The historic Wesley Chapel A.M.E. Church is undergoing a special renovation that will restore one of Georgetown’s oldest churches. Constructed in 1904, the building is being lovingly repaired and repainted to return its exterior to as close to its original beauty as possible.
The specialized work is being done by Gossett Construction and completely funded by Jimmy Jacobs and Grand Endeavor Homes. Jimmy, who grew up in and has great love for the city, says, “My wife Sheila and I feel very blessed to have been raised in this beautiful town. Five generations of my family, including my children and grandchildren have loved calling Georgetown their home. This community has allowed me to build a very successful business and I believe we should all give back. Georgetown has done a great job preserving its small town charm, and as a community, we need to use our resources to ensure our historical structures are preserved.”
After speaking to the congregation about the project, he says, “This is a gracious and wonderful group and I am humbled to be able to do this.”
THE NEED
Jimmy and Chris Gossett realized they needed to do a complete rehabilitation on the exterior; the original siding—more than 100 years old—was rotting in some places. Chris added the trees overhanging the roof had caused water to leak through the cracked wood, and, as the Rev. William Quickley says, “Hosted the squirrel that God threw in for free.”
Chris explains, “The work requires pulling out the rotted boards without disturbing the good, getting things dry, then matching the siding to maintain the look.” Once the custom wood is replaced, they will give it a fresh coat of paint, and much to First Lady Adriene Even-Quickley’s delight, they saved some original wood, which will endure in the form of a new cross for Easter 2022 services, courtesy of Gossett.
Chris’ crew is also repairing rotted window frames, and an exterior structure that houses the water heater, which wasn’t prepared for an ice storm. They expect all projects to be complete by the end of June.
THE CHURCH
The Quickleys shepherd a small congregation of older adults and families. Rev. Quickley says they have many emergent needs due to the age of the structure and cold-weather damage, so they have been faithful in their prayers asking God to “make a way where there is no way.”
When he heard Jimmy agreed to do the work pro bono, he simply said, “‘Thank you, Jesus’ because Jimmy has been a kind patron; he loves God and loves the church.” Mrs. Quickley calls him their unsolicited angel.
The Quickleys invite everyone in Georgetown to visit or attend a service and hopes their message—and their new look—will inspire others to replicate Jimmy’s support for similar needs elsewhere in the community.