Aug 18, 2021New parking lot for St. Matthew’s, Ozark, and Ozark Presbyterian Church

New parking lot for St. Matthew’s, Ozark, and Ozark Presbyterian Church

Gary Allman. Photographs: Julie Holloway, and Fr. Chandler Jackson Five-minute read.   Resources
Evening Prayer and Parking Lot Blessing. Image credit: Gary Allman

On Wednesdays St. Matthew’s, Ozark holds its weekly free community dinner. Wednesday, August 18, 2021, was a little different. Over the previous eight weeks, members of St. Matthew’s, Ozark Presbyterian Church, and volunteers from the local community have been working to convert a swampy area of grass at the back of the building into a new parking lot. On August 18 the parking lot was officially opened. After the community dinner, a short evening prayer service, led by Bishop Marty, who also blessed the lot. You can watch the service here.

The lot, capable of holding 16 vehicles, cost $45,000 to build. $40,000 of the cost was shared 50:50 by St. Matthew’s and Ozark presbyterian church. “This is an excellent example of a great ecumenical relationship,” said Bishop Marty.

St. Matthew’s obtained a $20,000 Congregational Development Grant from the diocese to cover its financial contribution to the project. The churches are now working together to raise the outstanding $5,000. In addition, a member of the Presbyterian congregation is providing a pavilion to be installed over the basketball ball court adjacent to the lot.

Evening Prayer

The completed parking lot

The new parking lot. St Matthew’s Episcopal Church and Ozark Presbyterian Church.Image: Gary Allman

Building the lot

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