Franklin Federated Church reaches $500,000 Restoration Campaign Goal

Franklin Federated Church is pleased to announce that it has successfully met its goal of raising $500,000 in donations and pledges to fund substantial repairs and updates to its historic buildings, and to support an area nonprofit dedicated to healing domestic violence.

A total of 95 families and individuals pledged $500,815 to the campaign. Nearly $172,000 has been received, and the rest is pledged to be donated over the next three years.

"The success of the Restoration Campaign will ensure that Franklin Federated will be able to continue to support not only the Town of Franklin, but the community at large for many years to come," said campaign co-chair Allen Sawyer. "The members of the congregation and surrounding community never cease to amaze me with their hard work, dedication and generosity."

The funds are already being put to use to address issues with the structural integrity, safety and heating systems of the buildings. New gutters, downspouts and ice melt cables have been installed on the historic 1895 church building, and grading work is being done at the foundation level to stop the incursion of water which was damaging ceiling and walls inside. Electrical panels have been upgraded in the church, new heaters have been installed in the nursery and classrooms, and the concrete front walkways have been replaced. Work is about to begin to eliminate mold and drainage issues in the basement of the parsonage, which is next door to the church and houses the pastor and his family.

Future work that is in the planning stages will include replacement of the church and parsonage boilers, improvements to the church's fire safety system and accessibility, and restoration of the stained glass windows.

In keeping with the Franklin Federated Church's mission to give back to the community, $17,000 of the funds being raised will be donated to the New Hope RESPECT programs. The RESPECT program reaches out to, and helps restore, families in Franklin and neighboring communities that are broken down by violence.

Franklin Federated Church is a Welcoming and Affirming congregation, meaning that all people are invited to be a part of the mission and ministry of the church. The congregation supports organizations locally and around the world, such as Meals on Wheels, local Boy and Girl Scout troops, the Franklin Food Pantry, the Santa Foundation, New Hope, the Boston Grow Clinic and Church World Service.

Franklin Federated Church

The church's history is entwined with the town's founding. The First Congregational Church was formed in 1738, when it broke off from the Congregational Church of Wrentham. This effectively marked the beginning of the Town of Franklin, which had previously been considered the West Precinct of Wrentham. The First Congregational Church joined with the First Baptist Church in 1941, forming the Federated Church. The two congregations had begun worshiping together after the hurricane of 1938 destroyed the First Baptist Church's building on School Street.

For more information or to contribute to the restoration project, visit ffcrestoration.weebly.com.

Franklin Federated Church is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and the American Baptist Churches, USA.