The beauty and dignity of Spencer's oldest standing church,
the Presbyterian church on Market Street, is returning
By Bob Weaver
The Friends of Market Street Chapel was organized to restore the structure. Following two decades it sat forlornly, discarded and neglected with timeworn memories shielded within its four walls.
While progress with its restoration has been slow, the first step was to reinstall the beautiful stained glass windows that had been in storage, said Julie Evans Boggs, who initiated the project after
saying she heard God's call to restore the church.
The group is continuing to fund raise and restore the structure.
The history of the church is recorded in William H. Bishop's History of Roane County. The Presbyterian church was first organized by a visiting preacher in 1874.
The present brick structure was erected about 1907. The bell had been a gift from some Philadelphia families. "No church bell in the city had such sweetly inviting tones," wrote Bishop.
Its four memorial windows of leaded glass were also gifts. The stained glass windows and the bell had been removed from the church were located and returned to their place in the church.
The emblems depicted on these windows are a visual
testimony of the donors and reference to their beliefs
For more information or to make a donation, please contact:
Friends of Market Street Chapel
502 Church Street
Spencer, WV 25276
(304)927-3327
julie@marketstreetchapel.org
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