AFTER THE CLEAN UP all that remains of the former fellowship hall of Woodland United Methodist Church is the concrete slab it sat on. The main sanctuary also suffered damage in the Sept. 17 fire. Church leaders are meeting with local contractors as they prepare to put the building project out for bid.
The congregation of Woodland United Methodist Church is continuing to worship in the sanctuary of another local church as members consider their options in rebuilding following a fire last September.
The Rev. Charles (Buddy) Whatley, pastor of Woodland UMC, says the church did not do much over the holidays, but now into the new year plan to meet with a number of contractors to gather ideas about how the church can move forward.
“We will be meeting with three or so contractors and we will take that information and have some plans drawn up to put out for bids. We need these plans to ensure we’re meeting all the codes,” Whatley said Monday.
The church caught fire the night of Sept. 17, and the fellowship hall of the church was a total loss. The main sanctuary suffered damage to the attic beams and will likely need a new roof, church officials have said.
An electric short was determined to be the cause of the fire. Last October, the Grady County Board of Commissioners authorized county road superintendent Stanley Elks, who is a member of the congregation, to assist the church with the cleanup of the destroyed fellowship hall. The cleanup has been done and only the building’s slab remains next door to the main church building.
“For the time being, we are continuing to meet at Bold Springs UMC and that give us a cushion of time. We’re not pressed to jump into something without weighing all our options,” the Rev. Whatley said this week.
