Healing Chapel house of worship is Ohio’s smallest
TORCH – Nestled in a field, just off a busy highway in Athens County is the Healing Chapel, the smallest church in Ohio.
“People just stop in, and it’s a place where anybody can come and pray. Some people don’t have a church of their own where they can pray in private,” said Janice Middleton, 64, of Coolville, who has looked after the chapel since husband Lloyd Middleton passed away eight years ago.
Measuring 10-by-14, the small white chapel off of U.S. 50 in Torch has everything one would expect architecturally in a small church – a steeple holding a bell, small windows with stained glass details and a pulpit featuring a large painting depicting the crucifixion.
Visitors leave prayer requests in a small vase on the pulpit and return to place their answered prayers in another. Before the visitors’ book was stolen, it featured messages from travelers all across the United States, said Middleton.
Sunday services are not held in the Healing Chapel, but the church maintains a religious tradition that has died in many churches, said Tammi Barber, whose husband pastors Middleton’s home church, Bethel Worship Center.
“Years ago, churches were never locked,” said Barber, 58, of Reedsville. “I can remember when ours was always left unlocked so that anyone knew they could come in at anytime. Even if there were hunters who were out in the rain, they knew they could step inside and take shelter.”
Vandalism, crimes and simple disrespect have left most churches shuttering their doors outside of regular service times these days, she said.
Being constantly open and heavily visited has its problems for the small chapel. Besides the visitors’ book, many other things have gone missing from the site since it was first moved to its present location around a decade ago.
Among other things, photos of the chapel’s original inspiration have been taken from the walls. The Healing Chapel was originally built by Vern and Mary Russell, in honor of their parents, and rested for years in Burr Oak State Park.
Through what they felt was providence, the Middletons were told about the chapel almost immediately after they had decided to build a small chapel on the property Lloyd owned by the roadside rest area. At the time, the Russells were looking for a way to preserve their memorial chapel before selling their property and moving to Florida.
“They gave it to us. My husband went up with a flat bed trailer the next day, and he had it here two hours later,” Middleton said.
The chapel’s distinction as the smallest in the state has drawn plenty of curiosity seekers. It is listed on websites, such as roadsideamerica.com, complete with tales from bemused and charmed visitors. Some have called Middleton asking for dimensions in hopes of building one similar and it is not unheard of to see visitors measuring the church.
It’s also hosted its fair share of weddings. Janice just heard about one held there two weeks ago and Lloyd had presided over a few as well. Because the chapel only seats eight, immediate family members sat inside and others gathered around the open windows.
It was a beautiful sight, said Janice.
Though things go missing from the chapel, it is also the benefactor of anonymous gifts and community help. Though the old prayer baskets had been taken, Middleton was happy to see new vases for the prayer requests upon a recent visit.
And neighbors helping with the mowing and care have been a blessing, she said.
Middleton said feels it is important the Healing Chapel be made available around the clock. She has seen the power of prayer and has personally witnessed many who seem to stumble upon the chapel at just the perfect time.
“We were in here one day before Lloyd had passed away and I looked across the way and a lady just came running toward us from her car,” said Janice.
The woman was visibly distraught, and she readily took Middleton up on her offer to pray with them. She left calmed and renewed in spirit, said Janice.
“It was a good day for her to come running it,” she said.