Help Emmanuel Methodist Church Repair the Roof
Emmanuel Methodist Church, "the small church with a big heart", has played an important role to the Southampton community. In March 1869 a piece of land opposite Whale Bay Road was bought from Joseph Durham Evans, J.P. for the sum of 5 shillings. The need of a Methodist Chapel in Southampton (Port Royal) had been realized, and through the efforts of the Minister. Rev. Thomas Rogers, who was the minister of the Somerset Methodist Church, the cornerstone of the Emmanuel Methodist Church was laid on August 25, 1869. This event was so significant to the adherents to the Methodist Church in the area that it was recorded in the Royal Gazette on August 31, 1869. The Church was completed and dedicated on December 26th, 1869 and named “Emmanuel” meaning “God with us”.
From then on the church and its members grew. In 1879 a piece of land to the west of the church was acquired. Then in 1884, the cross section was added to the north end (including the pulpit, choir platforms and altar rail.) In 1910 the cornerstone of the bel tower was laid and the tower was erected in memory of Rev. William Purvis. In 1940 the old part of the church was re-floored and the vestries were added that made up the choir and minister’s rooms. In 1959 land was purchased from Emma Elisa Hill to build a parsonage but instead a house on Hog Bay level was bought as a parsonage In time a room under the church was completed that consisted of the washroom and then the Hall, that was named in memory of Mr. Dawson Gibson, was completed in 1971. In April 1973 a 3 bedroom parsonage was completed on the land behind the church.
Emmanuel Methodist Church grew with dedication from church members who not only gave of their time but also land and money. One of the names that stands out in the church history was Mr. Dawson Gibson, who was a lay preacher and dedicated 50 years to the service of the church not only as a Trustee and church secretary, he also gave land for the church parsonage. Mrs. Adah Spurling started the Sunday School and the choir in 1952. The choir was under her leadership until 1978 when her daughter, Anne Maule, took over. Over the years there were church members that joined the choir, were Trustees and Board members, were members of the UCW (United Church Women) and Sunday School teachers. These members of the church were all children of God that through the ups and downs in the church stood fast to their faith and carried on with the work of the church.
Over the years Emmanuel members ran a men’s club and a Young person’s union. The women of the church were active from the very beginning and they continue to putt on social events, fundraising for the church as well as maintain and decorate the church. The church has reached outside of its walls to serve the community. It has provided food baskets for families in the community, distributed care boxes to clients at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute and collected mission and service funds to assist those in need in overseas communities. Emmanuel extended its Christian hand to other churches when they were displaced from their church due to storm damage or transitioning, offering the use of the Church for their services until they were able to get back in their church.
The Church structure has had many challenges, from a hurricane in 1921 which destroyed the roof and caused the ceiling to collapse, another hurricane in 1948 that blew off a considerable portion of the roof on the north end of the church, and a tornado that struck it in 1970 that blew of the northwest corner of the roof and cracked the bell tower. Through it all the members of the church have bonded together to raise funds and repair the church. Now after celebrating 150 years of service, we again we find ourselves with a cracked roof and leaking ceiling. For years we have been patching them up, fixing leaks, and doing our best to sooth the wounds, but we have reached a point where we can no longer mitigate damage. The roof and walls needed major repairs and this expense is something that is simply not feasible for our small, but vibrant church.
We need you help! All donations given through GoFundMe will go directly for the repair of the church roof and walls. If you prefer to do a direct deposit, to avoid GoFundMe fees, you can donate to Emmanuel Methodist Church Trustees account 200 [phone redacted]8 100 at Butterfield Bank. Thank you for your support! Please share this with your friends.
If you want to share this page with others the link is https://www.gofundme.com/help-emmanuel-methodist-church-repair-the-roof.
Here is a story that was printed about our church:
https://www.royalgazette.com/religion/lifestyle/article/20210327/small-church-with-big-heart-asks-the-public-for-help/
