1918: EWING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

This beautiful edifice is one of Ewing Township's historic treasures.The above graphic took up nearly 1/4 of the full page of theThursday, April 25th edition of "The State Gazette" and has been meticulously re-formatted so that it can be legibly be seen here in the year 2016.

2009: Help Save An Historic House of God!

How I wish I were a wealthy man! In an era when greedy financial manipulators are rewarded with millions of dollars in bonuses, an era when taxes are driving many of our senior citizens out of our homes, an era where millions of dollars are being spent on the breeding habits of a Chitty Chitty Bang Bang bug or other low priority pursuits, we have a local community crying out for help in their valiant effort to preserve one of our local historic treasures.

The folks over in Ewing Township are trying awfully hard to save that historic house of God in Ewing. Below is an extract of an email I received this morning. If you can help in any way, contact them at this website: www.ewingpresfund.us

Volunteers are needed to help organize and run upcoming events. Please let them know of your availability. There will be an important coalition meeting on Sunday, April 26 at 4 p.m. that will be our "kickoff" to our May and June events.

Have a great holiday, and thank you again for your support!
Helen and Bob Kull
Partners to Restore Ewing Sanctuary

See the articles published in today's local newspapers.

The Times of Trenton (on the front page!):
http://www.nj.com/mercer/index.ssf/2009/04/a_good_sign_faithful_work_to_s.html
The Trentonian (also well-placed!):
http://www.trentonian.com/articles/2009/04/12/news/doc49e1539d68d84598726325.txt

If you wish, post a helpful comment at the bottom of the online articles. This helps the community, and the newspapers, know you care.

1918: REV. JEWELL IMPRESSES EWING PRESBYTERIAN

A post further down the line tells of the fund raising efforts of dedicated Ewing Presbyterian communicants as they tackle the immense problem of raising funds to repair the condemned church building. To repeat an earlier opinion, even if the restoration group does not meet the financial goal, I would hope that the building would remain intact until financial times improve.

2009: SAVE EWING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH!

How very helpless I, and the average citizen feel when we read about the possibility of losing still another local historic treasure. The president's "stimulus package" should include the funds to help preserve some of America's endangered and truly historic treasures. Ewing Presbyterian Church is certainly one of them. The years have taken their toll on that majestic edifice in Ewing Township. Thank heavens for folks like Ms. Kull and her like-minded historical preservation activists, who are doing their very best to find a way to save that sacred historic treasure from the wrecker's ball. Helen sent this email which has a link to access the URL. Go to http://www.ewingpresfund.us/ and check it out. Many thanks, Helen for being a visitor to this website, a reader of "Sentimental Journey" and an avid historic preservationist.

HELEN WROTE:

Hi, Tom -
I've read your columns in the Times for years and have loved learning fascinating bits of history about the area I've now lived in for 30 years. Seeing the recent article about the website, I'm just amazed at this labor of love you have created! But I especially appreciate the immense breadth of your work, as I have been recently involved in documenting (just!) the history of the Ewing Presbyterian Church as it has celebrated its 300th anniversary - and I thought that was a big job! And now, I am also heading up a joint community-congregation campaign to help raise funds to keep the church's 1867 sanctuary - a great, striking landmark on Scotch Road - from being demolished. Interested folks can visit the church website at http://www.ewingpresfund.us, to find out more about this effort if they wish. Please keep up the great work and service you provide to all of us who love the rich history of the central Jersey area. Thank you so much for your tireless efforts.

Helen Kull

Hi Tom -

Oh, you've made my day! Thank you so much for posting our (Ewing Presbyterian Church's) situation and website on your home page - I KNOW it is seen by so many in the area who share concern and love for the area's many rich and varied treasures - and they are the ones who most likely can help us in our effort to raise funds. It is a huge uphill battle, especially in this economy, but I truly believe that if we reach enough people who know/have known the area and/or this particular building, together we may reach the goal! At the very least, we MUST try! Receiving a message of support like yours below helps me keep the faith that we will.

I can't thank you enough for your support. If there's anything I can provide you with, please let me know; or if you have any other suggestions for the effort, I'm all ears!

Most appreciatively,
Helen Kull

1906: EWING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH: A CRY FOR HELP

LIKE THAT OLD OAK TREE IN THE POEM ABOVE, THE EWING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH HAS ALSO STOOD SILENTLY AND STATELY THROUGH HUNDREDS OF YEARS. THE RAVAGES OF TIME HAS TAKEN A TOLL ON THAT
MAGNIFICENT CHURCH. IT HAS BEEN STRUCTURALLY COMPROMISED AND THE TOWNSHIP WAS FORCED TO PLACE IT OFF LIMITS TO THE PARISHIONERS. SAY A PRAYER THAT FUNDS CAN BE FOUND TO RESTORE THAT HISTORIC PLACE OF WORSHIP SO THAT IT WILL STAND FOR ANOTHER CENTURY.

WOULDN'T IT BE WONDERFUL IF THE EVER-GENEROUS UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WOULD CHANNEL SOME OF THE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF FOREIGN AID FUNDS BACK TO AMERICAN AREAS WHICH ARE IN REAL FINANCIAL NEED?

HOW ABOUT A FEDERAL DEPARTMENT ESPECIALLY DEDICATED TO FUNDING PROBLEMS SUCH AS EWING PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IS EXPERIENCING? I EVEN HAVE A SLOGAN FOR THE NEW GOVERNMENT AGENCY:

"CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME."

(THERE I GO, DREAMING AGAIN!)

1946: THE DIVERSE EWING PRESBYTERIAN CHOIR

HERE WE SEE THE MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH CHOIR MANNING THE SHOVELS AS THEY DIG DOWN UNDER THE CHURCH TO ADD AN ADDITIONAL ROOM FOR CHURCH ACTIVITIES.