Selectmen allow upper floor to be used as parsonage
WOODLAND, Maine — After local residents complained that a couple was living in a church tax-free during Woodland’s Sept. 20 selectmen’s meeting, the board made a point to discuss the matter during last week’s session. Ultimately, they decided to allow them to stay, as they are using a portion of the building as a parsonage.
Caroll and Brenda Farley have been in the Carson Union Church for roughly three years. Built on land donated in 1914, the church has been a part of Woodland for over a century but has not held services for many years.
Brenda says the decision to move was inspired by a message from God.
“We lived on the Carson Road and my husband thought we could move out of the house and into the church,” Brenda said. “I told him ‘no, we’re not selling the house.’ A month or two later, a man bought the field around us and asked if he could buy the house.”
“‘That’s God,’ I thought. “I figured it was God telling us to move, and we agreed to sell it. Then we moved here,” Brenda said.
The Farleys then worked to renovate the building for religious services. Though it is not yet complete, they’ve both said that they will welcome any member of the public into the building and pray with them.
The vacant building had a faulty furnace and was infested with mice when the couple moved in. Since then, they have shingled the roof, fixed the cellar door, installed double-glass storm windows, added cushioning to the sanctuary seats, and cleaned up the old songbooks.
“We love Jesus and just want to be free to minister his word,” Brenda said. “All the way from Genesis to Revelation. He is the word, and we are here for Him. He is the one who called us here.”
Caroll says they plan on setting times for Sunday services in the near future, and Brenda adds that they previously held services at 3 p.m. on Sundays.
“Many people came to those services,” said Brenda, “many were saved and born again.”
At the Oct. 18 select board meeting, Brenda told selectmen that the church is non-denominational, and that all faiths are welcome.
Selectman William Barnum asked the couple if they were using the building as a church or as a residence.
Caroll said there “are a couple rooms on the third floor” where they are living.
“I am aware that she does post the gospel online and that she does preach from there,” added Chairman Tom Drew.
The Farleys openly invited any inspections from a code enforcement officer if the selectmen deemed it necessary.
One local resident expressed support for the couple’s efforts to renovate the former sanctuary.
“The church would have been vandalized and forgotten if they hadn’t come,” he said. “As a matter of fact, I plan on getting married there July 29th.”
After further discussion of sending a code enforcement officer to investigate, Drew decided against sending anyone out.
“You are all welcome to come,” Brenda said.
“We should go,” Drew said. “It would make us all better people.”
After the meeting, Brenda expressed relief that she and her husband would be able to stay in the parsonage.
“I was worried,” said Brenda. “God kept telling me he was with me, but I still continued to worry. He has proven Himself over and over again to me, and He has been a wonderful savior.”
