MECHANIC FALLS — The Town Council gave its blessing Monday to a proposal to turn the former First Congregational Church at 64 Elm St. back into a place of worship.

Barry Vaill, a member of the Mission Committee of the Anglican Church of America’s Northeast Diocese, told the board the 170-year-old building was what the committee was looking for.

“There is not an Anglican church in Oxford Hills and the Lewiston-Auburn, Minot and Poland areas,” he said. “The closest church is in Portland. Our group feels there is a need for an Anglican Church and Mechanic Falls is right in the center of our target area.”

“It sounds to me like you are heaven-sent,” Councilor Nick Konstantoulakis said.

The building was given to the town a few years ago when the congregation disbanded. It requires a great deal of work and neither the town nor the Historical Society has the resources to maintain it.

The council has spent $1,800 to replace the leaking fuel tank.

“It is our strong desire to have the church building again be alive with activity – suppers, holiday festivities, concerts, meetings, etc.,” Vaill said.

He said it was their intent to allow the Historical Society to hold its meetings there and to store and display its records and artifacts.

Councilor Lou Annance said a guarantee that the Historical Society be allowed to remain in the building was an essential condition.

“The town needs a place to show its history,” Annance said.

“The Historical Society is very pleased with their proposal,” said Nancy Petersons, one of the society’s directors.

The council directed Town Manager Koriene Low to immediately draft paperwork to initiate the transfer of the property.

Councilor Wayne Hackett said that according to the conditions under which the town accepted the building, if it got rid of it, it was obligated either to give it to a nonprofit or gift any proceeds from the sale to a nonprofit.

The council allowed the Mission Committee to enter the building to prepare it for use as soon as it has insurance on the property.

Vaill said his group plans to hold an organizational meeting Sunday, Oct. 15, for people interested in establishing a mission parish in the former church.

He said they will send invitations to individuals they believe might be interested and extended the invitation to anyone in the Lewiston-Auburn to Oxford Hills area who might be interested.

The Mission Committee has targeted Nov. 27, the first Sunday of Advent, as the date for the first church service.