As you walk up the dozens of steps past the century-old solid-wood beams to the steeple in the Church of Universal Fellowship in Orono, two things happen: the outside temperature oozes through the boards and a rhythmic ticking seeps into the air.
That ticking is the swaying, clicking and moving of the mechanics of a 100-year-old clock. The metal gears and spindles work off one machine that connects to all four clock faces that keeps Orono on time.
People don’t get to see the inner workings of the clock often, but soon a whole team will improve them so they can be preserved and the clock faces can still be read.
The church steeple will undergo a month of repairs this fall after it was noticed that clock faces, louvers and wood sheathing on the spire all require restoration.
As part of the fundraising, the church asked the Orono Town Council to donate $5,000.
The committee raising funds for the repairs approached the Council for a donation because the building has become a part of Orono’s identity and history, according to multiple church members. The town even financially supported the church multiple times throughout history by installing and maintaining the bell and clock in 1853 and repairing the clock face in the 1950s.
“This church is so much part of Orono. We’ve been an integral part of Orono, so we thought there’d be no harm [asking the town for a donation],” Irene van Hoffman, member of the Save our Steeple committee, said.
John McCormack, a member of the steeple committee, rings the bell in the Church of Universal Fellowship in Orono on Friday. Credit: Linda Coan O’Kresik
Gears on the 100-year-old clock in the steeple of the Church of Universal Fellowship in Orono. Metal cogs and spindles work off one machine that connects to all four clock faces seen on the steeple. Credit: Linda Coan O’Kresik
The steeple atop the Church of Universal Fellowship in Orono. Credit: Linda Coan O’Kresik
The eastward-leaning steeple atop the Church of Universal Fellowship at 82 Main St. in Orono. Credit: Linda Coan O’Kresik
The repairs and restoration needed this year were found during the emergency repairs made in 2024 following storm damage and will cost $52,400. The church is attempting to raise $30,000 from donations on top of a $26,200 grant from the Maine Steeples Fund to have $56,200, enough to cover the restoration and $3,800 as a contingency fund.
The estimates on the work come from Mid-Maine Restorations, a business that focuses on restoring and repairing historic buildings and churches, who will also be doing the restoration in the fall.
The Church of Fellowship has been at 82 Main St. in Orono since 1844, when it was founded as the Orono Universalist Church. In the 181 years of use, repairs have been made to the steeple in 1997, 2009 and 2024.
Council Chair Dan Demeritt said he sees ideas on both sides for donating to the restoration or rejecting the request.
“There are good arguments against using public tax dollars to support religious activity or iconography, but there is established precedent for using public funds to support historic structures that happen to be churches,” Demeritt said.
He remains open to the request because of how iconic the building is to the community and how important the church is as a community leader.
Without the town’s donation, the church is not worried about reaching its funding goal by the end of the year because donors have been generous so far and multiple events are planned for the fall, von Hoffman said. There will be a food truck event in September and the church will take part in the Orono Festival Day to spread awareness.
Donations are currently coming from collections at Sunday services, online donations and funds sent to the church office.
The Orono Town Council will discuss the request at its July 28 meeting.
