Sacred
to the
memory
of
Danil S Whitehurst
born
in the year of A.D. 1790
died
Sep. 3rd A.D. 1878
Blessed are the pure
in heart for they shall
see God
________________________________________________________________________________________
In an area of North Pinellas County where development seems to have taken every piece of available land, there is a church where people have been worshipping for 140 years.
Curlew United Methodist Church celebrates its 140th anniversary Sunday with an old-fashioned potluck luncheon and program designed to commemorate the rich history of the congregation.
"This is the second oldest church in the county and the oldest in its original location," said Jo Ann Tilley, 77, an organizer of Sunday's event and the great-great-granddaughter of the church's founder.
In 1869, John A. Sutton, a farmer and land owner, gathered a group of people and told them he wanted to start a church.
Sutton said that he would donate the land and the materials to build a sanctuary with just one condition — he wanted to name the church. He loved the pink curlew birds that flocked to the shores of the area and chose to name the Curlew Methodist Church after them.
"This whole area is named after this church," said Herb Angel, 68, pastor of the 160-member congregation. "Curlew Road and Curlew Creek and all the others around here took their name from the name of the church."
The sanctuary where worship services are held is the fourth building built on the property to be used as a church.
The original building, which was built of native logs, burned to the ground in 1882. Members worshipped outside for a year until a new building was built in 1883. That building was torn down in 1902 in favor of a third building, which is still on the property and used as a thrift shop.
The current sanctuary was built in 1969 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the church.
Former church member Phyllis Long, 86, of Brooksville designed two new commemorative banners which were hung in the sanctuary Wednesday to mark the anniversary. The banners feature paintings of the curlews for which the church was named.
"I hand painted all the feathers on those birds," said Long, a retired art teacher who estimates she spent more than 30 hours creating the banners. "But it was a labor of love."
Adjacent to the sanctuary is the Curlew Pioneer Cemetery, where Sutton and many of the area's other pioneers are buried.
Tilley said she will join her parents, their parents and their parents at the cemetery when she passes away.
"I've already got a stone here," she said. "It's just waiting for me."
Although the church has at times struggled with finances and membership, it has survived largely through the generosity of its members.
"We're holding our own," Angel said. "God's blessing is on us every time we turn around."
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