Roy Naylor has spent much of his summer atop the Clinton United Methodist Church.
The 59-year-old steeplejack and rigger has been contracted to do repair work on the steeple and bell tower at the Halstead Street church, which was built in 1863.
According to Beth Crawford, executive director, pastoral ministries at the church, Naylor is repainting the steeple and tower and will restore and repair any of the weather-related wear and damages he might find after an "up-close and thorough inspection.”
Naylor, who started the work on June 24, may be on the job for as long as eight weeks. Crawford said the completion date is hinged on the weather and the scope of the work.
And, although Naylor said wind and rain will keep him on the ground, heat will not; he works regardless of the temperature.
But the steeplejack said the cost of the project is fixed, regardless of the time it takes to complete. He is a craftsman who is committed to taking his time to ensure the job is done well and the work lasts. Naylor, who works alone, said he will not be seen on a cherry picker spraying latex paint on the spire. He carefully replaces any areas that have rotted and hand scrapes and paints the entire surface.
Naylor, who like his father and grandfather before him, is a union ironworker. He has worked on jobs including the Republic National Bank of New York in Manhattan and Terminal C at Newark Airport. But the New Jersey native who has lived in Blooming Grove, Pennsylvania, for 35 years finds the church work to be the most rewarding.
“It brings me gratification,” Naylor said of his steeple work. “It means a lot to people to keep these churches going in their original state.”
Naylor has worked on approximately 30 churches over the course of his career, including parishes in High Bridge, Dumont, Mendham, Midland Park and Upper Saddle River.