Damaged church resurrected to original beauty

Elizabeth Bailey

March 20, 2008 11:42 pm

— Just in time for Easter, Mount Aerie Baptist Church is having its own rebirth.
When strong winds pulled the roof from the building on Feb. 5 and broke off the bell tower, the 130-year-old church was in disarray. However, the broken building did not break the spirits of its members.
With no roof over their heads, the congregation has been gathering for services at the Baptist Youth Camp and continuing to hold Wednesday night prayer meetings.
Despite the size of the task at hand, church members and neighbors have come together to rebuild.
Pastor Ben Morris is excited about the potential for restoration as the church is rebuilt. He noted the steeple was made of decoratively carved poplar. However, it began to rot in the 1940s and was replaced with a castle-style tower. Now, the weather-related damage has given the church an opportunity to better reference the original steeple.
Approximately one week ago the roof of the building was replaced by contracting with people from the church and surrounding community. While new siding and fascia are being installed on the outside of the church, the sanctuary still shows significant signs of damage.
Workers stood on scaffolding to scrape wallpaper from the walls. It may not look like much now, but further restoration will also take place indoors, he said.
Dave Owens, one of the church members aiding in the reconstruction, said the storm gave the church the opportunity to remove the drop ceilings which had been installed and return the sanctuary to a state more closely resembling its origins.
The high ceiling will be covered with tin-punch and framed in crown molding. The walls arch to meet the ceiling, where Owens hopes track lighting can be installed to highlight the height of the space.
For Easter, the church will be hosting a sunrise service at 6:30 a.m. with a pancake breakfast to follow.
Owens noted the kitchen was in the process of being updated when the storm hit, putting the existing project on hold. Now, workers are back in the room, installing cabinets and finishing it in time for Sunday’s breakfast.
Matt and Mark Eden, Kurt Wagner, Charlie Owens, Gene Remmler, Larry Scudder, Ward Equipment and the Shrock family have all lent their time, energy and equipment to helping the church get back under one roof. With continued efforts, the sanctuary will soon welcome the congregation home.
“Any money spent on rebuilding will stay right here in the community,” Owens said.

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