Glebe-St. James’ roof springs a leak
Rotting wood platforms and 120-year-old cedar shakes
Tin finials have fallen off the roof.
Proposed work: west side of the roof, including two turrets and a small shed roof on the Lyon Street side, beside the tower
Glebe-St. James’ roof springs a leak
By Pam Fitch
Oh no don’t let the rain come down
My roof’s got a hole in it and I might drown . . . (Serendipity Singers, 1964)
Glebe-St. James United Church’s lantern tower with its four distinctive turrets has developed significant leaks that have rotted a small board in the soaring wood slat ceiling. Water drips into onto the chancel right on the spot where Rev. Dr. Teresa Burnett-Cole leads services.
The leaks intensify during major rainstorms, an increasingly common occurrence due to climate change. The worst leaks come from the two westerly turrets on the parking-lot side. The turrets in the worst condition are located by the parking lot on First Avenue in the northwest and southwest corners. Two of the original tin finials have fallen off these turrets, further contributing to leaks. Last summer, one finial fell into the parking lot, just missing a car (and thankfully, its occupants); the other one partially toppled a few weeks later, and the congregation is grateful to an eagle-eyed neighbour who reported it listing to the side.
Our church began as the Glebe Presbyterian Mission at the corner of Third and O’Connor. As people began moving into the neighbourhood, the mission created the Glebe Presbyterian Church, at the corner of First and Lyon. Church leaders engaged John H. W. Watts, the first curator of the National Gallery, as its architect. The cornerstone was laid in 1904. This church later became Glebe United Church when the United Church of Canada formed a national union between Methodist and Presbyterian congregations in 1925. In 1973, it became Glebe-St. James United Church when its neighbour, St. James United Church, was sold and became the Glebe Community Centre.
Glebe-St. James features a complicated Gothic Revival roof deck with many angles. Our roofing experts from Aquila Roofing tell us that if we do not repair the west-side turret damage this year, we could be facing a complete failure of the roof within five years. The cost of repairing the entire church roof at this point is close to $1 million, although there are parts of the roof that are not in critical need of repair. To repair the west side turrets and roof, replace the finials and redo two other small sections will cost in the vicinity of $300,000, and this is the path that Glebe-St. James has chosen.
It is important to note that all United churches operate like small businesses, and they do not have regular funding from other church sources. There is no central agency that provides money for congregations. All funds derive from congregational givings, bequests, space rentals and fundraising like the GSJ Bazaar in November or the Great Glebe Garage Sale. We are fortunate to have a generous congregation and a rich partnership with the Glebe Montessori School.
We intend to finance the repairs by congregational donations and pledges. We also hope that community members who have attended concerts or use the church will consider supporting the campaign. We have applied for a $25,000 grant from the region, and we expect to receive a loan from the United Church of Canada for the balance.
At the time of writing, we are almost 30 per cent of the way to our goal.
Glebe-St. James plays an important role as a “third place” in the Glebe, an environment where people can relax, socialize and connect with others outside their homes or workplaces. You can come and go as you please. Third places are accessible, inclusive and help you feel like you belong. The congregation warmly welcomes people of all ages, genders, races and capacities. It contributes to community outreach, particularly focusing on food insecurity. The congregation shares the building with the Glebe Montessori School, and the Glebe Neighbourhood Activities Group rents space for tutoring and summer camps. Other community groups like Scouts consider this church their home and have built permanent storage for their equipment on the grounds.
If you or your group wish to know more about Glebe-St. James and our roof project, go to https://www.glebestjames.ca/the-roof-at-glebe-st-james-needs-your-help.
To contribute to our roof repair project, go to the donate page for details: https://www.glebestjames.ca/donations#Donate.
Pam Fitch is a member of the congregation of Glebe-St. James United Church.