The task of repairing the steeple, bell and bell housing on Lewiston-Auburn’s oldest church began Wednesday morning with removal of the spire. “It is a beautiful old church and it deserves to be repaired and saved,” said Bill Hiss, moderator of the West Auburn Congregational Church at 811 West Auburn Road, as workmen lowered the spire to the ground. “This is a piece of Lewiston-Auburn’s history,” he said. The church was built in 1805 and had two stories, but when it became too large for the congregation the second story was removed in 1846, when the steeple was built. The top of the steeple will be fixed in the church parking lot, while the bell and bell housing will be repaired by church member Mike O’Connor of O’Connor Construction, Hiss said. The work is being funded through church member gifts, endowment interest and Maine Community Foundation funds. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Parishioners watch workers remove the spire. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)