Two Winston-Salem Methodist churches merge into one [Video]

SPIRIT ALIVE. TWO LOCAL METHODIST CHURCHES IN WINSTON-SALEM ARE MERGING. WE CAUGHT UP WITH BOTH PASTORS EARLIER TODAY AS ONE PLANS TO RETIRE THE OTHER IS GETTING READY TO LEAD BOTH CONGREGATIONS UNDER A NEW NAME TODAY WE START A NEW JOURNEY AS WE DO THE DIFFICULT WORK OF SAYING GOODBYE TO OUR CHURCH, OUR AN EMOTIONAL SUNDAY AS MEMBERS OF WESLEY MEMORIAL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. PREPARE TO MERGE WITH BIRKHEAD UNITED METHODIST CHURCH ON SILAS CREEK PARKWAY. THEIR OUTGOING PASTOR, JULIE O’NEAL, IS RETIRING AFTER FOUR YEARS. SHE SAYS THE DECISION TO MERGE COMES AFTER A YEAR OF DISCUSSIONS. MOST OF THE LEADERSHIP OF THIS CHURCH, ESPECIALLY, WAS LIKE, OH, THAT WOULD BE AN ANSWER TO PRAYER BECAUSE THEY DON’T WANT TO CLOSE. AND WE WERE FACED WITH A SITUATION WHERE IF WE CONTINUED AS AS WE WERE GOING, EVENTUALLY WE WOULD RUN OUT OF OF RESOURCES. BEN SLOAN, …