BERWICK - The skyline of Berwick looks a little different now that a church steeple in town has changed.
The First United Methodist Church rededicated its church tower at a ceremony Sunday morning after the 110-year-old steeple was replaced.
The bells rang out from the new steeple atop the First United Methodist Church in Berwick, and down below there were prayers to bless the church tower and rededicate the church building.
Newswatch 16 was there in May when the previous steeple was brought down. That steeple had been up since 1902, but had to go.
“It was a wood structure that became very rotted after all those years. Finally, the members of the church and the trustees looked for a more permanent replacement,” said John Bower, a church member.
So the church got a $250,000 upgrade.
“Very happy, very happy with the results, a lot of good comments, and I think it's a very welcoming thing as you come into the city of Berwick,” said Reverend Ron Hoffman of First United Methodist Church.
The steeple replacement is a sign that the congregation is in good shape and plans to be part of this community for years to come.
It's what happens inside the church that's important to churchgoers, but that new tower on top is a symbol that the prayers will go on and on.
“The more we talked about it, we realized the tower was a landmark in Berwick and it was up to the church and the community to replace it with a permanent fixture,” said Bower.
“The church is here, it's here for them. We're making the commitment to the future of the church and Berwick itself,” said Reverend Hoffman.
The new steeple is made of fiberglass and steel. The contractors who put it up said it will probably outlive the church itself.