Ebenezer Church aglow as $4M restoration moves forward

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By Ernie Suggs

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The light in Ebenezer Baptist Church returned Wednesday.

Brant Sanderlin, bsanderlin@ajc.com Jeff Speake, owner of Lynchburg Stained Glass, left, and John Beasley install the restored window featuring the image of Rev. Martin Luther King, Sr. at the Historic Ebenezer Baptist Church Wednesday as part of a $4.4 million Phase II restoration project.

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A stained glass window, bearing the likeness of Martin Luther “Daddy” King Sr., was restored to its rightful place to the right of the church’s pulpit. As workers placed the window, the early-morning sun came through – bathing the 88-year-old church with warmth and a soft glow.

“This is a humbling moment that we have been preparing for for a long time,” said Judy Forte, superintendent of the King National Historic Site. “Now, we are looking forward to having the church re-open.”

Restoring the stained glass is just part of a $4 million restoration project by the National Park Service to convert Ebenezer back to the physical appearance it had between 1960 and 1968, when Martin Luther King Jr., was co-pastor, alongside his father.

Few people have seen Ebenezer as it is today. Dust is everywhere as workers rush through the building, painting, banging and paving the front sidewalk with octagon tiles. Aside from scaffolding and remnants of the pulpit, the sanctuary is barren. The pews have been sent to North Carolina for repair, making the church seem smaller. The hardwood floor has been repaired and several spots have been test painted.

The work is on schedule, said Peter Holness, project manager for Keystone Restorations.

The Late Gothic Revival designed church, which opened in 1922, is closed to the public. Officials are hoping to celebrate King Day there in 2010.

But even now, there is a sense of completion and beauty.

The most striking difference: the walls are no longer white – but coral.

The new, old color softens the sanctuary. And coupled with the restored stained glass, which transmits about 30 percent more light, Ebenezer glows. During a 1972 renovation, the church installed Plexiglas covers to protect the windows from vandalism and age. But over the years, the covers faded, blocking natural light from the inside and obscuring the windows from the outside. The windows had also started to leak.

“This was a very important project when you realize the history here,” said Richard Diehl, a spokesman for Lynchburg Stained Glass. “You are dealing with something of value here. Not monetary value, but intrinsic value.”

The company started working on the windows in its Virginia studio last October, Diehl said. Each one was disassembled, cleaned and fitted with new lead channels and waterproofing.

About 95 percent of the windows, which feature the names of some of Ebenezer’s most important figures, have been returned.

Each frame of glass is original. Workers even refrained from repainting the faded portions of the glass, Diehl said.

“We wanted to leave the age in the windows,” he said.