By Jay Ermis
Construction is scheduled to start today on a new facility for St. Paul United Methodist Church on Horace Smith Road off Moffett Springs Road.
Spirit Homes of College Station, owned by David Schuler, will start clearing land next to the current structure of the 127-year-old church, which has 364 members.
The new 6,908 square-foot church with fellowship hall is scheduled for completion in seven months at a cost of $798,864.
The construction marks the fourth building for St. Paul UMC at the current location.
Church members Wilborn Cox, Mattie Walker, Margie Andrews and James Jenkins broke the initial ground on the project during a groundbreaking celebration Sunday afternoon following the congregation’s morning service.
Cox is the oldest member of the congregation, joining the church in 1933.
Brenda Thompson, administrative assistant, said the new church will tie-in with the existing building, which will be converted into a multi-purpose facility, including classrooms, offices, a youth facility and study hall.
She said the new church will also serve as a multi-purpose facility that will include the sanctuary, kitchen and classrooms.
“We are very excited,” said the Rev. Rick C. Nance Sr., St. Paul pastor. “This church is 127 years old this year and I think for me to be here at a time in the history of the church where the vision is being realized is not only a blessing but I am very excited about it as well.”
Nance, who has served as pastor since June 2005, said “we have outgrown our facility. It’s difficult for me as a pastor with the church being as large as it is, we have a membership of over 400, with the church as large as it is we have outgrown this present facility.”
“The need arose for additional space for us to educate the congregation,” Nance said. “We came up with a plan to raise some money.
“That was accomplished and in the interim we are going to renovate the building we are in now and turn it into a family life center.
“This is a very historic event. I think the last church was erected in the early 1980s.”
Nance said “what we are asking for is the community to partner with us in prayer. This is a community effort. It’s not about St. Paul. It’s about the community having a place where we can meet the needs of our community at large, so we just solicite the prayers of the church’s in the community and in the area.”
St. Paul United Methodist Church has been located at two sites with three structures built at the location off Horace Smith Road.
Wilborn Cox, who is a lifetime resident of the area, said the church was organized in 1887 and built next to Harper’s Cemetery off state Highway 75 North four miles outside Huntsville.
He said the church was then moved a mile to the west of where it’s currently located.
Then in 1918 a church was built at the current site followed by a second church at the same location in 1949.
The third building was constructed in 1981 with a membership of 90, Cox said.
