HALLTOWN — Jefferson County Neighborhood Ministries (JCCM) was just lately the recipient of a home donation that will let the religion-primarily based nonprofit firm to provide solutions to those people in have to have in the county.
Halltown Presbyterian Church, previously owned by the Shenandoah Presbytery, was transferred to JCCM to be applied originally as a chilly-weather conditions shelter to deliver relief for consumers of the business in the course of the future winter season months.
The house is comprised of a complete land spot of .74 acres. The building alone is a brick- and wooden-framed church started in 1960, with an inscribed date of 1900. The inside incorporates a sanctuary, places of work and restrooms.
Talking to the donation at a ceremony on Monday was Rev. John Bethard, pastor at Charles City Presbyterian Church.
“This afternoon, we are right here to mark a changeover,” Bethard said. “Transitions are about each beginnings and endings, relocating from 1 detail to a further. JCCM is now ready to have a fixed spot that can additional regularly provide as the chilly-temperature shelter.”
Bethard described that the reward of the church came as the Halltown church’s congregation confronted a decrease in attendees that led an appointed administrative commission to identify it was time to near the church.
“It was not usually that way for Halltown Presbyterian Church,” Bethard mentioned as he shared some of its heritage.
He described that the congregation was recognized in 1960, while the making is significantly more mature.
“Sometime in the 1950s, my congregation, Charles Town Presbyterian Church, acquired the tract of land that had the developing on it. We presume this was the consequence of the preceding congregation moving or dissolving. Some people today in this fast location experienced a eyesight for setting up a congregation in this article, and with the blessing of what was then Winchester Presbytery, Charles Town sold the building and land to them at an incredibly reasonably priced price,” Bethard claimed, incorporating that the congregation did well and managed to do its perform for a few generations.
Right after the decrease in attendance, the users of the administrative commission achieved, walked by way of the church and regarded alternatives of what to do with the making. Bethard commented that new church buildings choose wonderful areas, and the Halltown Presbyterian Church is not an ideal spot for a new worshiping community.
Following discussing the risk of donating the facility, Bethard stated he contacted Keith Lowry at JCCM to demonstrate him the church and get his views on no matter whether the house could be of use.
“That led us to nowadays,” Bethard explained to all those collected Monday. “It is vital to know that this whole process has the blessing of the remaining customers of the Halltown congregation.”
“We’re so grateful to Shenandoah Presbytery for this sort donation, which will effects the lives of so lots of men and women in our broader neighborhood,” mentioned Lowry, JCCM’s government director. “In the previous, our chilly-climate shelter has usually rotated from church to church, and people today in need would be topic to the fluctuating timetable. Now, we have a fixed spot to give these important expert services, which will tremendously assist us in our attempts as we strive every single day to enhance and increase.”
“Today, we are below to dedicate this creating for its specific use as a chilly-weather conditions shelter,” Bethard stated. “Today, we rejoice what eyesight, commitment, tough work and divine intervention can accomplish. Now, we remember our contacting in the terms of Jesus, that, ‘Whatever you do for the least of these, you do to me.’”