A little church that’s been a fixture in Oxford Village since 1878 is attempting to raise a large sum of money to pay for needed repairs and restoration.

Last week, an on-line, fund-raising campaign with the goal of generating $100,000 for Immanuel Congregational United Church of Christ, located at the corner of Hovey and Dennison streets, was launched on the GoFundMe platform by Justin Willcock, a village resident and moderator (or chairman) of the church board.

“It’s an old building. It needs a little update and maintenance,” he said.

The problem is, Immanuel has a “very small” congregation, which means there’s a limited pool of potential donors, Willcock explained.

“We can only do so much, so we’re trying to reach out to the community and hopefully, get some help,” he said.

According to Willcock, the church is in need of the following:

• New shingles for the roof over the sanctuary within the next three years.

• Brick repair and replacement in the area of the bell tower where weather conditions have worn away existing brick.

• Removal of the existing plexiglass that covers and protects the original stained glass windows. Willock described its current condition as “all cloudy and scratched up,” and indicated he’s been told this protective layer is causing a buildup of heat that can actually damage the historic windows. He said it needs to be replaced with clear, shatterproof glass that has ventilation.

• Removal of the flaking white paint on the church’s trim and bell tower. Application of fresh white paint to these areas.

Willcock hopes the community will be motivated to pitch in because the church is “part of the town’s history” and it regularly assists the less fortunate by supporting a variety of charitable endeavors.

“We’re always giving back,” he said. “Now, we need some help.”

Willcock realizes this fund-raising effort is going to be a long, slow process. He just asks that people donate whatever they can spare. He’s calling upon past church members and folks whose parents or grandparents were married there to contribute.

“I don’t expect anybody to just give us a check for $100,000. It would be great if they did,” Willcock said.

Willcock has been attending the church since 2017 and became moderator in January of this year.

He likes Immanuel because it’s small, has a “nice, warm, family feeling” and “there’s no judgment there at all.”

In a society where everything, from cell phones to cars, is now “disposable,” Willcock likes the fact that Immanuel has been around “for so long” and continues to endure.

He believes it’s something worth preserving for future generations.

Although Immanuel’s building was dedicated in May 1878, the church itself was formed on Feb. 23, 1877 following a series of revival meetings.