ETX church needs help saving congregation building | News

Music from inside the Kingdom Family Church building echoed in the street Wednesday. 

Inside, it's hot, packed with church members singing praises to the Lord. They're praying to save their church. 

"A lot of our members lost their jobs," said Stephanie Shankle, pastor. "Several of our members worked for Trane when they were downsizing and even with Carrier and of course they were downsizing as well and closing."

Shankle co-pastors the church with her husband. They formed Kingdom Family church 11 years ago.

"We just want to be able to do what we've been assigned and called to do and that takes finances," said Shankle. 

Donations went down and the church lost their new building in April. They worshipped there for nearly two years before moving back to their old church. Now, both churches are for sale.

"To see us come from here to there and then have to come back, it was hard," Dernold Knighton, a church  member, said. 

Elder church members admit the move has cost them members, and with that goes offerings. That means services they once offered, like a food pantry, are gone.

Cedric, who's going into the sixth grade, says he realizes that without finances it's difficult to help others in need. 

"Those were places people could go and now they're no longer standing so people can't go there anymore," he said. 

     

"This is not a cry, a begging cry. This cry is for a community to help a church with a vision," said Knighton. 

Inspired by what's to come, members keep praying and moving. They're faithful things will turn around with the help of donations; so they too, can give back.

"You can never appreciate up unless you've been down," said Cedric.

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