On a sunny morning this past fall, neighbors and friends gathered along Cedar Hill Road in Navassa, NC, on the lawn of Reaves Chapel.
This was the day the community had been working toward for years; today the restoration of Reaves Chapel began.
From its inception in the 1860s through the early 2000s, Reaves Chapel served the community as a place of worship, service, faith, and history. Many community members have stories of the chapel central to their memories growing up nearby.
The steeple bell would ring out for miles to mark time (especially, remembers Jacki Davis, the bell meant “start running” so she wasn’t late to Sunday School!). The bell rang out to mark the birth of a baby or the passing of a neighbor.
George Beatty remembers attending a choral concert at Reaves Chapel and the group sang Didn’t it Rain, a spiritual made famous by Sister Rosetta Tharpe. The choir’s rendition very nearly brought down the house…but Reaves Chapel stood standing for many more decades.
Jacki describes her grandmother, who served as Pastor, sitting on the stoop declaring “not going to close these doors just yet!” for many years, though the building had begun to decline.
Though the doors did eventually close, the Chapel stood for many years through strong storms and wicked winds. But it was time to take action if the historic structure were to survive.
Community members formed the Cedar Hill West Bank Heritage Foundation to restore Reaves Chapel, preserve its history, raise up its significance for future generations, and function as a community space once again. Partnering with the NC Coastal Land Trust, funds to purchase the building and stabilize the structure were secured in 2019 from The Orton Foundation, Historic Wilmington Foundation, and many generous individuals.
Now, this “heart project” – with people at the center – begins the next phase. After a blessing and a moment of silence honoring those present and those missing, the first shovel-full of hallowed ground was turned over, and the restoration phase officially began.
But before ground was broken, silence was broken by the bell ringing out once more, to mark the momentous occasion. The next time the community hears that bell, the doors to the restored Reaves Chapel will be open and the gathering space will once again be filled with people celebrating community, service, faith and history.
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Submitted by Stephanie Wert Borrett, Director of Donor Relations
