By Juliana Valencia and Austin Vance, WPSD Local News.
Screen shot from the WPSD Local News story.
PADUCAH, Ky – A ministry part of Paducah for 122 years is closing its doors. Westminster Presbyterian Church held its last service Sunday.
Established in 1894 the congregation moved to the building on the corner of 28th and Broadway in 1952.
Lay Elder Don Barger says giving Sunday’s last sermon was tough.
“Preparing for this service, I probably spent more time working on this than probably any other sermon that I’ve given over the years that I’ve been doing this,” Barger said.
Barger said the church’s members voted 40 to 1 in shutting down the church last summer. Their numbers were dwindling and the church couldn’t keep up with the costs. Barger said it was logical to merge with the other church in the area part of their denomination – First Presbyterian.
Other local churches will begin to claim items that are no longer needed on Tuesday.
“So what has been here at this corner of 28th and Broadway will now be spread across our presbytery,” Barger said.
Baptist Health Paducah is buying the church’s property. Barger says Baptist Health’s plans for the church aren’t set in stone but if they do tear it down they plan to preserve a piece of its history.
Both churches are members of the Presbyterian Church (USA)