BY MILES LAYTON
EDENTON – The tower of St. George’s Orthodox Church rises above East Church Street, its weathered gray boards bearing the scars of time.
To most passersby, the building is a relic—an old church long past its prime. But to Shane Cash, carpenter, builder, and parishioner, it is something else entirely: a living symbol of faith in need of renewal.
“Every time we take something off, it’s like opening a can of worms,” Cash said on a recent Sunday, running his hand across a freshly cut beam. “Rotten studs, sagging frames, whatever’s behind the siding—we fix it. That’s the only way forward.”
The church dates back to 1885, with later additions in the early 1900s. Originally an Episcopal parish, it sat vacant for many years before being purchased by the Orthodox congregation a few years ago. Since then, the faithful have worked in spurts to preserve it, their momentum interrupted by the pandemic.
Now, guided by Cash’s steady hand, the project has found new energy. A gallery of the church’s restoration photos appears at the end of this story.
Cash is no stranger to building. A homebuilder by trade, he works alongside his family in construction. But this project, he said, is different.
“It’s not just about fixing walls. It’s about restoring something sacred,” he said. “This is God’s house.”
When he first climbed into the church’s tower—untouched for more than half a century—he found it alive with wasps.
“Thousands of them,” he recalled with a laugh. “I had to suit up with spray cans just to get through. Once we cleared it out, we saw the old heart pine beams, original to the 1800s. That wood is stronger than anything you can buy today. It’s amazing what lasts.”
Heart pine, with its dense grain and durability, has become both a challenge and a blessing. Original lumber is nearly impossible to find, but a supplier was located that provides boards to match.
“Back then, they cut from old-growth trees,” Cash explained. “Where today’s pine might have ten grains in a board, that old stuff has a hundred. It’s solid. That’s why parts of this church are still standing after 140 years.”
Edenton’s strict preservation rules once hampered work, requiring museum-quality restorations.
“They wanted you to find wood off another 1800s building and even hand-cut nails,” Cash said, shaking his head. “It was unrealistic. But lately, they’ve lightened up. Now we can do what builders call a retrofit—use materials that match in look and spirit but are practical.”
For Cash, the restoration parallels his own Orthodox faith.
“In our tradition, the first step is purification—removing what’s rotten, what doesn’t belong,” he said. “That’s what we’re doing with this building. The next stage is illumination, when the new life starts to show. And then theosis, when everything is focused on God. This church is on that path, just like we are.”
Inside, the work reveals treasures. Stained glass windows, installed around 1910, still cast colored light across the sanctuary. The old schoolhouse, added in the early 20th century, holds stories of children long grown. Each nail and beam seems to whisper history.
But the project is not only about preserving the past. It is also about sustaining a community. When COVID-19 shuttered many congregations, St. George’s remained open — offering a chance for many to attend worship services. New faces found the church during those uncertain months, some of whom now help with repairs.
On the day Cash walked the site, his voice carried both pride and humility.
“Jesus was a carpenter,” he said with a small smile. “So I guess I’m in good company. My job is to make sure every part—every trade, every detail—comes together. The rest is in God’s hands.”
When finished, the church will wear a new coat of gray paint, its tower sound once more, its frame secure. But the deeper renewal, Cash said, is already underway.
“We’re not just rebuilding walls,” he said, looking up at the tower. “We’re restoring hope. This church stood for generations before us. With God’s help, it will stand for generations to come.”
