Fundraiser underway to save church

A group of county residents are working to raise money to preserve Mt. Pleasant Church in Newburg.

NEWBURG – A group of residents who live from Tharptown to Union gathered in Newburg last week, all with the same thing on their mind – preserving one of the county’s oldest and most beautiful buildings.
The Mt. Pleasant Church Preservation Committee held its first community gathering to seek input into how the church can be used moving forward.
Mt. Pleasant Church officially closed its doors in March. When Ozbirn heard of its closing, she knew she had to step in because of the historical significance the church holds.
The current Mt. Pleasant Church was officially deemed a significant landmark by the Alabama Historical Commission and added to the Alabama Register of Landmarks and Heritage on April 11, 1984.
It is also part of the Hallelujah Trail, which is a grouping of 32 historical churches in North Alabama.
Franklin County Archives and Research Center director Chris Ozbirn said the original Mt. Pleasant Church was started in 1825 by James Wesley Smith and started out as an old log building.
Mt. Pleasant Church is located at the intersection of old Highway 24 and Franklin 87 in the Newburg community.
Ozbirn, who is part of the committee along with Stanley Champion and William Bishop, told audience members the group’s sole intent was to preserve the church for the community.
“We never wanted this building for ourselves,” Ozbirn said. “This is for the community. We took possession of it so we could preserve it.
“Since our committee is independent of any other group, we will have to raise our own money and secure our own funding to pay any expenses. This means we are going to need a lot of help from the community.”
Ozbirn said they have already received some support, including a very generous offer from North Carolina attorney David Wilkerson whose wife has ties to the area.
“Mr. Wilkerson and his wife got married at the church in 2010,” Ozbirn said. “He sent me an e-mail and told me he had seen the newspaper article in the Franklin County Times about needing volunteers and support for the church’s upkeep, and he offered to pay the utilities for the church indefinitely.”
Tuesday’s meeting pulled together people who had lived in the area for many years and also a few who have just fallen in love with the area since moving here.
Randi Gross, a native of Iowa who now lives in Tharptown, first saw the church shortly after moving to Franklin County a few years ago. She immediately fell in love with the church building, which reminded her of the United Methodist Church building she grew up in.
“I don’t want to see this building have the same fate that that one had,” said Gross, who has completed a painting of the building.
Prints of that painting are now far sale to raise money for the church’s preservation. Information on purchasing a print or greeting cards can be obtained by calling Chris Ozbirn at 256-332-8827.
The committee plans to meet again at 6:30 p.m. on July 19 at the church.
“We hope more people will get involved and help us along the way,” Ozbirn said.
“We welcome all suggestions and really want to see the community get behind this.”