Small town ties help put new roof on old church

The Jameson Christian Church is getting a new roof thanks to the generosity of the community’s residents, both former and present. The church is over 120 years old and needed a new roof. There are less than a dozen in the congregation, so they appealed to the whole community to help raise funds. Members wrote an article for the Jameson Gem, a monthly newsletter, which reaches about 500 households. Two long-time members, Max Hefley and Beverly Ward, also wrote direct-mail letters to attendees whose names were taken from the church’s membership log. Donna Chadwick kept the issue before viewers on the Facebook page, called “Jameson, Missouri, a Little Village with a Big Heart.” Laura Hoyle had a cinnamon roll fundraiser and Donna Chadwick had a banana bread fundraiser. Contributions were made by 80 people, either through monetary donations or purchases. Initial estimates for repairs were between $20,000 and $30,000. Within six weeks, the congregation had raised $28,000. The old shingle roof will be replaced with a new metal roof, also green. The bell tower will be painted. The work is currently underway and hopefully the weather will hold so it can be finished before the Jameson Picnic, set for Aug. 11-12 and 13.