By Samaria Terry, Texomashomepage.com.
One of Wichita Falls’ largest and most recognizable churches is on the market…..for free.
The congregation of Fain Presbyterian Church on speedway is looking for a group to donate the building to for the benefit of the entire community.
Fain Presbyterian, home to a steeple generations know at first glance, detailed stained glass windows, and a beautiful sanctuary — is now crumbling before the congregation’s eyes.
The church needs major renovation from damage caused by both drought and then flooding and they simply don’t have the funds to preserve this beautiful structure that is a landmark in this neighborhood.
“We can’t afford to fix it, said Rev. Dave Crawford, Pastor of Fain Presbyterian Church. “We can’t afford to maintain this building by ourselves.”
Built in 1950, the church hosts no-cost social services, AA groups, and the community’s men’s bible study—but to continue to provide these services will take more resources than the congregation has to fix the structural problems.
The years of drought severely damaged the foundation the entire church rests on. Then the damage was compounded when rains flooded the basement and the sump pumps couldn’t keep up.
(editor’s note: Fain Presbyterian Church is part of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and in Palo Duro Presbytery.)
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This congregation has declined from about 700 congregants to about 90, so they can no longer afford to maintain their property. This story is being repeated over and over again in the PCUSA.
It seems to me that when the Bible as the guide for faith and practice is dishonored, which is the case with the PCUSA, then the congregants drift away to Bible-oriented churches.
I’m sure it would make a nice mosque.
This scenario may be repeated any day now at the PCUSA church my husband and I no longer attend, too. Empty shells.
The irony of this situation is that a church is supposed to be able to meet its own needs and serve its community, but here we have a church that cannot meet its own needs and wants its community to serve it by taking responsibility for major and expensive renovations to its building. I’m sorry to say it, but this means that it’s bulldozer time for Fain Presbyterian Church.
By all means, if someone wants the old building, give it to them and wish them well. But if no one wants it, remove it and create a green space on the site for the community. This is a far better use of the property than preserving a landmark from the by-gone era of 1950s religiosity that now costs more to maintain than it is worth.
The answer is so simple. Note to: Palo Duro Presbytery. As we move on to the ECO/EPC/etc. , We will not PAY YOU for FAIN PC to keep OUR PROPERTY !!
Here are the keys, you got it, and best wishes. With Christian Love,
Signed, Fain Presbyterian Church.
Harsh’s Note: this should be (AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN!!) the Paradigm across the PC (USA) as congregations leave.
I am a Presbyterian pastor originally from Texas. I remember this church well. There was a day when it was a leading congregation in Texas. It is such an historic, lovely and wonderful church with a great history. I hope that they will find a way to maintain the building and extend the life and ministry of the congregation.
You’ve missed the point of the article.
The church building has experienced significant damage from the massive floods and droughts that plague north Texas, and the congregation is no longer able to afford to maintain the building. In fact, the congregation wants to continue worshipping in the building, and it hopes that whatever organization assumes responsibility for it will allow them to do so.
There is no indication whatsoever that the current membership of Fain Presbyterian is dissatisfied with the Presbyterian Church (USA). Indeed, the opposite appears very much to be true. In the same time that the PC(USA) and its predecessors, the UPCUSA and the PCUS, have lost two-thirds of their membership, Fain Presbyterian has lost nearly ninety percent of its membership (while the population of Wichita Falls has remained constant at about 100,000, and only 12% of the population is 65 years old or older). Consider also the response of church members, who look for the possibility of the building’s use by a school or for office space, but with no suggestion that perhaps another church might be able to put it to good use for the worship and glory of God. This strongly suggests that the ethos that dominates and is killing the PC(USA)—undermining trust in the Bible by insisting that it be “interpreted” into the paradigm of (post-)modern thinking, and undermining evangelism by insisting that the faith of non-Christians is at least as valid as the faith of Christians, implying that non-Christians really do not need Jesus Christ to be their Lord and Savior—has been very much at work at Fain Presbyterian.
Worshiped there about 4 years ago. It seemed like the writing was on the wall then. No regular pastor, service conducted by a layman, large building, small attendance, mostly older folks in attendance. Witchita Falls is full of vibrant churches. One might ask why this old line church could no long meet the needs of its community. Anyone care to guess why?
You asked why- and the answer is a simple one. Christians today have a consumerist mindset when it comes to choosing a church, plain and simple. They want the best day care for their children, award winning facilities, rock-concert style worship and celebrity pastors. What they don’t want to do is serve. What they don’t want to do it have expectations put upon them. What they don’t want: anything that has to do with the way Christians have worshiped for the past few hundred years. There was never any hope for this church once that mindset came into style.