“A bright and shiny Gloria Dei Church will remind the passing public of the oft-forgotten Swedes who were Pennsylvania’s first European settlers.”
John Tepe, Governor, Swedish Colonial Society
The Gloria Dei (Old Swedes’) Church campus was primarily developed during the 17th and 18th centuries when wood and brick were standard materials used in construction. While our brick surfaces have endured, nearly every wooden surface – from the top of the steeple to the base of each door – is severely damaged today.
This project entails patching, repairing, replacing and painting the exterior wooden surfaces on the sanctuary and parish hall. The first-floor interior of the sanctuary will also be painted and repaired.
The Historic Gloria Dei Preservation Corporation was awarded a $130,000 Keystone Grant; our matching fund requirement was for $65,000.