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WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS: St. James Great Barrington's community strengthened by building's weakness
[Episcopal News Service] A section of stone façade in St. James Episcopal Church in Great Barrington, Massachusetts collapsed July 31, leaving a gaping hole and damaging the rector's car. No one was injured.Bishop Gordon Scruton of the Diocese of Western Massachusetts was attending the Lambeth Conference when the accident occurred. When notified, he emailed, "I wonder what new creativity will emerge from this situation? I'll keep the prayers coming."
According to St. James' rector, the Rev. Francie Hills, "The church had previously identified there was a problem and was in the process of addressing it. In consultation with town officials, we have closed our buildings until further notice. We are moving ahead with engineering firms to resolve building issues as fast as possible."
Last Sunday, the parish worshipped in a conference room at Great Barrington's Fairview Hospital. Time and location for future worship services will be available on the parish website. Various community organizations that use space at St. James have been asked to find alternative spaces for the time being.
According to parishioner John Cheek, "In our service on Sunday, we were reminded that a church is people, not a building, but our sanctuary is a beautiful sacred space and the graceful Gothic stone building is a historic town landmark."
"This is a great opportunity for us to pull together as a community," claims Hills, who began at St. James last December. "It's a wonderful opportunity to ask ourselves about the future of our ministry and mission. And it's a prime time for building community in Great Barrington and the wider church."
St. James was founded in 1762 by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts. The present building was built in 1857.