South Side community coming together to save historic church with outstanding gas bill

A historic church in the Pullman neighborhood is fighting for its survival, facing a huge gas bill they cannot pay.

The community space has been closed for the winter months as the fight to save the church continues.

On the Monday before Easter, there are signs of rebirth outside Greenstone United Methodist Church.

A building built in 1882 with a rare 19th-century Steere and Turner organ and many original stained-glass windows is now hoping for a revival.

“They had a large utility bill all of a sudden,” neighbor Roderick Lewis said.

Lewis has lived here for 20 years.

“I’m just beyond not being new,” he said.

He’s among neighbors whose families have been in Pullman and visiting Greenstone for generations.

“The community looks out for the church and the church looks out for the community,” Lewis said.

He hopes to raise $20,000 to pay an outstanding gas bill the church cannot afford.

“It was more difficult for them to deal with and so they just put out a call for help from community members. And since we’re all one big family here, if one of us needs help, then all of us pitch in to help out,” Lewis said.

They’ve almost met their goal, with just a few thousand to go. In the meantime, programming in the colder months has been on hold as the gas was shut off.

Normally, the church would host community dinners, clubs, and lectures.

“It’s more than a Sunday service church. It’s really more of a community center,” Lewis said.

A historic community center they hope can re-open its doors year-round

The work isn’t done after they pay off their utility bill. The church plans to use any extra donations to do things like repair their heating system to prevent any further complications.

The church has set up a GoFundMe for those who would like to donate.