A church struggling with declining membership and dwindling funds has met a blessing in the form of an antique weather vane.

The weather vane, perched on top of the First Parish Church in Newbury since 1869, caught the eye of antiques collector Raymond Egan.

After Egan and a weather vane specialist investigated the history of the object, they concluded that the weather vane was possibly created in 1772 by Thomas Drowne.

Significant?

The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston purchased it for $575,000.

The Rev. Nancy Haverington, the church’s pastor, views the fetched money as an affirmation of her church’s ministry.

Moneyquote: “We feel very strongly that because this money came to us as a gift, literally out of the blue, that whatever the church decides to do with it, it is important that a portion be used as a continuous gift to others.”

Blog post by Christopher Guzman

Photo Credit: Museum of Fine Art, Boston