Nellie Moore Building in downtown Wilmington remains house of worship

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WILMINGTON — The Nellie Moore Memorial Sunday School Building will remain a downtown place of devotion as the people of the Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church make the move from the other end of Columbus Street.

To launch their new location, the church will host a dedication service 7 p.m. Saturday, March 17. It’s being held on a Saturday largely so that people from other churches can come, said Pastor David Van Hoose.

Prior to the service, the 160 N. South St. building will be opened up at 6 p.m. for anybody who wants to see what’s inside.

They will find that all the classrooms and the dining room are on the first floor, while the sanctuary is upstairs.

Of the new facility, Van Hoose said, “We’re excited. We’re looking for a great adventure. We want to be a help to the community. We want to be a church that will stand out — to let people know that there is a cause, there is a reason. People are giving up. Our town is drug-infested. People are giving up, and they have no hope. We want to build hope.”

He spoke about the name of the congregation. It’s called Macedonia because before they moved to town it was located on Macedonia Road, south of Wilmington and west of Martinsville.

“When people hear the word primitive, they’re like ‘Oh no’. I think it kind of scares them. But it’s not like that. It means original Baptists,” he said.

As examples, he said it’s not the case that the women sit on one side and men on the other. And yes, there are hymnals and they sing.

Macedonia is affiliated with the Eastern District Association of Primitive Baptists, of which the majority of churches are located in Tennessee and Virginia. Their annual session will be held this year in Ohio the first weekend in October, with one evening of worship scheduled to take place at the Nellie Moore Memorial Building in Wilmington.

“We are Christians trying to be a light to everybody. That’s basically all we are. If we can help somebody, let’s help,” said Van Hoose, 57. Along with Roger, Bill, and Sammy, David is one of four Van Hoose brothers who are ministers and who grew up in Wilmington.

Seven years ago, Macedonia started a back-to-school program to help children by providing school supplies and backpacks. There were about 30 kids the first year; this year he thinks there were 221 children.

Van Hoose remembers when DHL left the Wilmington Air Park. It had an impact on their church.

“A lot of our people moved away. Our attendance went way down. When it happened we saw a decline in that hope,” he said.

At the dedication of the new church building, there will be music by The Redeemed from Cincinnati, and Pastor Scott Tipton from Virginia will hold the service.

There will be a special prayer that God will touch the lives of those in the congregation and of the “people around us,” said Van Hoose.

Reach Gary Huffenberger at 937-556-5768.

Located at the corner of North South (U.S. 68) and Columbus Streets, the Nellie Moore Memorial Sunday School Building has been a longtime part of the downtown Wilmington streetscape.
http://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2018/03/web1_DSCF6066.jpgLocated at the corner of North South (U.S. 68) and Columbus Streets, the Nellie Moore Memorial Sunday School Building has been a longtime part of the downtown Wilmington streetscape. Gary Huffenberger | News Journal

Macedonia Primitive Baptist Church Pastor David Van Hoose and his wife Pam.
http://www.wnewsj.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2018/03/web1_IMG_1519.jpgMacedonia Primitive Baptist Church Pastor David Van Hoose and his wife Pam. Photo courtesy of Brittanie Bartlett
Dedication service 7 p.m. Saturday, March 17

By Gary Huffenberger

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