First United Methodist Church Pavilion Information & History
Our pavilion is an asset we use to help make our ministry more visible to the public. It is the site of concerts, vacation Bible school, our Easter sunrise worship and outreach ministries to the community.
The pavilion sits on the site the once held our parsonage. With the decision in 2010 to be served by part time clergy, the need for a home for a pastor and family were greatly reduced. In fact, the last two pastor’s both own homes within an easy commute.
The beautiful building that once housed our clergy families had become a financial stumbling block to mission and ministry. In addition to mold and mildew issues, costly structural issues had developed. The high cost of keeping even minimal utilities such as heat, water and electricity in the empty building were an additional burden.
As a result, the decision was made to tear down the parsonage. At about the same time, a donor stepped forward and offered to help construct a pavilion through a matching grant, provided that the new structure would be used in some way to help people in the community. Though a variety of fundraisers, our church met our share of the cost and the pavilion became a reality.
Throughout the warmer months of the year, we work with the Carbondale office of Catholic Social Services to offer produce, baked goods and other foods to those in need through a program called, “Share the Harvest.” It is staffed by volunteers from several local churches and community groups. Each time it is held, between 150 and 190 households receive food.
The pavilion is also available to rent for parties and other events.
If interested, click HERE for the pavilion rental
