BARTLETT, Texas — You can almost hear Sunday morning music echoing from an old church in Bartlett, Texas. The 120-year-old buildings has been brought back to life, and not a minute too soon.

“The wood was all rotting in some places off the wall. The window frames were all rotting and coming apart,” said historic preservationist Jennifer Welch.

Welch restores historic buildings. The town’s Presbyterian church was her latest challenge. The building sat abandoned for decades with peeling paint, cracks and water leaks. 

“I just knew somebody needed to love it, ” said Welch.

Welch transformed the inside into what will be an Airbnb, complete with kitchen, sofas replacing the pews and the old choir loft turned into a dining area.

“That way we have an opportunity to give it back to the community in a way they can use it and enjoy it, ” said Welch.

And learn a little church history, its story told in original wood floors and trim. Finely detailed windows were carved by those who called the church home.

“All of this glass is clear, which is interesting because the German immigrants who built this building were poor so they couldn’t have afforded stained glass,” said Welch.

The church’s original Bible box was found intact.

“Attendees to church would’ve come in, they would’ve opened the Bible box, chosen their Bible and then come and have a seat in one of the pews,” said Welch.

Bringing an old church back to life isn’t easy. It took seven months of hard work. Electrician Rick Neely calls it a combination of blood, sweat and tears, mixed with love.

“I do it because I love historical projects. I love seeing them brought back to being beautiful again, and usable where other people can enjoy them,” said Neely.

“It always breaks my heart to see a building that hasn’t been loved and left abandoned. But that’s what drives us to fix them and restore them because we love them and we want to be able to tell their stories,” said Welch.