The area's African-Americans seem to prefer the predominantly black congregations nearby, politely declining invitations to join Wheatland. And a few years back, a disastrous rift occurred when a new pastor tried to introduce a nontraditional style of worship - an odd fit for the historic church, and one that drove dozens of the remaining members away. The church's only income is from member donations, weddings and rent that the private school pays for use of the church-owned school building. There was a little unexpected manna a few years back, Hudson said, when a television production company used the church to shoot a TV movie. Members are in the process of selling off a church-owned parsonage in suburban Duncanville, to pay off their debt for a new roof on the school building.
Church members are uncomfortable with the idea of weddings as a money-making concern.
They'd much rather attract young families to reverse the membership decline. I won't turn them away. She won't advertise, either. Engaged couples find the church by word of mouth or, sometimes, by blundering off Hampton while they're looking for someplace else. There have been five weddings at the church this year.