Effort under way to save Rock Hill church

ROCK HILL, Mo. (AP) -- Supporters of an historic St. Louis-area church hope to raise about $900,000 by April to move and repair the church and a neighboring historic structure.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/wuiIR1) reports the effort is under way to save Rock Hill Church, built in the St. Louis County community in 1845. Otherwise, it could be demolished to make way for a gas station and convenience store.

About three dozen supporters of the church held a candlelight vigil Sunday night to draw attention to the plight of the church they say has played a significant role in Rock Hill history. After all, the city was named for it.

"It will take a miracle, and we are praying for it," said Linda Lemen, one of the leaders of Citizens to Save Rock Church.

The cost of moving the church, built with heavy stones when the area was little more than a pioneer outpost, and the adjacent Fairfax House would be about $500,000. It would take another $400,000 to make necessary repairs, according to Citizens to Save Rock Hill Church.

The group is seeking donors to help pay for the move, possibly to a nearby park. The Rock Hill Board of Aldermen voted last week to support the effort, but the city does not have the money to pay for the move and repairs, Lemen said.

At the vigil, the group sang gospel songs and prayed, led by the Rev. Ron Lutjens of Old Orchard Presbyterian Church in Webster Groves. The church has been empty since 2010, but longtime members of Rock Hill Church attended the vigil.

"This never should have been approved," Lutjens said of the planned gas station and convenience store. "We too easily tear down our past."

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Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://www.stltoday.com