LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - There's a church in downtown Little Rock with roots that go back to 1831, five years before Arkansas was even a state. The main building at First United Methodist Church was built back in the 1800's, and it's getting some work done that would make the founders proud.
"Our sanctuary does create a sense of awe when you walk in," admits David Freeman. The senior pastor has led the church for the past three years. "As a church we love being a downtown church, this is our neighborhood."
They're the anchor of the neighborhood, standing tall on a foundation laid two centuries ago.
The windows are "more than just a piece of glass," said Freeman. "These windows tell the story of God's love and it enhances our worship and makes it a part of our whole experience."
This week, the woodwork around these priceless and very fragile works of art is being updated.
"It absolutely is nerve-racking," he said, "because these windows are 125 years old. They're irreplaceable, they cannot be valued."
This is not your typical repair job. This building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places more than 30 years ago, "which means any repairs made have to preserve the original," Freeman said, "so we can't just run down to any big box store or lumber yard and purchase this, all of the pieces have to be hand made or milled."
That company that came through for them was Sunset Premium Hardwoods.
"We are so grateful," said Freeman, "that we have craftspeople that can make all these pieces."
They hand crafted this beautiful, custom piece allied dentil mold.
"If you're just driving down the road," he said, "you wouldn't notice it, but it's a major part of the beauty of this window." And the beauty of this church, of this community that will continue to get more beautiful with age.
"This was a gift that was given to us by people 150 years and it's a gift that we want to hand to the next generation of people that come along."