LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) — A Lafayette Church is getting a facelift with the help of a $50,000 grant from Department of Natural Resources.

Trinity United Methodist Church was built on the corner of North and Fifth in 1869. Senior Pastor Tracey Leslie noticed some of the mortar was falling out around the building about four years ago. Workers are now chiseling out the old mortar between each brick and carefully filling it back in.

Pastor Leslie said the project needed to be done before it got out of hand.

"At the time of my arrival there were actually little pieces of brick that were falling onto the sidewalk," Leslie said. "So we knew that it was critical and it would have to be addressed or else it would compromise the structure itself."

Leslie is glad the state sees the building as important to the city's history.

"We're glad, through this grant process, that was kind of affirmed to us as well that beyond the value we have as a faith community, that it is also valuable as a piece of history and architecture," Leslie said.

Preserving each side of the church costs about $120,000. The church is reapplying for the grant next year.