floods in the basement where Fellowship Hall and the kitchen are located.
• The current heating and electrical systems need to be updated.
• The back wall needs repair.
• The building needs to be painted.
• The roof will soon need to be replaced.
• An elevator from the sanctuary level to Fellowship Hall would serve both the disabled and the elderly.
• An ADA-compliant restroom is needed on the sanctuary level..

In early 2006, the congregation decided that we should seek professional help to better define and prioritize immediate needs and desirable improvements that could realistically be done. In mid-summer 2006, Dennis Mires, The Architects was hired to do this research for us.

In May 2007 three committee members were accepted to and attended the first two sessions of Partners for Sacred Places training program called New Dollars/New Partners. Participants from six historic churches in New Hampshire were chosen for the significance of their buildings, the preservation needs they demonstrated, and the degree to which the congregations had the capacity, community support, and readiness to undertake a major fund-raising program. This is an innovative training program available to congregations with older or historic buildings. It is the only national organization providing practical help on property care and stewardship to congregations with older religious properties. Training combines the best of the resources, techniques, and knowledge developed by Partners since 1989, and is the only one of its kind to focus on community-serving congregations with older and historic properties. Two additional training sessions will be completed in October 2007.