October 3 – FIRE in the NORTH TOWER!!
St. Michael’s is in tight financial shape due to failure of our boiler in April 2024 and the October accidental “arson.” TPD detectives used a distant video image to establish the cause: an elderly woman eating breakfast on the steps several hours prior had put out her cigarette under the lintel of the old door. Stuffed under the lintel were twigs and scraps of a squirrel nest behind the frame (as the South tower doorframe is witness). Smouldering and smoking for nearly two hours, a 5-year-old boy saw it from a window across the street and had his grandfather call 911. And so, with a 5-year old’s help and God’s blessing, the Trenton Fire Department could save the church from conflagration.
This, however subjected us to a detailed State Fire Inspection. Bringing the church up to Fire Safety Code may be the straw to break our financial back. But we are resilient. Most critical to our well-being is the fact that the church will not have any heating through the coming winter save electric space-heaters. The main sanctuary will be closed entirely.
The Facility’s ability to stay afloat.
Our two 2024 fund-raisers held in June and October only broke even in our attempt to bring the church to the attention of large philanthropies. It is clear that St. Michael’s has the potential to serve as an iconic symbol of the American heritage, however, with no significant endowments to carry the church forward into the 21st century, the facility’s ability to stay afloat is gravely in peril. Looking to the future, however, our goal is to create a foundation of our own —Friends of Old St.Michael’s Trenton.
- We are the sole surviving structure directly involved at the scene of battle during the First Battle of Trenton. Contrary to popular myth, the Barracks played no part in the battle. The battle, with bullets and shrapnel flying around our church, is recognized as the actual turning point in a failing war, after which Washington was able to establish a united Continental Army prior to the 2nd Battle of Trenton and the Battle of Princeton.
- Our Senior Warden, David Brearley, served as the chief conciliator between small and large states throughout the US Constitutional Convention of 1787; he chaired the committee that defined the powers of the President and created the office of Vice President; in 1780 he had set the American legal precedent regarding the very nature of constitutionality to law while serving as Chief Justice of NJ.
- In 1801 our church served as the site of the national convention of Episcopal churches that established the Articles of Religion for the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer still used today.
- In our commitment to all aspects of community involvement, we continue to model the tradition and ideals of both democracy and faith.
STAYING AFLOAT for 2026
HEATING: We’ve got a $100,000 grant from the City’s Federal COVID funds on this one… but the winter is closing in on us and work hasn’t yet begun! However, quotes to install an HVAC (heat-pump) system in the Parish House came in upwards of $200,000.
FIRE CODE: Infractions fall under a number of categories: electrical, structural (egress doors & locks, handrails), and internal structural changes (stairwell enclosure). Addressing fire safety infractions comes to approximately $15,000.
WINDOWS: An inspection of our stained glass windows by the 100-yr-old BAUT Family Window Studios produced a report for restoration/maintenance of $31,670, with major attention to two Kempe windows by the chapel altar, and one Lamb window by the organ in the sanctuary. The quote to manufacture and install modern insulated windows in the Parish Hall to replace the original broken jalousies from the 1900’s is an additional $69,830.
FOUNDATION: in the coming DECADE amount to upwards of $300,000, particularly to support the sanctuary floor, requiring archeological work in the unexcavated dirt-floor supporting the old wood column uprights, since several portions of the existing sanctuary were built over colonial graves.
DEMOLITION & REMOVAL of oil tanks, two decommissioned cast-iron boilers, and entire steam radiator system can be estimated at upwards of $75,000.