TEBBETTS, Mo. - Where there's a will, there's a way, as the saying goes - and the people of Tebbetts clearly have a will to save Oakley Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
As snow drifted down outside, a dozen area residents gathered at Tebbetts Community Hall to discuss how they can help. Founded by freed Black residents of the area in 1878, Oakley Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church has been largely disused for years, though it hosted occasional functions into the early 2010s. The 143-year-old building and an adjacent dining hall were badly damaged by vandals last month, as were two abandoned residences nearby. Five area teens were arrested in connection with the crime.
The property is owned by the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Missouri Conference, St. Louis-Columbia District. The Rev. Darlene Smith is the district's presiding elder; she also pastored at Oakley in the late 1980s. The A.M.E. has placed Smith in authority over fixing up the church. Smith wasn't able to make it to Saturday's meeting due to the weather. It was instead led by George Hord, who's long taken care of the church property.
"I'm completely in charge of the property," Smith noted in a phone call last week.
But, she said, the A.M.E. wants to hear from locals.
"We're trying to get Tebbetts on board," she said. "By all means, we're listening to the community and their thoughts. We respect them and thank the community for their outpouring of support for the church."
Plans
Hord opened the meeting by acknowledging that ultimately, what happens to the church is up to the A.M.E. He filled attendees in on the most recent developments and plans.
Smith's current plans is to acquire an acre or so of land within Tebbetts proper and move the church from its isolated location on County Road 485 to a spot where it can more easily be monitored.
"It doesn't need to stay there and risk being vandalized again," she said.
She envisions Oakley Chapel turning into a wedding chapel and a place where travellers on the Katy Trail can stop and pray. The old church property, which contains a cemetery, could become a memorial garden.
Hord noted moving the church into town would also make it far more accessible: Its current spot at the top of a hill lacks parking, and the steps up to the church are tricky to navigate.
Several potential locations have been identified, though talks are still ongoing, Hord said.
He noted moving the building shouldn't cost it its spot on the National Register of Historic Places; at least two registered buildings in Fulton were moved but kept their status, he said.
That status does mean that when the building is renovated, the renovators will have to use period-appropriate materials - for example, its old wood-framed stained glass windows can't be replaced with more modern windows.
Money is a limiting factor in all these plans.
"You can't make final decisions until you have the means to make decisions," Smith said. "A lot will depend on the support of people financially."
Smith said she's meeting with other A.M.E. pastors to get ideas for fundraising.
The A.M.E. continues to contend with the building's insurer who, Smith said, has claimed vandalism wasn't covered by the policy. Hord said he's having his lawyer look over the insurance policy. Should the claim go through, the payout will only amount to around $25,000. That's a good chunk of money, but it's not enough to cover the purchase of land and moving and restoring the building, Hord said.
But, he said, community members should be able to handle much of the project themselves. More than one resident has a 40-foot trailer, and many are handy.
Hord and others in attendance Saturday suspected they'll have to raise most of the funds themselves.
"Speaking as a pastor, the mission of the church is to save souls, not buildings," said Kay Hord, who pastors at the United Methodist Churches in Tebbetts and Mokane. "I understand where they're coming from. But they're not going to spend money on restoring the church."
Sheila Guthrie, with the Tebbetts Historical Society, mentioned plans to look into potential grants.
Old tensions
Jean Handy, a woman with deep connections to Oakley Chapel, was among the attendees Saturday.
"It means a lot to me to see this many people here," she said.
Now a Columbia resident, Handy lived in Fulton for many years. Her mother, Doris Jean Handy, was instrumental in documenting Oakley's history, caring for the church and getting it added to the National Register of Historic Places. Doris Handy couldn't go to school in Callaway County due to segregation, so she'd spend her summers living in Tebbetts and attending Oakley Chapel, and the rest of the year attending school in Kansas City. But she kept Oakley Chapel close to her heart.
"Even when we lived all over the world, we'd come back here for various things," Jean Handy remembered. "When we lived in New York City, we'd come back every summer for a basket dinner."
After Doris Handy retired, she devoted her life to documenting the church's history and the history of the area's Black residents, alongside her lifelong friend Bernice Nevins-Whittler. She passed away in 2016.
"Almost on Doris's deathbed, Darlene Smith promised her to do something to preserve the church - that's what's driving her now," Hord said.
Jean Handy's son, Xavier Handy-Hamilton, remembers chilly winter mornings spent checking the church's pipes and shovelling snow off its steps with his grandma. Her daughter, Corri Hamilton, is the last living official member of Oakley Chapel, though she's currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Wisconsin.
Jean Handy recalls the last official event or service in the building taking place sometime in 2012 or 2013, after which the building sat empty.
"I hold the A.M.E. partly responsible (for the vandalism), because the building was already in disrepair," she said. "If you're a teen, and you see something in disrepair, you might think nobody cares about it."
Though both Smith and the Tebbetts residents profess eagerness to save the church together, past tensions between local churchgoers and the denomination echoed during Saturday's meeting.
"I want to work with (the A.M.E.), but I want to make sure we have input," Jean Handy said.
She remembered a past attempt by church members to purchase the building from the A.M.E., which was rejected.
"One of the last things my mother did was go to the A.M.E. and ask for a pastor," Handy said. "At the very end, there was friction between the two little ladies and the church itself."
Handy confessed she went into the meeting unsure about moving the church, but hearing the plans laid out reassured her.
"I wasn't keen on the idea of moving the church, but if they're set on moving it, at least we have a plan," she said.
How to help
After the weather warms, a complete inventory of the damage done to the church will be taken. Then, preliminary clean-up can begin: old pews removed and fixed, kneelers cleaned, broken glass swept out. (Major renovation work will have to wait until after the church is moved.) To keep abreast of volunteer opportunities, watch the Facebook group "You Know You're From Tebbetts, Mo. When" where Hord is a regular poster.
Hord is also looking for a place - preferably nearby - to store furniture and other items currently inside the church while they're fixed and the building is moved. He can be contacted at 972-533-8902.
Aside from donating time, people are welcome to give money toward the project. There are two ways to give, both of which have Smith's approval
Donations may be made out to the A.M.E. St. Louis/Columbia district, with "Oakley Restoration Project" in the memo line, and sent to 3101 Wheaton Ave., St. Louis, 63114. Additionally, Hord has set up a PO box to receive donations: Oakley Chapel Restoration, PO Box 176, Tebbetts, 65080. All donations will be put toward the church, Hord said.
"I encourage everybody to at least give a little bit," he said. "Actually, give 'til it hurts."