Wesley United Methodist Church parishioners hoped the roughly 170-year-old building they worship in would receive a facelift this summer, but a case before the state's highest court has put that plan on hold.

On Saturday, during the church’s annual summer fair, Pastor Ginny Doran grilled hot dogs beneath the church’s weathered facade and explained the situation.

“We wanted to fix the outside of the building. There’s some issues with lead paint, asbestos,” said Doran. “As a church, we aren’t very hopeful right now. We’re trying to figure out how to move forward.”

In January, the town’s Community Preservation Committee approved placing an agenda item before April Town Meeting voters that, if approved, would have given the church $142,750 for repairs.

Each year, the committee considers requests from groups seeking funds for projects related to open space, historic preservation, affordable housing and recreation. Those Community Preservation Act funds are raised through a surcharge on property tax bills. The state then matches a percentage of those town-raised funds.

However, the vote the never happened. Committee members were advised to withdraw the item due to a Supreme Judicial Court case originating in Acton.

In that town, a decision to use $100,000 of Community Preservation Act funds to preserve an historic church was challenged by Americans United for Separation of Church and State. The Washington, D.C.-based group filed a lawsuit against Acton last July that said using those funds would violate a clause of the state’s constitution that prohibits “the use of public money…for the proposed founding, maintaining or aiding any church.”

Sandy Slavin, a member of Wareham’s Community Preservation Committee, said she wanted to see the high court rule in Acton's favor, allowing Wareham Town Meeting an opportunity to vote on the funds.

“To me, this is a restoration of an historical building that happens to be a church,” said Slavin. “We’re not deciding what goes on inside the building. We’re trying to preserve the exterior.”

Slavin noted local Community Preservation Act funds have been used by area churches before that included spending $60,000 to restore the First Congregational Church's stained glass windows and renovations at the First Spiritualist Church of Onset.

Doran said the court will hear the Acton case this summer, but a date hasn’t been set yet.

If the decision doesn’t go in Acton’s favor, Doran said the church’s roughly 60 parishioners will consider less costly options, such as vinyl siding, and perhaps raise those funds privately.

Doran said she hopes that’s not the case.

“We’d like to restore it properly with clapboard and have it look the way it’s meant to look,” she said.

Slavin said should the court side with Acton, her committee will then put the church’s request before Town Meeting voters.

Until that happens, Doran said church members will just have to wait.

“Summer is in full swing,” she said. “We’re going to enjoy it and weigh our options in the fall.”