Faithful Asks Support to Raise $6 to $7 Million for Restoration of Grace Reform Church, Former Spiritual Home of President Teddy Roosevelt

Old Church
Pixabay/Kevin Seibel

Devotees and church leaders of the former spiritual home of President Teddy Roosevelt are asking for support to raise money for the Restoration of Grace Reform Church. They reportedly need $6 to $7 Million to supply the needs for the church's repairs.

Restoration of Grace Reform Church

A few years ago, Grace Reform Church decided to cease operations; nevertheless, when it was at its height, it served as President Theodore Roosevelt's church. Chris Moerman, the senior pastor at Grace Capitol City Church, throughout the years he served as President, Teddy Roosevelt was known to travel from the White House to Grace Reformed Church to attend Sunday services regularly.  Fox 35 reported.

Church officials have expressed their desire to pay tribute to Roosevelt's legacy and maintain the integrity of Grace Reform Church to the greatest extent possible. That's how they got started with SaveTeddysChurch.com.

According to Pastor Moerman's estimation, the project's total cost might range from $6 million to $7 million. Moreover, his congregation has already raised close to $2.5 million in donations. "We know there are a lot of people who have a love for either faith, presidential history, historic buildings, or maybe some combination of all three of those, so we wanted to make sure people know the opportunity that's available here," the pastor noted.

Based on an article from The Clio, the historic Grace Reform Church may be found in the Logan's Circle district of Washington, District of Columbia. The church was designed in the Late Gothic Revival style and built between 1892 and 1903, but now it is most famous for being the place of worship that President Theodore Roosevelt went to when he was in his administration. Traditional worship services at this church emphasize the historic creeds, Gospel preaching, and choral and instrumental music. 

Furthermore, Grace Reformed Church is reportedly associated with the United Church of Christ. In 1991, the building and its Sunday School and Parish House were acknowledged as deserving of inclusion in the National Register of Historic Places.

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Save Teddy's Church Goal

The mission of Save Teddy's Church is to acquire, renovate, and reopen the church that served as President Teddy Roosevelt's spiritual home during his time in office as President of the United States.

They believe that one of the best ways to respect the President's legacy would be to restore his church and populate it with members of the coming generations who put their beliefs into practice via acts of service. The former President had a hand in constructing this site, where he was able to lay the cornerstone and where he was said to have established a true spiritual home.

The church received financial support from President Roosevelt, yet, it is more important that it appears the President's spiritual life and physical health were significantly influenced by his involvement in the church. 

Theodore Roosevelt is quoted in Benjamin Wetzell's book Spiritual Lives. He said that coming into the temple of the Lord to offer thanksgiving and to sing with sincerity the hymn "Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty" is a form of spiritual rejuvenation after a week of grappling with challenging issues and engaging in intense competition.

Accordingly, when President Roosevelt was leaving Washington, DC, he stated in a letter to the minister of Grace Reformed, "When I leave Washington DC, I shall regret few things more than leaving your church."

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