Charleston, West Virginia: Five Capitals up and down the river. Five churches in one building.

  It needed five moves to finally settle on it's ideal location. 100 years ago, a fire destroyed the Capitol in downtown Charleston and 10 years later this beautiful building can be seen in multiple directions approaching the city. Ruffner Memorial Presbyterian church is located directly across the north side of the Capitol.  It currently welcomes five different congregations to it's multiple entrances each week.  Both buildings were built in the same decade closing the physical space between church and state in West Virginia.
  When the state of West Virginia separated from Virginia in 1863 it's first capital was located in Wheeling, tucked in between Ohio and Pennsylvania. In 1870 it was literally shipped down the river 128 miles to Charleston. Five years later in 1875 shipped back up the river to Wheeling for 10 more years until 1885 before returning once again down river to Charleston. the first Charleston Capitol building lasted until the fire in 1921.  The current Capitol has stood gracefully over the Kanawha river ever since. It is the Tallest building in the entire state of West Virginia.
  Ruffner Memorial Presbyterian church looked like a big building with little activity when I first visited in 2013.  In fact, by 2015, it's congregation had dwindled to 40, a far cry from 800 or so in the 1960's.  The pastor Bill Brown and his small staff started praying and listening for creative solutions.  St Michael Independent Catholic church knocked on the door first, looking for a space to start their congregation.  Then Kanawha Valley Church of the International Church of Christ came calling and was welcomed in.  Keystone Apostolic Church had it's building destroyed by a landslide in 2015 so Ruffner Memorial offered its 130 member congregation  another separate space within the building.  Finally The Nigerian Church of God was referred to Ruffner by another Presbyterian church in Charleston. Now the big Church building has plenty of weekly activity, hosting 3 Sunday morning, a Sunday afternoon and a Wednesday night service. the five denominations have worked together to schedule other celebrations. they share the cost of utilities and occasionally combine worship. 
 Church and State have certainly found success developing it's 100 year old buildings in close proximity to each other. Wander in off Interstate 64 on your next trip through Charleston, West Virginia and see for yourself.