12/07/2025
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:12
On May 31 2025, Rye Cove United Methodist Church officially closed. The church congregation chose to no longer follow doctrine in the United Methodist book of discipline that we felt were in direct conflict with the teachings of Christ. In closing, the church building became a possession of the United Methodist Church and the existing congregation had to abandon the premises.
Christ teaches us that the church is not a building. It is the people doing His work and proclaiming the gospel. Thus Rye Cove Memorial Church was formed, and given the name Memorial to honor those who have served Christ so faithfully in this community before us. Thanks to Natural Tunnel State Park, we have been holding services at the Cove Ridge Center and navigating the UMC's process to re-obain the building.
Thanks be to God. We were able to make an offer to purchase the building from the UMC and it has been accepted. Through this long and frustrating process. Rye Cove Memorial Church has stayed focused on the goal of returning to worship in the building that we love so much. We want to thank the community, fellow churches, friends, and neighbors who have prayed and offered support and love during this process.
If anyone feels led to offer financial assistance in returning the church to the possession of the community who built it, it would be greatly appreciated. Feel free to reach out to any of the members, message on this page, or swing by the Country Basket. Any donations will be used directly toward the purchase of the building. We will also be having a fundraiser meal in January and will be announcing a date as soon as it is set.
December 21 at 10 a.m. will be our return to the building and the first service held in the building as Rye Cove Memorial Church. What a blessing it will be to celebrate the birth of our Savior in the sanctuary that we all so love. We would like to welcome everyone to come and worship with us. And for those in Rye Cove who know the power of her prayers, God has answered. Mrs. Eloise Wolfenbarger is going back to the church that she so loves and for over 70 years has so faithfully prayed for!
