NEW ROOF ON WESLEY CHAPEL - With fundrasiing efforts taking off rapidly, a new roof has already been installed on Wesley Chapel Church in the Randall Community. One of the organizers behind the mission to save the church from demolition, Morgan King, joins this week's Free Range Conversations podcast to discuss the history of the church and the ongoing restoration project. like to revamp them and bring them back to life and give them new meaning.' The restoration efforts, which began in August, have seen tremendous progress in a short amount of time. Host Britt Talent noted that nearby resident Wayne Cash
RANDALL - The historic Wesley Chapel Church in the Randall community near Woodlawn, Arkansas, is undergoing a rapid restoration spearheaded by dedicated community members, pulling it back from potential demolition. The church, a significant landmark in the eastern part of Cleveland County, was facing a decision to either be torn down or restored.
Morgan King, a special guest on the Free Range Conversations podcast, has taken the lead in spearheading the project, motivated by its importance to her late grandfather, who was the last person buried there.
'I was just like, I don't know why I have to do something,' King said, explaining her motivation. She also noted her personal love for preserving old things: 'I always say I'm an old soul because I love old things. And I'd called two weeks after the project started to report that the roof was already being put on.
King shared that the foundation is in the works and was started recently. The next steps are focusing on the inside repairs and then the outside.
When the Norton and Allred families hosted the annual Wesley Chapel Reunion, they submitted to the Herald that they were considering tearing down the church.
King saw this and felt compelled to "crash" the reunion.
The initial concern that the church might be replaced by a pavilion motivated her. King recalled her initial reaction when hearing about the possible demolition: 'I was just like, oh no, let's see what we can do'. She added that she felt tearing it down shouldn't be an option, as it is one of the only churches of its age to be in its original location.
King used social media to put the word out, and the project rapidly gained traction.
'We put it out there, I feel like the Lord's going to provide. And so far he has,' she stated. The support has come from people of all ages and from as far away as North Carolina, proving that the church is a cherished landmark.
So far, over $14,000 has been raised for the project. A recent singing event hosted by the Norton family at Mount Olivet Church raised $4,700. The committee hopes to hold the singing event twice a year, in the spring and fall, along with other fundraisers.
The estimated cost for the total restoration is between $25,000 and $50,000.
The long-term vision for the restored church is to use it as a venue for events like weddings, showers, graduation parties, and class reunions. This revenue would then be used to support both the church's upkeep and the nearby cemetery.
The restoration project also involves:
- Patching up spots and repainting the inside, including replacing some boards in the floor and ceiling.
- Rewiring the electricity and installing a more solid meter.
- Rebuilding a mobile access ramp since the church is on the historical registry and a permanent ramp cannot be attached to the building.
- Addressing the heating and air conditioning, possibly with a split unit, while preserving the building's historical ambiance.
The project is also engaging the younger generation; the Woodlawn school superintendent is arranging for students to earn volunteer credit hours by helping with tasks like painting the exterior.
'I think that will also open up that to a whole new generation of kids,' King said. 'And then they can be like 20 years from now. Well, I had a part in that.'
The Wesley Chapel Church was originally built in 1872, with the cemetery plot dating to 1769. It remains on its original location, distinguishing it from the original Mt. Olivet Church that was moved to the Pioneer Village.
To make a donation mail a check (payable to Wesley Chapel Church) to the secretary/treasurer, Tammy Goodman, at: 7443 Camden Cutoff Road, Pine Bluff, AR 71603. You can specify in the memo box if the donation is for the restoration, the cemetery, or both.
Direct deposits can also be made at Gateway Bank under the 'Wesley Chapel Restoration Project' account.
Donation boxes have also been placed at Sissy's (formerly Woodlawn Grocery) and the Rowell Store.
You can keep up with the project's progress on social media by searching for Wesley Chapel Church / Cemetery.
The full episode of the podcast is streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and on ClevelandCountyHerald.com