Old Mother Church selected for refurbishment program

Robbinsville – The Old Mother Church has been officially accepted into the Partners for Sacred Places program, through Sacred Places in Central Appalachia. 

Through the program, the church – located on Old Mother Church Road in Robbinsville – will receive eligibility for grant funds and training for needed repairs and renovations. 

Built in 1872, the church is the oldest in Graham County, and has served both Baptist and Methodist congregations over its existence.

“We are proud and very grateful for the congregation of the Old Mother Baptist Church to be part of this program,”said Pastor Teddy Silvers. 

Joshua Castano of Partners for Sacred Places said the Old Mother Church project was a good example of a church needing urgent attention to support its community and history. 

“We hope that through this program, Old Mother Church will become a community asset, and that leaders and neighbors are reminded of the value of this special and irreplaceable sacred place,” Castano said. 

The program accepted only 10 churches throughout the region, including the Appalachian portions of North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky and West Virginia. 

The Harshaw Chapel in Murphy was also selected, as were houses of worship in Mars Hill, Clyde, Crossnore and Germanton. Two churches in West Virginia were also included, along with a single church in Kentucky.