In 1937 the Great Flood inundated Jeffersonville and left standing water (up to 19 feet) in the church building. The water ruined the building’s contents, walls, and the original pipe organ.
In 1981 a fire destroyed the parish hall behind the church, broke through into the church creating smoke, soot, heat and water damage in the church and damaging the replacement organ.
From that point on some members of the church referred to St Paul’s as the “James Taylor Church” because we’ve seen “Fire & Rain”.
In 2010 our congregation began a restoration of the church to fix the residual damage from the fire and flood and to bring the church back to its Victorian look. In 2012 a bequest allowed us to replace the stained glass skylight (that had been destroyed by the fire) over the altar area ..
In 2012 we were offered the donation of a 10 rank pipe organ to replace our inadequate and aging electronic organ. This would be the final part of our restoration of the church. It was quite a financial undertaking for a small congregation so after weeks of discussion and conversation we decided to go ahead with the project. Looking for some additional ways to raise finds for the project we created a video using the fire and rain theme to solicit funds for our pipe organ project and put it on a crowd-funding site. (Our Fire & Rain video)
Through the internet James Taylor became aware of our pipe organ project and our use of his music and the Fire & Rain theme on the video. He offered to help us with publicity and he also donated an orchestral score of the music Fire and Rain that he used on tour – and personalized it to the auction winner. The proceeds of the auction went to the Pipe Organ Fund.
So we are a "James Taylor" Church, and a church which is quite grateful for and indebted to the generosity of James Taylor.
