Raising (and replacing) the roof at Milton Episcopal church

The Episcopal Church of St. John the Baptist in Milton is replacing its leaking roof and the curling shake shingles on the outside walls of the parish hall. While St. John the Baptist began in a church dating from 1728 and located over two miles west of Milton, this building was constructed in 1877 and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

Unsurprisingly, the contractors found three layers of roof shingles on the 139-year-old building - shingles that had to be removed, exposing the original board base. That work released 139 years of heavy dust, which fell into the worship area of the building. Parishioners discovered the mess on a Saturday and quickly organized themselves into a cleanup crew.

Next day, the rector, Father Tom White, delivered a homily referencing the dust, but also concerning St. John the Baptist's nearly 300-year history. He said, "We are grateful for the rich spiritual legacy of this parish in the Milton area, and well beyond. Our roof replacement and other improvements indicate our intention to faithfully pass on that legacy of the good news of Jesus Christ to our descendants."

For more information, go to www.saintjohnsmilton.org.