Holston congregations unite to rebuild fire-destroyed church
By Annette Bender
At least 20 Holston churches are helping a Morristown District congregation raise enough money to rebuild after a fire burned the church to the ground last summer.
Churches in the Greene County area and beyond are supporting the Sulphur Springs Fundraiser Barbecue, held Saturday, Oct. 25 at Baileyton Elementary School in Baileyton, Tenn. About 5,000 people are expected to attend the event, which organizers hope will raise between $15,000 and $30,000. The Sulphur Springs United Methodist Church building was destroyed by an alleged arsonist on June 5.
Churches from Morristown and Johnson City Districts are joining with about eight churches from other denominations to sell tickets to the fundraiser as well as to work at the barbecue, according to Dan Duggar, Morristown District Discipleship Team chair and member at Hardin's Chapel UMC.
“We're trying to feed 5,000 people, and as you can imagine, that takes a big labor force,” he said. The 5,000 goal was based on estimates from other successful barbecues as well as Biblical references, Duggar said. “We're looking at cooking two tons of meat. We'll start preparing the meat on Thursday.”
Congregations and individuals have been donating funds to help the church rebuild for months, according to the Rev. Paul Miracle, Sulphur Springs UMC pastor. The church received $112,000 from insurance policies and more than $90,000 in donations.
“The checks have been coming in from as far as California,” Miracle said.
Among Holston churches contributing to the effort, Wesley's Chapel UMC donated $10,000 in profits from a Lord's Acre Sale in late September, according to Duggar. Mt. Zion UMC held a breakfast and donated $4,000 in profits.
“We've been amazed at how the snowball keeps getting bigger,” Miracle said.
The new building is estimated to cost $300,000 but donated labor and materials will likely bring the costs down, according to Morristown District Superintendent Richard Patterson. A groundbreaking for the new building was celebrated Oct. 11.
The Oct. 25 fundraiser will include an auction and gospel singing. Churches or individuals interested in donating items for the auction should call Duggar at (423) 639-8209. To donate funds, make checks to “Sulphur Springs Fundraiser Barbecue” and mail to Nancy Casteel, 1410 Kennytown Road, Greeneville, TN 37745. To attend the fundraiser barbecue, go to exit 36 off Interstate 81 and follow the signs to the school. Barbecue dinners are $7 at the door and will be served from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.sulphurspringsumc.org.
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