Calvary Baptist Church, Providence Rhode Island

NEWS

CHAMPLIN AWARDS RESTORATION FUNDS TO CALVARY BAPSTIST CHURCH

November 29, 2005, PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Calvary Baptist Church announced today that the Champlin Foundations has awarded the church $203,000 for its ongoing restoration project.

“I am extremely grateful that the Champlin Foundations feels supporting the repair of our church is a worthy one,” said Pastor Linda C. Spoolstra. “Calvary is a not only an architectural treasure on the city’s Southside, but a vibrant center of faith and community. This grant will help ensure Calvary remains a part of South Providence for years to come.”

Over the next 10 years, the congregation is seeking to renovate the church at a cost exceeding $1.2 million. The first project goal is to make the building watertight by repairing the slate roof and chimney at a total cost of $600,000. The Champlin grant will help defray those costs. Last spring the congregation pledged $175,000 over the next three years for this project.

The Calvary building on Broad Street was completed in 1907 and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The church is a Late Gothic-Revival style design, a major work of the prominent turn-of-the-century architect, Sidney Rose Badgley, and an excellent example of the type of lantern-dome-crowned auditorium style church for which Badgley was best known. It was the state’s first church in the early 20th century to offer an institute, a nonsectarian arm of the church that operated a gymnasium and library and sponsored clubs, an evening school, concerts and lecture series. Beautiful stained glass windows from the Gorham and Tiffany Studios can be found in the sanctuary, chapel and a classroom.

After the exterior work is completed, the restoration of the interior will include repairs to the plaster, refinishing doors, pews and floors and restoring the stain glass windows. The amount needed for the interior work is an additional $633,345, which will be raised over the next 10 years through the support of individuals, foundations, businesses, corporations and other organizations.

Aside from being architecturally significant, the church is a daily resource to the community, including South Providence Neighborhood Ministries, among others. SPNM provides services to over 12,000 lower income people throughout the year with programs for children and youth, health education, assistance with food and utilities and adult education.

Phase 1 of the restoration project, which is to repair the slate roof and chimney, will begin in December and conclude in the spring.

Donations will be greatly appreciated. Checks should be made out to “Calvary Baptist Church - Building Project”. All gifts will be acknowledged and are tax deductible.