BOURBON COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18)– A church with more than 200 years of history is reopening its door after repairs following a car crashing into the building.
It’s been a long six months for Silas Baptist Church. In July 2018, the congregation was in an evening service when a car overcorrected and ended up more than 400 feet from the road, inside the church.
“The car came through here. We had to replace these doors and also the stain glass window that was made in 1902. Then we had to rip up the carpet, also-replace, not replace but refinish all the floors. The pews are new. We had a lot of cleanup to do. All the walls have been repainted,” said Louis Dutton, a Silas Baptist Church Deacon and lifelong member.
The repairs took six months and $80,000. During those months, they didn’t miss a service and also increased their congregation by more than 30%.
To commemorate their reopening, they’re rededicating the church on Sunday.
“A lot of special music,” said Dutton. “A little bit of background on what happened, and then with a big meal to follow up in our family life center.”
To celebrate the resilient church community that has been around since 1798, they will have fried chicken and all the fixings.
“The congregation and actually the community-not just members here-they’ve all pulled together to help us through the times,” said Dutton.
The rededication celebration begins at 11 on Sunday and the church says that all are welcome for the service and the meal right after.
