BASTROP, Texas — Standing in a peaceful garden in the rear of Bastrop Christian Church, Doug Benson and his wife Vicki Benson think of the past, present and future of the little wooden church.

Bastrop Christian Church is the only standing church on Church Street in Bastrop County.

It's a historic jewel to the community that was built in 1895.

The Bensons have been members of the church for more than 30 years, praising its members and the sense of home it brings to people in the community. They are both members of the Preservation Committee, who are all on a mission to save the church before it’s too late.

Inside of the sanctuary, Vicki Benson shows off an old black-and-white photograph that was taken in 1895 with members of the church back then. She compares it to a more recent photo taken in 1995, 100 years later, to show members from way back when.

The Queen Anne style structured building still has 23 original pews from 127 years ago. The doors and windows retain their original wood molding, casing and stained finishes.

“The windows are all from England and they are starting to collapse upon themselves,” said Doug Benson.

Doug Benson gave us a tour of the building, pointing out damage that has accumulated over the years. Nature caused some damage, while some was a result of old age. He says, based on a recent engineering study, structural repairs are needed to save the future of the church.

Such repairs include completing the roof replacement that was started in 2018. The building also has rotten wood and needs emergency structural repairs and restoration of the stained glass windows.

The preservation committee at Bastrop Christian Church is calling on their community to help keep what they believe is the heart of the city. The committee has estimated repairs to be around $250,000. The group set up a GoFundMe page hoping to save the church for future generations.

“The loss of this jewel in this town would be a serious loss to the community and to the county. We are not at the point where we are looking at Armageddon or anything like that, we are just looking at a seriousness that if we do not do something in a number of years this [church] will no longer be here,” said Doug Benson.