Tornado Damaged Historic Century Methodist Church Coming Down

June 24, 2016

The tornado damaged 114-year old Century United Methodist Church is coming down, board by board, piece by piece..

“It’s being dismantled, not demolished,” Rev. Janet Lee said Thursday. “The hope is that there is enough wood there that is good enough to use in some way when we rebuild.”

The simple, but beautiful wooden church stood strong on Church Street since just after the turn of the Century. It was left precariously leaning  after a February EF-3 tornado lifted it off it’s foundation and shifted the entire building about two feet away. The building was deemed a total loss and in danger of collapse by a structural engineer.

In the days after the tornado, church members and volunteers worked, despite the danger, to remove stained glass windows, pews and other furniture, and chandeliers from the building. Members have former members have stopped by, some posing for pictures on the porch, and reminiscing  about the weddings and funerals and special services — the important moments in their lives and the in the lives of their families — that took place in the little wooden church.

“We tried to remove the things that had spiritual or historical importance,” Lee said.

Plans are already taking shape to rebuild the church.

“We will rebuild on that spot,” Lee said, “but there is no time frame right now.”

For now, church members meet across the street in a house owned by the church.

Pictured top and inset: The slow process of dismantling the tornado damaged Century United Methodist Church is underway.  Pictured below: A look inside the historic structure about a week after the February 15 tornado. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

10 Responses to “Tornado Damaged Historic Century Methodist Church Coming Down”

  1. marcelle perritt on June 28th, 2016 11:48 am

    So glad they are going to salvage what they can from this beautiful church. It is the church my grandmother Ora Archer and her family attended.

  2. karen allen on June 27th, 2016 2:24 am

    I knew in my heart looking out my kitchen window on Front Street this beautiful church wasn’t being torn down, that’s from the bottom to the top. Watching them take such care taking the steeple down first and wound their way down. Just like our 108 year old house, a little love and repair , sometimes that’s all it takes :)

  3. Gods will on June 25th, 2016 7:31 am

    All I have to say is GOD has his reason for this and the tornado that did all this damage. This is so sad….I don’t like to see any church being taken down by man or mother nature. So I believe that this has changed a lot of people there and the church was to small to hold all the good people that is going to walk through the doors of a bigger new church. And in my heart that is what I’m taken from this. In God’s name AMEN!!

    #GOD’S REASON

  4. Bob C. on June 24th, 2016 5:43 pm

    Seeing this project reminds me of years ago seeing the old building at the Port of Pensacola being dismantled and each board marked with numbers and letters so that it could be reassembled on Bayfront Parkway where it is now a State Museum. That was quite something to see and it preserved history.

    I can see the Century UMC taken apart and then reconstructed on site.
    This is a Beautiful building and so very historic as part of the north end community.

    William, please keep us updated at his project moves forward.
    God Bless the workers and keep them safe.

  5. Sage 2 on June 24th, 2016 2:47 pm

    See, God always points the way! In this case, these folks are looking to the future and WILL rebuild their church.

    Comment on, On Christ…Solid Rock…: We reach a point in life where the Precious Memories are what we have. Memories of a loved one, wife, child and yes, even a pet. It is the fabric we weave and remember…as long as we live!

  6. anne on June 24th, 2016 9:43 am

    All of us can relate to this story and memories of churches in our lives. Not all of us remain where we grew up, but we can remember each church we attended even if they are spread across the USA. I will add this rebuilding to my prayers. I hope they salvaged enough wood to have the front of their new church as it was. The photos of the church leaning were heartbreaking so I wasn’t surprised to read it has to come down, but God has the blueprints for the new building.

  7. Sylvia Hudson McCurdy on June 24th, 2016 9:03 am

    My childhood memories always include this wonderful church. Please post if there is a building fund and how you can receive contributions. Thanks.

  8. Dennis HE Wiggins on June 24th, 2016 8:12 am

    “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” – Matthew 16.18

    The building may be gone but the church is still there as long as the members keep their faith!

  9. Resident on June 24th, 2016 7:18 am

    What a beautiful church! The stain glass windows are just gorgeous! What a shame it has to be “dismantled”. I will pray for your church and congregation in hopes that a new chuirch, just an awesome can be rebuilt very soon.
    Assuming the unsurety of a time frame is due to lack of funds…maybe you all can set up some sort of fundraiser in Century. I’m sure there would be many that would volunteer to help. Just a thought.
    Good Luck to you all! God Bless.

  10. On Christ the Solid Rock we stand on June 24th, 2016 2:03 am

    Precious memories, how they linger, how they ever touch my soul, in the stillness of the midnight, precious memories unfold.

    As I travel on life’s pathway
    Know not what the years may hold
    As I ponder
    HOPE grows stronger
    Still
    Precious memories
    Flood my soul.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News