The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher/Owner
Larry Moreland, pictured at right, is all smiles as he points out some of the places he and the building committee at the Terre Haute United Methodist Church gained design inspiration for their new church sanctuary that was finished by the end of last year.
Their first full church service in the sanctuary was held in 2020 on Christmas Eve, December 24th.
The groundbreaking ceremony had been just 7 months earlier on Sunday, May 24th after the church was ordered closed in April and May due to the COVID-19 orders by Illinois Governor Pritzer.
But despite COVID, the buildproject went on and was finished with Roy Day of Blandinsivlle, the contractor in charge. That's pretty good considering COVID-19, the weather, shipping and health issues all to consider.
Besides Roy Day Construction on the job, members of the church, especially the building committee of 5, would contribute on various projects. The committee consists of Chairman Larry Moreland (Lomax), Ralph Torrance (in Terre Haute), Nate Todd and Sherry Butler (rural La Harpe), and Paul Harding, (Blandinsville).
I was told that pretty much everyday you could find Building Chairman Larry Moreland at the building site. He is a retired engineer and offered a lot of ideas and electrical help in design and wiring the extra fine sound system and various lighting projects that are so important to a church.
Ralph Torrance, who just turned 90 this week, refurbished the hardware and refinished the double front doors that were on the old church.
The doors have been installed inside the lobby where they open, just as they always had before, into the sanctuary to welcome all who come to Terre Haute United Methodist Church to worship.
"They are beautiful," Sherry Butler said, Moreland and Pastor Lee Unger agreed, and the doors are a reminder to members of the former beloved church that served each of them and their families, and their community so well since in was erected around 1893-95.
The historic church building, was torned down last year but with members preserving the stained glass windows, and double front entry doors, all now part of the new santuary.
Also saved was the historic church bell that had been rung each Sunday morning to announce the beginning of worship and to come.
The bell, located high in the belfry, will finally find its new home this summer as it will be built into a steel structure which will include a new sign for the church. The project is being funded with the memorial money of Lowell and Jane Mohr, both who were longtime active members in the church.
The new sanctuary now completes the church. The fellowship hall, sunday school rooms, kitchen, and the bathrooms and large entry hall with attached pastor's study were built 19 years ago, and has served many functions for the church and surrounding community. The congregation was forced to close the fellowship hall (except for church use) when they began having church services in the space after the old church building became unusable.
The many members of the church over the years are to be commended as they had saved enough to pay for the entire building process without a loan. Over the years, Pastor Unger said, the congregation set aside 10% of all the offerings for the building fund with others designating funds to the process.
Pastor Unger came to be pastor at Durham, La Harpe, and Terre Haute United Methodist churches in a yoked agreement July 1st, 2017 according to his wife's well-kept diary so he will be celebrating his 4th year when he preaches Sunday, July 4, 2021 this year.
The La Harpe church closed and the building is now owned by the Union Church in La Harpe but the pulpit and railing from that church is part of the new sanctuary in Terre Haute to give those members a piece of their history.
"It's been a long time coming", Pastor Unger said of the finished house of worship. "The congregation no longer has to put up and take down chairs in the fellowship hall. We can seat 125 in the new sanctuary, if we put up all the chairs. For now, however, we have 75 chairs and room for members to social distance which they do on their own. The church is planning a dedication-open house on June 3rd at 3 p.m., and we hope to have many of you come to the ceremony and celebrate with us," Pastor Unger said...if Covid restrictions don't hinder our plans".
Larry Moreland, Chair of the Terre Haute Building Committee, points out pictures of the stain glass from the former church building that inspired the design for the new sanctuary using the same glass.
Pastor Lee Unger who leads the Terre Haute United Church along with the UM Church in Durham in worship each Sunday shows the railing and the pulpit that came from the former Methodist Church in La Harpe that closed.