The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Grace UMC holds huge sale
In the market for a pew or two?
How about a few thousand pages of sheet music, Bibles, three pianos or a two-manual Allen electronic organ?
If so, the folks at Grace United Methodist Church may have a deal for you.
The Atlanta church, which was founded in 1871, will hold an estate sale through Saturday and Aug. 6-8 on the church grounds.
Don’t worry, though. The church, one of the oldest Methodist churches in the city, is not shutting its doors, but making room for the General Board of Global Ministries, an arm of the United Methodist Church that directs missionaries and disaster relief around the globe.
“We will continue to worship and be a church,” said the Rev. Kate Hurst Floyd, pastor of the 200-member church, which is at 458 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE.
Not long ago, it may have turned into a fire sale. Floyd said the dwindling membership and changing demographics had negatively affected the church. Additionally, a $2 million mortgage note was due on July 15.
She said the buildings had become “unsustainable” and “took our energy away from doing the ministry we wanted to do.”
But the global ministries body planned to move to Atlanta from New York, and Floyd said the parties came together.
The property was recently sold to the global ministries group, which plans a major renovation. The church will still use a part of the facilities.
The sale is open to the public 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
“This church, as you can imagine, has accumulated a lot of stuff,” Floyd said. “We’re selling things in preparation for this new beginning.” She said the church has not decided what to do with the proceeds, but they will likely be used to invest in missions and the Grace UMC ministry.
The sale is being handled by Estate Sales Over Georgia. Pam Bulman, owner, said one of the treasures uncovered is an 1868 black-leather Bible, inscribed “Presented to Pleasant S. Bradford, by his father, July 20, 1869,” for $275. Also notable are a mahogany curio cabinet, made in 1916, for $475; hymnals, Communion sets and choir robes.
Bulman said a 10-foot cross made from railroad crossties was sold to a woman, who said she was married in that church six decades ago, to put in the yard of her mountain home. She said she hopes her grandchildren will marry in front of it.
Grace’s pastor understands it may be hard to see some items go. Those items have been in offices and parts of the church for decades. In some cases, families had bequeathed items to Grace UMC.
“There is a grief process as part of this letting go,” Floyd said.
Among the interested parties is the Rev. James Gwin, pastor of Acworth United Methodist Church.
Earlier this year, thieves made off with several items, including a brass cross from the altar and candlesticks.
Police told Gwin the bad guys probably planned to melt the items down for cash. The cross and candlesticks had sentimental value because they were given by a member family years ago.
Gwin hopes to find replacements at the sale. “We would love to give them a home.”