The die is officially cast for the United Congregational Church of Conway. Fifteen months ago, a tornado ripped through Conway’s Pumpkin Hollow at speeds of 80 to 110 miles per hour, causing a cascade of destruction to the historic 1885 structure (and elsewhere). The steeple was twisted, the wind broke apart two major support beams, an upper balcony detached and sections of the building shifted as much as 5 inches away from where they should be. As a final indignity, holes in the roof allowed water to come in and with it, the inevitable mold — a condition the church had recently remediated at great expense.
Last week, the Rev. Candice Ashenden announced the final decision of the Union Mutual Insurance Co.: The structure is damaged beyond repair. It will likely be leveled in late July.
The verdict seemed like a long time coming, but Rev. Ashenden looks at it as part of the process of grieving: “We’ve had time to grieve, we’ve had time to accept and we’ve had time to begin dreaming again.”
There’s an old Chinese proverb to the effect that with destruction comes opportunity, an irony that has not been lost on Conway’s tornado victims. Now, the congregation’s imagination can run free: What does a church look like? How does a church interact with the community? How does it welcome people of all ages? How does it fulfill its mission?
“Accessible,” “self-contained” and “sustainable” are some of the words being used to describe their vision — within the confines of a modest budget of about $1 million, the amount left over after repaying the town for a Community Preservation Act grant toward a 2014 renovation, stabilizing the damaged structure and salvaging interior furnishings.
Designing a new church is very different from renovating an existing building, something most churches in Franklin County have had experience with. Renovations are done within a given framework. But complete destruction offers a clean slate.
In such cases, congregations may wish to pay homage to the old: In Northfield, following a fire in 1977 that leveled the Victorian-era church closely associated with evangelist Dwight L. Moody, church member Frank Bordner recast the molten pieces of the steeple bell into a large cross for the altar of the new Trinitarian Congregational Church. There was enough left over to make a small bell. Similarly, in Conway, they hope to save some of the small stained glass windows for possible reuse in the new church. The grand piano — a limited-edition instrument with an estimated replacement value of $100,000 — has been in safe storage. So, too, have its pews and pipe organ, although it is not known if these latter two elements will fit into a new church. The land remains.
The United Congregational Church members will be rebuilding for the future as well as the present, which begs the question: What might their congregation look like in coming generations and how might their activities change? Coincidentally, the Community Bible Church of Northfield, led by Pastor Bob Emberley, is envisioning a new building, too, on a lot it owns at 24 Main St. Maybe there is something for these two congregations to learn from each other as they both brainstorm for the future.
The United Congregational Church of Conway, which will celebrate its 250th anniversary this summer, has seen three places of worship, plus, more recently, the 2014 renovation that displaced worshippers for three years. “We will all stand here and cry as it comes down,” Ashenden said last week, “even though we’re ready to move forward.”
Moving forward is a hopeful stage in which to be, and we join the faith community of Franklin County in wishing them well in this big project, this major transition.