Drivers passing one of Cape Elizabeth’s most recognizable landmarks this summer have probably noticed Spurwink Church is not resting on its old foundation.

The church, a popular location for weddings, christenings and funerals, is closed this summer while construction crews replace the building’s foundation, according to Town Manager Mike McGovern.

The town’s oldest structure, the church was built in 1802, torn down and reconstructed in 1834, according to a report compiled by the Spurwink Church Study Committee, which recommended the rehabilitation work in 2006. The last time the building got a new foundation was in 1894, according to the report.

The church, which is owned by the town, is used mostly for weddings, which generated about $5,000 in 2008 and about $11,000 in 2007. The money goes into a separate Spurwink Church fund, which pays for the church’s electricity, water and sewer, McGovern said. The church is not open between Oct. 1 and April 31, so does not incur winter heating costs.

The study committee was formed in 2004 to look into renovations, McGovern said.

“The committee’s focus was to maintain the structural integrity of the church, the historical significance and the desire to conserve the charm and character that has evolved for over 200 years,” McGovern said.

The committee’s recommendations in 2006 included fixing the roof within the next 20 years and repainting the exterior in the next 15 years, as well as replacing the furnace in about 25 years.

The estimated cost for just the foundation was about $260,000, McGovern said. The final cost was about $325,000, which came from a $2.25 million bond that voters approved for capital improvements in 2007.

The building, which is at the entrance of the Riverside Memorial Cemetery, has been owned by the town since 1957 and is on the National Register of Historic places. It is a popular site for weddings, christenings and funerals.

Fees to use the church are $200 for residents and $300 for nonresidents. Those could change, McGovern said.

Illuminated by Monday night’s full moon, the 207-year-old Spurwink Church waits patiently upon its pedestals for workers to return in the morning to continue the construction of a new foundation.