A church dating back to 1875 is at risk of being torn down due to structural damage. The 141-year-old St. Luke’s A.M.E. Church is now dealing with a cracked ceiling, holes in the wall and a weak floor that has made it unsafe to worship inside the building.
“If we have a Holy Ghost spirit-filled service, filling the sanctuary with the capacity of 90, it won't hold," said the Rev. Helen Benton Harris, who has helped lead the church for the last six years.
The structural problems go beyond the issues inside the church. Outside, water damage can be easily spotted on some of the lower walls and some of the foundation has gaping holes.
Harris estimated the structural issues will cost about $300,000 to renovate. “The miracle would be that we don't have to have a loan to do this,” she said. “It's pretty unstable to do a loan with a small congregation."
Members of the congregation have been stepping up to help in the effort to fix the church. Kay Pierce, who has attended mass at St. Luke’s A.M.E. Church for five years, is organizing a “free garage giveaway” as a way to raise donations. She is gathering shoes, clothes and household items to give to the poor for no cost. Any donations raised during the event will be given back to the church.
“We’re all sad and grieving, so let’s do a new thing," Pierce said. “There are people that go to the church whose great-great-grandparents went there."
The “free garage giveaway” is happening on Saturday, April 16 at the church lot on North Main Street.
In the meantime, services have been moved to the Liberty United Methodist Church.
St. Luke’s A.M.E. Church is accepting donations to help with the renovation efforts. More information can be found on the church’s GoFundMe page.
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Tom Dempsey can be reached at tom.dempsey@kshb.com.
