Church that serves Fort Worth’s ‘forgotten’ forced to leave property days before Easter

The Rev. Cherryll Wallace isn’t putting up a fight, but she is taking a stand to keep her church open to “Fort Worth’s forgotten people.”

Wallace is pastor of Church on the Slab, near Interstate 35W and Rosedale Street, in the heart of an area where the homeless congregate. She worries about what is next for the congregation after she was told that the church must be out of its building by Tuesday.

Wallace said she learned the building, at 1009 Arizona Ave., was for sale in March. She said she got three days’ notice to vacate, but she told the owner she needed more time.

Wallace said members of her congregation panicked when they learned they could no longer meet in the building.

“This church isn’t closing,” she said. “These people have been downtrodden. I think the Lord can come up with donations. I was told not to fight. I am not fighting, but I was told to stand.”

Before the church met in the building, the congregants worshiped outside, with the help of generators and candles. The church got its name, Church on the Slab, from those who worshiped there.

Before services begin, there is coffee, fellowship and praise. After the service, there is another meal, and people are welcome to take food and clothing with them.

“All people tend to see is homelessness and drugs,” Wallace said. “You have to look beyond that and see Jesus. They need to have a place where they are recognized as people, not by their circumstances.”

This story was originally published April 12, 2019 at 1:31 PM with the headline "Church that serves Fort Worth’s ‘forgotten’ forced to leave property days before Easter."