When water started leaking into Zion Lutheran Church, the Akron congregation knew something had to be done.

So, it hired an architectural firm — Chambers, Murphy and Burge Restoration Architects Ltd. — to do a study of the historic building to determine what kind of repairs were needed. The final estimate for full restoration came in about $2.5 million.

''We wanted to do our best to restore the church but we're not able to do the full restoration because we simply don't have the money,'' said the Rev. John Eiwen, the church's pastor. ''Because we are committed to ministry in the city, and we need the building for some of our outreach, we're doing what we have to do to stop the water leakage and we can continue to pray for the money to do the rest.''

Eiwen and the congregation hope that the work currently being done at the High Gothic Revival style church at South High and Bowery streets is the first phase in its restoration.