Sandy Run adds steeple, symbolizing the coming together of the church

Daily News (Jacksonville, NC)

Mar. 3—Here is the church, here is the steeple, it won't be long now before Sandy Run Missionary Baptist Church welcomes back all the people.

Last week, historic Sandy Run received their new steeple to go along with a complete overhaul of the long standing church which has been operating in some capacity on Hargett Street since 1854. According to the church's website, a log church was built across the street to house the congregation in 1864 and the brick building that houses the congregation now was constructed in 1953.

Hurricane Florence was responsible for tearing the church's roof off and flooding the inside. The plans to rebuild a new church were in the works before the hurricane hit, however the storm accelerated that process.

The project cost estimate is between $3.2 million and $3.4 million with about $1 million paid out by insurance from the damages to the current church. The rest of the money will come from the congregation.

The Sandy Run congregation has been meeting at Changing Hearts Ministries of Jacksonville on Gum Branch Road and will continue to do so while the new church is being built.

Trustee Ministry Chairman Grover Lewis III explained TarHeel Building Systems out of New Bern is scheduled to finish up construction at the latest July. Currently, workers are finishing up the HVAC and sprinkler systems on the inside and sometime this week the church hopes to get the windows in, followed by the bricks.

Sandy Run Missionary Baptist Church is the oldest black church on record in the area, and is part of the Jacksonville-Onslow Chamber of Commerce African-American Heritage Trail.

Reporter Trevor Dunnell can be reached by email at [email protected]. Please consider supporting local journalism by signing up for a digital subscription for as little as $1 a month. JDNews.com.subscribenow

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