JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – One hundred twenty-eight years of Jacksonville history could be lost soon.
A group of churchgoers at the historic Saint Joseph United Methodist Church on the city's Eastside say they are being forced by the denomination to close their doors because of a lack of money.
The church was built in 1889. It's a historical building and churchgoers say they are willing to have a legal battle to save the church's priceless and irreplaceable history.
"This is a church that our four parents built and this is the church that is very viable," said Lincoln Brooks, church trustee and 20-year member. "We all grew up as children here."
Brightly colored stained-glass windows with the names of founding families adorn the walls of Saint Joseph United Methodist Church, but it's possible no one will see those names again.
According to members, the church was forced to close by its denomination, the United Methodist Church, on Nov. 11 after the pastor spoke out about financial challenges.
Brooks told News4Jax on Tuesday that he's worried the church will be sold and torn down, losing more than a century of history.
"We received a letter that they are going to close our church," Brooks said. "First they told us in December, and now they are saying close it up now."
Brooks said he received a letter, saying the church must close, from the United Methodist Church's attorneys.
Brooks said he and three other trustees were also given a quit claim deed and bill of sale to sign the church over to the denomination, but they have refused.
They believe, as trustees to the church, they have more rights over the future of the church. The denomination disagrees and the trustees have hired an attorney.
Brooks said four other churches have also been closed in Jacksonville through the United Methodist Church.
Pamela Jones, a trustee who has spent 67 years at the church, said she's heartbroken by the closure.
"This sad that its come to this point," she said. "I have had sleepless nights since this started with who owns this church -- the conference or we own this church. And the way things are going, I think we are winning the battle."
Despite the threat of the church being closed, members say they will be there Sunday.
"If this is their (the denomination's) church, we have no other option as of right now," Brooks said. "But we are staying here and we are going to have church Sunday."
The church members say that they simply want to keep the church open, even if they are no longer a part of the United Methodist Church denomination. They are now searching for proof that shows who owned the church before it became part of the denomination.
"I am still here and my family is still here and we are going to stay here," Jones said.
READ: Paragraphs on trust clauses in 'The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church' |
Trust clause Q&As for United Methodists
Though the church was initially in the names of the trustees and the domination no longer wants the church, the United Methodist Church says they have "The Book of Discipline," which states they get the church back and can do whatever they want with it.