News 8
96-year-old Dallas church closes doors 
03:08 AM CDT on Monday, June 29, 2009
DALLAS- An old East Dallas church has closed its doors after 96 years.
Built in the early 1900s when the community was affluent, the Munger Place United Methodist Church was one of the largest churches in its heyday. The church had imported European stained glass and the finest wooden pews, but the beautiful structure became sparse when members moved to the suburbs.
"It's really a hard time to lose a church family," said Meredith Moore, a church member. "You look at the economy, people are losing jobs and losing homes ... There are people we may not see that we care about a whole lot. We're not sure when we're going to see them again. It's very hard."
Rev. Charles Stovall broke the news to many children who born into the church and are too young to understand how their parents feel about the loss of a nearly 100-year-old landmark, which once was filled with 2000 members. That number dwindled to 100.
"I'm saddened that we couldn't get the momentum to really see the diverse congregation that Munger Place was becoming," Stovall said. "We simply didn't have the resources to do that."
Thousands of dollars in repairs were needed. The air conditioner was broken for three years. But Sunday, loyal members sweat it out and focused on their memories.
Elizabeth Blessing, 90, grew up in the church, which was where she baptized her four children. After three generations of worshipping, she received communion for the last time.
"I'm with this church lock, stop and barrel and I'm excited about the future to no end," she said.
Highland Park United Methodist will eventually renovate and repair the historical landmark for its own use and plans to move its contemporary worship ministry into the building in one year. It will cost $300,000 alone just to get the air conditioning system working.
E-mail ddenmon@wfaa.com
