An Interview with Pastor Jerry Crowley of the Harmony Church in Ellsinore, MO.
Every year an estimated 1% of the churches in the United States close their doors. This means that about 4,000 churches annually cease to exist. Many times a new church will restart in the same site but only rarely does a congregation that closed its doors unclose those doors. In spite of National trends, the Harmony General Baptist Church in rural Carter County, Missouri is now unclosed!
We asked Pastor Jerry Crowley to tell part of the Harmony Church story as we celebrate with this UnClosed church.
1 . Harmony Church is an older church. can you tell us about its early history?
The church actually started on Cane Creek about two miles away from its current location in July, 1927. This is actually the third church building that has been there. To find the church from Elsinore take Highway A to County Road 354 follow it about 2 miles, go through a wet weather creek and if the creek’s not too high (occasionally we have to postpone services due to high water), you’ll drive right up to the church.
2. Harmony Church closed its doors. About how long was the church closed?
The church closed for a few months. It wasn’t closed very long. Some folks moved away and others just quit coming.
3. What motivated you and others to reopen the church?
Well this was my old home church. I just couldn’t stand to see it closed. It’s been an old-time General Baptist church for a long time. I just couldn’t see it closed. Some people went there the Sunday before we started and Josh Francis actually got started and 4 or 5 others of us came along to help.