LEE — The First Congregational Church in Lee is raising funds to repaint the building's front and steeple, which is said to be the tallest wooden one in New England.

The $200,000 project will protect the wood from the elements, which can cause rot, said Leda Buller, who is helping raise awareness about the fund drive.

"It can't last another winter," she said.

The congregation has received $20,000 from members of the Hyde family, who are the descendants of the church's original minister, and $60,000 from the Lee Community Preservation Committee — pending the town's vote at the annual meeting.

Built in 1857, the church at 25 Park Place is the congregation's third. The building's 195-foot-tall steeple and its front are showing that age, as paint is flaking off.

The members of the First Congregational Church of Lee are fundraising to repaint the building, protecting the wood from the elements. The $200,000 bill for the repair is partially due to the historic nature of the building, which requires the current layer of paint to be removed by hand.

Aside from being a place of worship, the building is one of Lee's historic sites and helps host community events.

For town residents, the church is their "icon," said Elaine Scott, chair of the deacons for the church. "This is such a deeply ingrained part of this community."

"Even the Lee police cruisers out there, they have this church on an emblem on the right front fender of their cars," she said.

The relationship between Lee and the church goes back to the town's establishment, because for a town to incorporate in the late 1700s, it needed to have a church, said Nate Buller, the chair of the church's finance and facilities committee. The First Congregation Church also served as the town's first meeting house.

The church continues to be a community hub, hosting concerts free to the public and the interfaith breakfast for Lee's Pride Day celebrations. It also lets Lee use the small park in front of it for events like the weekly farmers market.

Valley Restoration, a company that focuses on restoring historic buildings, has been contracted to complete the repair. The company will strip the paint, repair any rotted wood caused by exposure to the elements and then repaint.

The age of the building means harsher but more efficient paint-stripping methods can't be used, so the current coating needs to be removed by hand, said John Arnold, a member of the church's finance and facilities committee.

The repair will also give workers access to parts of the steeple rarely inspected, Arnold said. The building has been repaired before, mainly to fix issues with the wooden features, like replacing old wooden bolts with metal ones.

The First Congregation Church in Lee was built in 1857, serving as a place of worship and event space for the town.

To donate, visit the church's website. For assistance, email [email protected] or call 413-243-1033.

"I want the people of Lee to say, 'Oh, I helped do that,'" Scott said about the repair. "Because you ask people what they remember about Lee, they think of this church."