by Nancy Hill, Community Journalist
GREENSBORO BEND – Members and friends of the United Methodist Church gathered on Sunday, Jan. 28, at 1 p.m., for a service to mark the closing of the church that had served the community since 1881.
Rev. Jill Colley Robinson, the district superintendent of the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church, led the service of deconsecration, that she described as “bittersweet”. She welcomed everyone saying “We are gathered here this afternoon to say goodbye to what this building has been, a building that has given us many years of good service. We lift up all the saints who have worshipped here.”
Rev. Kirk Thompson led singing of favorite hymns. As part of the service, those gathered reminisced and shared both happy and tearful recollections of the building and its activities over the years
In 1881 people from the Bend, West Wheelock, and Stannard gathered to form the church, and in 1882 the first meeting house was built. Throughout the years many transformations took place and the current building is unique, having wooden quoins on the corners which were made to look stone-like. Beginning in 1923 a famous game supper was held in the vestry following a contest between the hunters in Stannard and Greensboro Bend. Both sides worked to produce the most game for the supper.
The church building and the home next door, which was once the parsonage, are now the property of the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church. Rev. Colley said, “… we gather today with sorrow as we say goodbye to what this building has been, but we have great hope in our hearts that it will be repurposed into a useful and meaningful part of this community.”
