8 Years After Blaze, LI Church Rises From Ashes: 'A New Beginning'

SOUTHOLD, NY — It has been eight long years since the dark night in Southold Town when a beloved, historic church burned to the ground in a fierce blaze.

But despite the challenges —and there were many, from sifting through the ruins, to obstacles posed by the coronavirus pandemic — the faith of the congregation has remained fierce and unwavering.

And now, efforts are ongoing to see the church rise, once again, from ashes, in the same spot where it stood as a beacon of home for more than 170 years.

A GoFundMe, "First Universalist Rising From the Ashes," has a fundraising goal of $400,000, to cover additional costs since the GoFundMe was initially organized years ago. Susan Pond, who organized the fundraising effort, described the nightmarish blaze.

"On the night of March 14, 2015, our beautiful, 178-year-old church, located on the bend in Southold, burned to the ground, despite the heroic efforts of firefighters from across the North Fork."

But hope remained: "After eight years of determination and perseverance, we finally broke ground for our new building on July 22, 2023," Pond wrote.

She added: "Even without a 'home of our own,' First Universalist Church of Southold has continued to provide a hub for lifespan, interfaith and humanist education, community care and outreach, social networks, local organizations, and the visual and performing arts. Rebuilding on our original site will allow us to continue our legacy as a center for individual search for meaning and a welcoming community."

From the first, the congregation has continued to gather in other locations for worship, church activities and meetings.

"We partner with and support local organizations on regional and global issues, including LGBTQ rights, immigration, and the environment. Even during the peak of the COVID pandemic, we supported the needs of our local community with drive-through/drop-off collections on the church grounds," Pond said.

Once the new building is complete, the hope is to renew past traditions, including a Community Thankgiving Dinner, support for the Maureen's Haven homeless program, organizing art shows and concerts, and sharing the space with other local groups, Pond said.

The past eight years have been a "slow, deliberate process. We are located in the historic section of the town, and our church will be the first new construction in Southold’s historic district since the district was established. We are very mindful of this, and have been consulting with the Southold Historic Preservation Commission and town board," Pond said. "At the gateway to the hamlet of Southold from the west, our new building will once again herald entry to the historic district for both visitors and residents alike. Our design team has worked closely with Southold Town to create a beautiful new landmark that echoes our old building while looking forward to serving the needs of the community in the future."

While prohibitive costs mean that an exact replica of the old church cannot be built, the goal was to create a spot that would complement surrounding architecture while also honoring the rich history of the site, Pond said.

Highlights of the new building will include:

• Flexible sanctuary space for services, performances, weddings, lectures, seminars, education and contemplation
• Community space with full kitchen for events, social service projects, art shows, receptions and meetings
• Meeting room/library flex space
• Sun-filled entry and gathering spaces,
• Reconfigured, handicap-accessible parking, entries and outdoor spaces,
• Inspirational worship space.

Fundraising has been ongoing over the past eight years, including capital campaign efforts, the GoFundMe, concerts, yard sales, and matching gifts, Pond said.

"Adding to the project delays, the COVID pandemic caused government and industry shutdowns, and resulted in exponential increases in construction costs for labor and materials. This increase necessitated a reduction of the project scope. Even with that reduction, the final project budget has risen from $2.4 million to $2.8 million.," she said.

"We have set a GoFundMe goal of $400,000 to cover that increase. With your help and support, we will be able to: build a sanctuary/fellowship hall that will serve the needs of the community; incorporate 'green' technology that will reduce our environmental footprint; include some of the original sanctuary’s historic architectural features, such as the Palladian-style windows that were the most striking characteristic of the old church; and cover the cost of the new building code upgrades required by federal, state and county agencies," Pond said.

The building might be new, but the principles and tenets upon which the congregation has always built its foundation remain the same, Pond said.

"First Universalist Church of Southold will always be a place of worship open to people of all backgrounds, cultures and beliefs, who share common values and principles. We are a Unitarian Universalist LGBTQ welcoming congregation, believing in and supporting the rights of all individuals, of all gender-identities," she said.

And, she added, First Universalist has long served the Southold community as a place that provides relief for those in need; a place where local groups can hold meetings and events; where families can find meaningful programs for their children and youth; and where local artists and musicians can share their talents.

"Upon completion, our new fellowship hall will once again serve as a center for social action, community support programs, and cultural events," she said.

"A church is more than just a building — it is a family," Pond has said in past years.

The First Universalist Church of Southold was first established in 1835, and the original building, designed by Richard Lathers, was dedicated in 1837.

"Until the fire, First Universalist was the longest-standing Unitarian Universalist house of worship on Long Island. The unique Gothic Palladian window over the front entrance was one of the only ones in existence in the United States," Pond explained.

The Ladies Society, in the late 1870s, helped to raise funds to refurbish the church; which was rededicated in 1878. Further significant renovations — including new carpeting, interior decorations, and electric lighting — were made in 1922 in preparation for the installation of the church’s pipe organ, the page said.

In 1926, American painter Edith Mitchill Prellwitz created a large tri-paneled mural, “The Light of the World,” in memory of her parents on the front wall of the sanctuary. The church’s iconic steeple underwent major repair in 1991, and in 1995 an addition was made to the parish hall by architect Richard Daly.

Those that are moving forward with the plans, carry the memories and the legacy that the church has long symbolized, in their hearts.

Even after the fire, the congregation gathered immediately for services at a neighboring space, which opened its doors.

The fire rocked the Southold community, with condolences flooding the church’s Facebook page immediately after.

“I am so heartbroken to hear the news about the fire that destroyed this beautiful church,” one woman wrote.

To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.