MECHANIC FALLS — Some would call it another Christmas miracle.
On the second Sunday of Advent (Dec. 4), the second candle on the Advent Wreath was lit in the former First Congregational Church at 64 Elm St. The service was led by the Rev. Gary Drinkwater of Otisfield, pastor of the town’s newest congregation, the Anglican Church of the Transformation.
“We feel honored that we can hold services in this 170-year-old building, to be part of its rebirth as a place of worship, its continuation in bringing the message of God’s love, the gift of his son, our Savior, whose birth we are about to celebrate,” Drinkwater said. “It is wonderful to be in this community.”
It might not have happened, had not Barry Vaill taken note of the Town Council’s despair over the possible loss of yet another local landmark, for the building at 64 Elm St., given to the town several years ago, needed attention — expensive attention.
It had seemed a good idea, when the congregation dissolved, that the building be taken over by the Historical Society.
But time proved that the Historical Society didn’t have the financial resources to keep it going.
Last winter the building was closed because the society couldn’t afford to keep it heated.
This past September the Town Council was forced to come up with $1,800 to replace a failing oil tank; the Historical Society had little more than $1,600 in its bank account.
Bandying about six-figure estimates for a proper restoration, the council questioned whether the town could afford the building.
Enter Vaill, chairman of an organizational committee seeking to establish an Anglican Mission Church covering the Oxford Hills/Lewiston-Auburn area. Having been directed by Town Manager Koriene Low, he was inspecting the church building with Historical Society leaders Jim Craig and Eriks Petersons within a week of hearing about the council’s anguish.
“We absolutely love the building; we’re tremendously excited about it,” Vaill said, “and the location is perfect, Mechanic Falls is right in the center of our target area.”
Vaill and Drinkwater presented their proposal for the use of the building at the council’s October meeting and the council agreed to make arrangements to deed the property to the local members of the proposed Anglican Church.
Vaill noted that unlike some religious organizations that take control of the physical properties of its member churches, the Anglican Church does not.
“Each local church owns or rents the property on its own,” Vaill said. “The Diocese of the Northeast will provide support material as well as training and guidance to ensure the mission has every chance at success.”
Vaill added that the degree of independence allowed local churches was one of the features that most attracted him to the Anglican Church, ”and there’s nothing stuffy about it, either.”
One of the conditions for transferring the property to the Anglican Church was that the Historical Society be allowed continued use of the building.
Vaill assured the council that the church would work with the Historical Society, allowing it to continue to use the building for meetings and to keep and display its historical items.
“I believe it is important to remember those who have gone before us, who have given us the ways to live righteous lives as God and Jesus taught through Scripture,” Drinkwater said.
Placing the local Anglican Church of the Transformation in its broader context, Drinkwater said that as a member of the worldwide Traditional Anglican Communion, “we are part of Christ’s One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Our teachings and practice are based soundly on the Holy Bible and the traditional Book of Common Prayer.”
Drinkwater, who has lived most of his life in this area, graduated from Edward Little High School in Auburn, Class of 1968, received a bachelor’s degree in biblical studies from St. Francis College (now the University of New England) in Biddeford, and studied theology at the University of the South, School of Theology, in Swanee, Tennessee, for four years.
He also studied human services at Central Maine Community College in Auburn and is a licensed clinical social worker with two years of training in clinical pastoral education, at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston. He was also a volunteer chaplain for 18 years at CMMC.
Drinkwater was, for 16 years, an ordained deacon in the Episcopal Church.
He recently resigned his orders in the Episcopal Church and, on Nov. 12, 2016, after much prayer and discernment, decided to join a new community and took on orders in the Anglican Church.
Drinkwater said he is delighted at the prospect of bringing renewed life to “the fine old structure” that is the historic church building and he is especially pleased with the organ: “Absolutely glorious, heavenly, and if only we can find a proper organist. . . . We invite all to come and worship with us.”
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