Ed Perkins, of Chelsea, primes the roughly 6,000 square feet of the East Barnard Church exterior in East Barnard, Vt., on Thursday, June 15, 2023. Church trustee Heather Leavitt said $14,000 were raised in an appeal for the project over the last year. Perkins said he believes in a Christian God, but does not attend a church. "I don't have to," he said. "I never opened the bible, but I know all about it." (Valley News - James M. Patterson) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. Send requests to permission@vnews.com. valley news — James M. Patterson