MIDDLETOWN — Nearly two years after strong storms tore through Middletown, a local church is getting its beacon of light back.
Grace Baptist Church welcomed a new steeple Wednesday — nearly two years after high winds knocked the original one from the roof.
The moment was more than just construction for church members. It was a chance to see a familiar symbol return to the Middletown skyline.
Longtime member Ros Williams told WCPO, “You could see a beacon here on this hill someday, and the Lord gave him this church.”
For longtime members, watching the new steeple lifted into place brought back memories of the church’s past.
Longtime member Connie Jordan agreed.
“It’s very nostalgic. Like I said, we watched the first one go up.”
Jordan and Williams have been part of Grace Baptist for decades. They say the steeple is a reminder of how much the 81-year-old congregation has grown — and the history it hopes to carry into the future.
Pastor Don Sixt says there’s another connection to the church’s past.
"It’s the same company that designed and created and installed the steeple back in 1973," Sixt said. "This is the church’s third building. The current one was built in 1973 and is now 53 years old."
Then, in March of last year, strong winds tore the steeple from the roof, leaving a hole in the church. On Wednesday, a crane carefully lifted the replacement into place as members of the community watched.
The church sits just off Highway 75 near the Middletown exit — a location Pastor Sixt says makes the steeple especially meaningful.
“It’s a full-circle moment for sure. It did not ever really impact our services at all. It’s more symbolic than anything,” Sixt said.
