Photos show the lift and the church. Prayer Space at the Parish Thrift Shop. Children’s Reading Space. Barbara Hathaway photo

JAY — Bartlett Memorial United Methodist Church at North Jay is repairing the steeple that has been a beacon for the community since 1877.

Historical roots of Methodism go back to 1794 when early Methodist circuit riding preacher Jess Lee preached in Jay. Early Methodism included home church gatherings and a later meeting in the grange. The Methodist Society was formed in North Jay in 1850 by a quarry stone cutter, Charles Williams.

Bartlett Memorial Methodist Church was constructed in 1877 on part of the Bartlett farm owned by Mr. and Mrs. Hannibal Purington. Mrs. Purington’s parents were Mr. and Mrs. Ichabod Bartlett, previous owners, and Miss Margaret Holt’s great-grandparents. Pastor George Donald and wife, Marjorie, were North Jay residents and long-time dedicated workers for the church.

The church is open for Sunday worship at 9 a.m. with prayers, singing and hearing the Word of God from Bible Scriptures. The church has a 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Parish Thrift Shop ministry on Saturdays, offering lightly used clothes and household items for $2 a bag, with some items marked with the price.

The shop also offers a prayer space sitting area for those who want to pray or ask volunteers to pray with them. A note pad is provided to place a name on the prayer list. A children’s reading space is provided for children to color, play or have a volunteer read to them while their parent shops.

The repairs for the steeple required a lift to remove the old parts. The cost of repairs and lift are large and donations are welcome. Send them to Bartlett Memorial United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 5222, North Jay, ME 04262; state Steeple Repair.