GARDINER -- Pamela Lewis pointed to an old black-and-white photograph of her Sunday school class searching for May baskets in a field.

Photographs, scrapbooks and newspaper articles spread on a table in the vestibule of the Gardiner Congregational Church, Lewis was busy helping create a display for History Day

The event is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Sunday, following services at the curch at 46 Church St.

"That's me!" the 47-year-old Lewis said of her likeness. "We were hunting for May baskets. I must have been 7 years old. There's my mom. That must be my little sister, Amy. And there's my dad."

Dolly Platt, a descendant of the church's founding members, hopes visitors will have the same response as Lewis when they see the collection of historical treasures her group has gathered.

Hoping to boost membership, Platt has invited families who once belonged to the church.

"You see a sample here with Pam's response. Can you imagine the enthusiasm we'll have when the others see everything?" Platt said.

Eleanor Thornton, a church member since 1969, said she has enjoyed sorting through all the old church documents and newspaper articles in preparation for History Day.

"I've learned a lot of what's happened way back when," Thornton said.

The Rev. Peggy Dunn said the small congregation is developing a campaign to raise funds to remodel the church, which was built in 1842-43 on the site of a timber blockhouse, itself erected in 1763 to protect settlers from Indians.

Dunn said with rising fuel costs and dwindling financial resources, the church's 50-member congregation is struggling to maintain the building.

In the 19th century, 125 families belonged to the church.

For years, the gothic-styled building -- with a Christopher Wren-style steeple, an angel weathervane and a large bell -- had the only clock in town, which served to guide boats up the river.

Dunn said part of the steeple was removed in the 1920s because there was concern it wasn't structurally sound. What was left came down in the 1938 hurricane.

The church bell was moved to the lower part of the steeple; and the steeple clock was stored in the second floor of the church. The weathervane and clock eventually were sold to private collectors.

Dunn has sought the help of Partners for Sacred Places, a Philadelphia-based organization that provides training and grant money to old churches where people still worship, to learn how to launch a fundraising effort for the church.

"We're doing this because we are hoping to be able to do some renovation on the building," Dunn said.

History Day "is really a celebration of the church," she said.

Mechele Cooper -- 623-3811, Ext. 408

mcooper@centralmaine.com