Brothers put their hearts and souls into Lynn church

LYNN – Osiel Gomez and his two brothers have plenty of masonry construction experience between them, but they view restoration of a neglected South Common Street church into a new home for their congregation as a labor of love.?I like everything about it,” the Lynn resident said on Thursday as he helped brothers Jeremy and Walter construct a new outdoor stairway on the building?s Huss Court side.Built in 1871 and occupying nearly 19,000 square feet, former Temple Anshai Sfard has been empty for more than 10 years. Boston-based developer Tyler Pam bought the church for $75,000 in 2010 and entered into a mortgage agreement with Iglesia Evangelica Luz y Vida.Pastor Blass Mercedes said the church?s 80 members have been slowly restoring the church since early 2014 with the goal of moving from 19 Bennett St. to a chapel building on the church?s Huss Court side as early as September.?We wish everything could go faster but we don?t have the resources,” he said.Once one of Lynn Common?s grand churches, along with St. Mary?s Roman Catholic Church, St. George?s Greek Orthodox and St. Stephen?s Episcopal, Anshai Sfard is slowly undergoing renovations, including a new steeple tower roof, brick pointing and painting.The congregation plans to preserve the stamped metal ceiling in the former Sam Levine Chapel and the original pews upholstered in red cloth are still inside the 87-foot by 74-foot main worship hall with its towering ceiling.Gomez said most congregation members gather at the church on Saturdays to work. His brothers spend three or four hours at the building after they finish their work day. He is in awe of the intricate brickwork and custom-built roof carpentry featured in the building.?I can?t believe how the old masons created all these shapes,” he said.Gomez said Inglesia would like to provide classroom and office space in the church basement. The big space has new framing and he said plumbing work is done and electrical work is underway.?We are making progress,” Gomez said.The congregation is also relying on professional contractors to undertake restoration work. A city permit issued in September 2013 estimates renovation costs at $700,000. Blass said most of his congregation members, like the Gomez brothers, are from Lynn, but worshippers come from as far as Dorchester and Danvers on Sundays.He said Iglesia members envision an after-school program in the South Common Street building once construction is completed.?We really want to help our community,” he said.