Union AME congregation to build new church
Looking for donations to move original building WARWICK - They say that faith can move mountains, but can it move a church? In 1906, a 20 by 40 foot stone base became the foundation for the Union African Methodist Episcopal Church in Warwick. That same year, the Warwick Historical Society was formed to help preserve the history of the Warwick Valley. Today, the two groups have something more in common. While the congregation of the Union AME church has grown and flourished over the past 101 years, just as the rich history of Warwick, its building has not. It has become too small and fragile for its growing congregation. So, for more than a year, Union AME services have been held at the Senior Center at Town Hall. The congregation, though, needs a new churchone that will keep the connection to the community in which it was built and the connection to its past. With the help of the Village of Warwick, the new church plans have been approved. Now the Village and the Historical Society are trying to save the old church and its historical value to Warwick. “The Historical Society of the Town of Warwick has offered to help the congregation find a suitable site within the village, if the building can be saved,” according to a press release from the Historical Society. That means physically moving the building to another site. But neither the Historical Society nor the church has the funds to physically move the original building to another site in the village, where the Historical Society plans to make a permanent exhibition that focuses on African-American history in the Warwick Valley. And that is where the public comes in. “This is a beautiful church,” said Mayor Michael Newhard. “It is simple and lovely. If we can’t come up with the funding to move it physically move the original building to a new site it will be torn down and lost forever.” The little church is a landmark on McEwen Street, a spiritual center for many generations, and that is where the new church will be built, in part because of the cost of buying a new parcel of land, but also because of the long relationship and impact the church has had on the surrounding neighborhood. “Many of our parishioners are excited about the opportunity to preserve the church,” remarked Reverend Vernon H. Peters, the newly appointed pastor. “The last 101 years have provided us with many history lessons for students seeking ways to follow God’s teaching.” To move a building is a costly endeavor. And, since the Union AME church is set for demolition in late July, organizers need to raise the money quickly. “The Village of Warwick has helped the church to get through the approval process to build the new church, and is a strong supporter of the move,” said Newhard. “Unfortunately, the Village cannot use tax dollars to support a church or a non-profit historical society.” Pastor Peters, Newhard, and the Historical Society are working together to find a solution, and quickly. They are looking for experienced professionalsbuilding moving contractorsto donate their expertise, as well as community members wanting to make a monetary contribution. Anyone wishing to donate a service or money may contact Pastor Vernon Peters at PastorPeters@unionamechurch.org. To learn more about the Union AME Church, visit www.unionamechurch.org; to learn more about the Historical Society, click on www.warwickhistoricalsociety.org.