SACO — St. Augustine of Canterbury Anglican Church will be moving its services to the Saco Grange Hall next month, building the type of community partnership grange members hope will help the organization continue into the future.
The church will hold its first service at the building at 168 North St. in Saco, which is more than 100 years old, on Sunday, Aug. 3 at 10 a.m., according to a recent statement it released.
St. Augustine’s has been located at 156 Saco Ave. in Old Orchard Beach at the Cathedral Pines Chapel for nearly five years, according to the statement.
“We are very excited about this move,” said The Rev. Deacon Allen Ryan, in the prepared statement. “It will allow us to expand our ministry, add new programs and activities, and serve our parish family and our community better.”
The church is renting space from the grange, said Catherine Glynn, one of 14 core members of Saco Grange No. 53.
The Saco Grange, said Glynn, is “undergoing a bit of a revitalization.”’
With declining membership and a large, old building to maintain, earlier this year, the local chapter of the national organization had “a tipping point,” where the decision had to be made whether to fold or to try to build the chapter, said Glynn.
The National Grange of the orders of patrons of husbandry is a community organization with roots in agriculture, and according to its website, its core principals are faith, hope, charity and fidelity. The organization promotes “hometown values,” said Glynn.
She said there has been renewed interest in the grange locally, and the group is looking to rent out the space to help sustain the local chapter.
She said the old building would make a good venue for folk music or a rustic wedding.
“It could fit a range of uses,” said Glynn.
Rental inquiries can be directed to Sandy Leeman at 831-5784.
Glynn said members recently got together and cleaned the grange hall, and the group is applying for a grant to renovate the kitchen.
The Saco Grange meets once a month in the winter, and twice a month other times of the year, said Glynn. Its activities include hosting Christmas fairs and assembling gift baskets for veterans. The local chapter wants to start hosting community bean suppers again as well, said Glynn.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
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