Rock of ages

The mortar in the walls was decayed, leaving noticeable holes that let sunlight into building. There was a crack in the southeast foundation, and the interior walls were chipped and had not been painted in decades.

In other words, Bethlehem Stone Church looked very much its age-160 years.

"It was just kind of deteriorating," church member Jeryl Sellers said. "It was crumbling down."

In 2008, the congregation of the nearby Bethlehem United Church of Christ in Tenth Legion, Va. (about 10 miles north of Harrisonburg on I-81), along with people from the community, decided that renovations had to be made to the historic building. More than $88,000 was donated to the project.

"The structure was getting in real questionable condition," said Bill Good, a church member and retired brick mason. "We either had to do something or we were going to lose it."

The church was built in 1845 and served as a Confederate hospital during the Civil War. During a skirmish between Union and rebel forces in September 1864, shelling damaged the building's roof and destroyed the rear gable.

Sellers noted that while the congregation has done extensive renovation on the 1,400-square-foot, one-room building, they have made no attempt to modernize the structure. For some members of the congregation, the history of the church ties into their family history. Many have ancestors that attended services in the stone building, and both Good and Sellers worshipped in the building as children.

In an effort to keep the historical value intact, workers salvaged wood from the original pews to build re-creations that match the style of the 1800s. Window frames that were slanted when artillery fire hit the west wall have not been altered. Sellers and Good said that they do not plan on sanding the wood floor, because they do not want the building looking "new." For the church members, the history is worth preserving.

"We need some reminder of where we've been," Good said. "If you don't have any history you don't have any future, do you?"

The history of the building includes "graffiti" where soldiers inscribed their names and dates in the wall of what is now the church's attic. At least one soldier, Capt. John Massie of Charlottesville, died at the church after suffering a shrapnel wound to his leg.

The stone church was built by a 24-year-old stonemason, Jeremiah Clemens, in 1844, according to The Daily News Record. After being damaged in 1864, the building remained unused until members of the New Bethlehem Church restored it in 1881. Another renovation occurred in 1940, but in 1951, the congregation moved to a modern building nearby that had been built by Bill Good's father, Thomas William Good, Sr.

Since 1951, the stone building served various functions, although in recent years, stood mostly unused. The Bethlehem congregation hopes to restore it for its original purpose- worship services.

On Thanksgiving last year, the building held its first service in years. Kerosene lamps in antique chandeliers provided the light for the congregation.

"It made you feel like you were back 100 years ago," Sellers said.

In May, Civil War re-enactors Robert Heitler and Suzanne Stanley were married at the church in a 19th century-style wedding ceremony.

Bob Edwards, the minister of Bethlehem United Church of Christ, said that he hoped the renovation would restore the sense of community that Tenth Legion had many years ago.

The renovation work will be celebrated on September 25 with free tours of the church, Civil War demonstrations, and an evening hymn sing.

The Associated press contributed to this report.

Share your thoughts or follow us on Twitter and Facebook today!