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BARNUM - For nearly a year, the doors of the former St. Joseph Catholic Church in Barnum have been closed on Sunday mornings. No songs of praise have been sung and no prayers said within its walls.

On Nov. 1, that will change when the church re-opens as By the Grace of God Church, a nondenominational congregation to be led by Dan Prochaska, of Fort Dodge.

The final Mass at St. Joseph was held Nov. 22, 2008. Calvary Presbyterian Church, which is located three miles south of Barnum, will also stop holding regular Sunday worship in its church building Dec. 20, which ultimately would have left the community of Barnum without a church.

Barnum area native Ray Baldwin, who recently moved back to the rural Webster County community from California, purchased the former St. Joseph rectory and church building from the Holy Trinity Catholic Parish knowing there had to be a way to get a church up and running again. Prochaska, who has a bachelor's degree in theology and is currently earning a master's degree in chaplaincy through online studies from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va., said the chance to bring a congregation back to Barnum has been a "gift from God."

"I feel like God dropped this opportunity right in my lap," Prochaska said. "Ray (Baldwin) came to me and said 'Dan, we've got to find a way to get this church open again.' Too many country churches are closing and I really want to keep this one open. My family members from Clare helped build this church building."

With the help of his family, Prochaska has been working diligently to clean and prepare the church for its opening worship service at 9:30 a.m. Nov. 1.

With fresh paint and a new cross, altar and pulpit, the sanctuary has taken on a slightly different look from when it was a Catholic church. However, the church's original pews remain in place.

"Ray bought the pews back," said Prochaska. "Everything else has come from a church that closed in Fort Dodge or has been donated."

Prochaska said the idea of starting a new church has been well received.

"Everyone has been really supportive," he said. "I've had a lot of people asking about it and saying they'll come."

The new church will also have a gift shop room with all money made from purchases going directly back to the church.

Not being specific to any one religious denomination, Prochaska said his church will offer a casual "come as you are" atmosphere.

"People can come here with there own faiths," He said. "They can pray. If they want to say the rosary, they can. They can come in jeans, shorts, dressed up, it doesn't really matter."

Contact Emilie Nelson at (515) 573-2141 or enelson@messengernews.net