FREDERICK COUNTY, MD- What started as a vision became reality after 170 years. Providence United Methodist Church in Frederick County, Maryland is finally complete.
"From time to time somebody would say where do you go to church, and then they would say oh I didn't know that was a church and that's because it didn't have a steeple," says Lynwood Browning, a church member. "Now it has a steeple."
"I had tears in my eyes a little bit because it's been a long time coming," says Kathy Siggins, another church member. "I'm glad its finally a reality."
Browning and his family grew up attending Providence United Methodist Church and when his sister moved to Virginia, she noticed all the churches there had a steeple and that's where the vision started.
"She just thought this little church up here should have a steeple so she started a fund about 15 years ago," says Browning. "Then it was added to by my sister-in-law as well and the fund got up to a little over $18,000."
"It's a gift that was donated to us by sisters who had the vision so I'm thankful for that vision," says Siggins. "I think it's great."
After years of efforts and months of planning church members say the steeple represents a sign of hope.
"With all the violence and everything that's going on now we need something to look forward to and this to me I see it as a sign of hope. It's a great way to start 2013," says Siggins.
Church members also want to install chimes but for now they'll keep hope and patience until the day they're able to make that addition to their church.
Not all church members wanted to add the steeple. They believed the money could've been used for something else.
"From time to time somebody would say where do you go to church, and then they would say oh I didn't know that was a church and that's because it didn't have a steeple," says Lynwood Browning, a church member. "Now it has a steeple."
"I had tears in my eyes a little bit because it's been a long time coming," says Kathy Siggins, another church member. "I'm glad its finally a reality."
Browning and his family grew up attending Providence United Methodist Church and when his sister moved to Virginia, she noticed all the churches there had a steeple and that's where the vision started.
"She just thought this little church up here should have a steeple so she started a fund about 15 years ago," says Browning. "Then it was added to by my sister-in-law as well and the fund got up to a little over $18,000."
"It's a gift that was donated to us by sisters who had the vision so I'm thankful for that vision," says Siggins. "I think it's great."
After years of efforts and months of planning church members say the steeple represents a sign of hope.
"With all the violence and everything that's going on now we need something to look forward to and this to me I see it as a sign of hope. It's a great way to start 2013," says Siggins.
Church members also want to install chimes but for now they'll keep hope and patience until the day they're able to make that addition to their church.
Not all church members wanted to add the steeple. They believed the money could've been used for something else.
