St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Maumee is celebrating its 175th year, but the historic Gothic Revival church came perilously close to being razed when termites caused extensive damage to the sanctuary floors and walls more than 50 years ago.

Parishioners were forced to decide whether to demolish the building and erect a new one or to preserve the church and invest in a renovation.

The choice was made even more difficult because St. Paul’s was going through a growth spurt, and some parishioners felt it would be wise to build a larger sanctuary. The preservationists prevailed, however, and the renovated sanctuary reopened in 1961.

“The renovation was expensive, but we didn’t want to leave that church. We love it so much,” recalled Mary Spangler, 88, who joined the congregation after being married at St. Paul’s in 1946. “The renovation has held up very good over the years.”

Jane Weber, whose father, the Rev. Howard Graham, was rector of St. Paul’s from 1966 until 1986, said parishioners were willing to put up with the inconvenience of overcrowding.

“Even though the sanctuary is small, it’s home. We just deal with it by having a few more services to accommodate the size. So we would have three services instead of one or two,” she said.

St. Paul’s now has 600 members on its rolls, with Sunday morning attendance of about 200. “It’s a nice-sized parish,” Mrs. Weber said. “There are very many friendships. It’s like a family. And there’s a lot of outreach outside the parish.”

The termite damage led to the entire sanctuary’s being stripped to its foundation and framework. The renovation included removing the rood cross from the archway above the altar, using a lighter shade of paint in the nave, and replacing stained-glass windows at the sides of the sanctuary that had been damaged while being removed by workmen.

“We had some beautiful windows, and the most unfortunate thing was that they were damaged,” said Marilyn “Marty” Wendler, a St. Paul’s member since 1959 who wrote a book commemorating the 175th anniversary, A Beacon in the Wilderness.

The intricate stained-glass designs had featured biblical scenes including a portrait of Jesus and an angel. After they were damaged, they were replaced with windows made of mostly clear glass. Although lacking the beauty of the stained glass, they let more light into the building and were believed to be more consistent with the building’s original windows, Ms. Wendler said.

The church’s current pipe organ was dedicated in 1965 in memory of William E. Levis, president and chairman of the board of Owens-Illinois Inc., with a recital by William Gravesmill, director of music at the Toledo Museum of Art.

St. Paul’s was the first Episcopal church in northwest Ohio, incorporated in 1836, when a small log cabin was constructed on the grounds of James and Mary Wolcott’s home in Maumee.

The current building was erected in 1841 and parishioners today are well aware of the church’s rich history, said the Rev. J. Paul Board, St. Paul’s rector since 1997.

“There is a sense of heritage. We’re very proud of what we’ve done,” he said. “We founded several churches in the Toledo area, including Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Toledo and St. Timothy’s in Perrysburg.”

He pointed out that St. Paul’s also was instrumental in starting Compass Corporation for Recovery Services, which provides rehabilitation services for alcohol and drug addiction, and operates a preschool and a respite-care program.

Carty Finkbeiner, former mayor of Toledo, has been a member of St. Paul’s since the 1950s and said the church rolls have included “some of the most famous names in Toledo history, including the Thompsons, the Stranahans, and the Knights.”

He noted that the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., was guest of honor at a reception in the home of St. Paul’s members Edward and Prudence Lamb in 1968.

“There have been some real movers and shakers that have been regular attenders,” Mr. Finkbeiner said.

He added, as a member of St. Paul’s strategic and long-range planning ministry, that parishioners are not only reflecting on their history but are looking to the future.

“We are looking at how, on an ongoing basis, established churches like St. Paul’s Episcopal can remain dynamic and relevant and energizing to the younger generations,” Mr. Finkbeiner said.

Contact David Yonke at: dyonke@theblade.com or 419-724-6154.

First Published August 27, 2011, 4:30 a.m.