The Woodward News

Local News

February 20, 2008

Rebuilt church ready for services

Sunday will be the first time the First Christian Church of Gage has been full for actual church services in more than four and a half years since the sanctuary was destroyed in a fire June 14, 2003.

But what makes this first service special is the ecumenical method through which the church made its comeback, said The Rev. Nancy Woods.

Woods is the pastor of First Christian Church of Gage. In the true spirit of faith, she said, it was the help of other churches in the area, and indeed throughout the state, that was the metal that hoisted them back on their feet after the devastating loss.

“We met at the Methodist Church in Gage all this time,” Woods said. “They had an early service and we just had the later service in their sanctuary.”

But that wasn’t the only cross over of good faith, Woods said. “The Believer’s Church also helped us with workers and donations.”

Together with other faiths, the numerous Disciples of Christ, First Christian Churches in Oklahoma also made donations and offered help to refurbish what was left of the church after the fire that fateful day nearly five years ago. There are 75 Disciples churches just within 100 miles of Woodward.

“They never found out what really caused the fire, but they did know it started in the attic,” Wood said. “ The ceiling on the sanctuary just fell in and totally destroyed the sanctuary.”

Through a series of plans to renovate, and volunteer workers, the group chose to simply deal with the loss of the nearly 2,000 square feet of newer construction and renovate the older fellowship hall, built in the early 1900s, to suit their needs, she said.

Now, though the space is smaller than they had, the group will meet for full services on Sunday.

“We will have Sunday School and the whole thing here now,” Woods said.

Sunday School will begin at 9:30 a.m. and church services will begin at 10:50 a.m.

A grand opening is still planned for the coming weeks, she said.

Text Only
Local News
  • VFW to hold Memorial Day ceremony

    Memorial Day is a day for people to remember and honor those who have fought and fallen in all of our nation's wars.

    May 26, 2012

  • Voter registration deadline approaching

    Those wanting cast a ballot in the June 26 Primary Election need to be registered to vote by June 1.

    May 26, 2012

  • Alabaster Caverns sets science camp

    FREEDOM - Alabaster Caverns State Park and the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) are teaming up to provide a summer science camp.

    May 26, 2012

  • Giving kids a reason to smile

    SHARON - An area organization wants to give children affected by the April 15 tornado a reason to smile.
    Knowing how much many families lost during the tornado, the newly formed "Make a Child Smile" program seeks to help replace the children's beloved items that were stolen by the storm.

    May 25, 2012

  • Oklahoma House narrowly passes annual budget bill

    OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The Oklahoma House on Thursday narrowly approved a $6.8 billion general appropriations bill to fund state government, just hours after the same bill failed, avoiding the need to return for a special session.

    May 25, 2012

  • Farmer’s Market opening up Saturday

    The Woodward Farmer's Market Association will be back this summer.

    May 25, 2012

  • Officials expect busy weekend on highways


    OKLAHOMA CITY -  AAA Oklahoma expects over 500,000 state residents to be on the road for the Memorial Day holiday. That's a 2.2 percent increase from last year, said Chuck Mai, AAA public affairs vice president.
     

    May 24, 2012

  • Busy summer at library

    The Woodward Public Library will be staying busy in months to come with several summer reading programs.

    May 24, 2012

  • Quinlan event set

    QUINLAN - The annual Quinlan Alumni and Former Quinlan Students' covered dish supper is Saturday at the Quinlan Fellowship Hall.

    May 24, 2012

  • Big numbers expected at area lakes, state parks

    Memorial Day weekend is the annual kickoff of the summer season and area parks and recreation areas are expecting big numbers of visitors, including Fort Supply Lake.

    May 23, 2012