Blacksmith Shop Gets New Role in Lexington, Illinois
(March 2009)
From The Lexingtonian January 22, 2009
The old Blacksmith Shoppe on Main Street in downtown Lexington was gifted
to Church of Christ, Uniting (Disciples of Christ) by owner Dr. Dan Scott of Normal.
The church is looking into how it might use the building
as an extension of the church’s mission to the community.
Dr. Dan Scott gives Old Blacksmith Shop to Church of Christ, Uniting
From Rev. Jan Proeber
How excited they are at Church of Christ, Uniting (Disciples of Christ) to receive the generous gift of the Old Blacksmith Shop from Dr. and Mrs. Dan Scott of Bloomington. Dr. Scott, who pursued his interest of antiquing after retirement, bought the shop three years ago and with the help of Mimmie Travers, collected and sold antiques at the site.
A few weeks before Christmas, Dr. Scott contacted Pastor Jan with the offer of the building and its contents. The church will open the Shop to the community on weekends in February, and all proceeds will go toward operational expenses of the building and its ministries. The church’s executive committee has begun a process of discernment for use of the building in ministry to the community.
I am pleased to share with you the letter received by Pastor Jan from Dr. Scott:
December 9, 2008
Dear Jan,
I have had a calling to do something for your church for over a year. It all started when I attended Mimmie’s brother’s funeral and then had a meal with some of your members. Since then I have not been able to get it out of my mind that I needed to do something for you and your little church.
I grew up in a Disciples of Christ and was baptized at age 12. My dad was a Baptist but I never attended a Baptist church. My mother was a Presbyterian and once in a while she sent me and my sister to Sunday school by city bus. I started to go to the Disciples church on my own around the age of nine. I remained a Disciple until the late 1970’s when our family joined the Presbyterian church in Bloomington.
I learned about your church only after I purchased the Old Blacksmith Shop a little over three years ago. I was pleased to learn about the joining of the two congregations of separate theologies to work together to survive. (The apostle) Paul in his letters encouraged early church members to follow his insturctins on lhow to live, govern and love one another. I think you are leading your church in that direction.
I wish to discuss with your leadership the possibility of making a gift to your church of The Blacksmith Shop and its contents to be used to give your congregation a presence on Main Street in Lexington to serve the entire community. It could be used in many ways, based on the needs of the people as long as it is used to serve our heavenly father through Jesus Christ. God will guide you as you desire, to brainstorm on how you may serve through this old building. Your people, with God as their learer, will find ways for them and you to serve even more than you are doing today. Do not fear for He is always with us and the Holy Spirit is in our hearts every second of every hour of our lives!
Yours in Christ,
Dan Scott
Update: February 2009: Rev. Jan Proeber reports that the church is now in the process of selling the antiques and collectibles from the building. Committees are busy making plans to use the building in their hospitality ministry with some possible ideas being to serve as a meeting place, an after school solution for children and parents, and as an occasional gathering place for teens in the community. Those plans are still in the formation stages and the church welcomes any suggestions.
To read our historical accounts of the Old Blacksmith Shop in former articles check the links below:
link to student article of Jan 2006-(requires media player)
or October 2007 Tour of Lexington Part II