Demolition of Fellowship Hall

On Monday, we began the process of tearing down parts of the storm-battered downtown facility. The small and detached office building behind the main facility came down on Monday afternoon. Yesterday, the fellowship hall, which the storm had left without a roof or ceiling, was torn down. It has been difficult to see this work begin. Please pray for the congregation throughout this process.

We will be salvaging many items from the facility to use (when possible) in our new facility or for congregation members and friends to keep for themselves. Currently, we are trying to salvage the steeple and bell (and to re-use them, in some way, on the new facility), the monument, the top-piece of the pulpit, the library conference table, the brass chandeliers, the balcony pews, the balcony windows and shutters, the parlor fireplace mantle, and the letters across the front of the sanctuary (the ones that read “First Presbyterian Church”).

Admittedly, some of these items will not be able to be re-used. We may only be able to keep one or two of certain things to serve as “memorial stones” (Josh. 4:20-24)—along with the chapel pews that are now in the church office—so that when future generations ask “What do these ‘stones’ mean?” we’ll be able to tell them about the Lord’s redemptive work over the entire 108 years of the congregation’s history and, specifically, how He spared us, provided for us, and blessed us abundantly after Hurricane Katrina!