A century-old church in the Hill City community is auctioning off 100-year-old pews and china Saturday.
The items will sold in a silent auction during Hill City Fest, a community outreach program sponsored by St. Marks Church on Mississippi Avenue. It is the first of what is going to be an annual event, organizers said Thursday.
Anna Golladay, director of communications at St. Marks, said Thursday the church is in the midst of a "revitalization" process and has jumped around 80 percent in attendance since this time last year when the congregation declined to around 20 active members.
She said the festival and silent auction are meant to help get St. Marks into its community and raise money to comp the upgrades and renovations the church has done.
"We've spent about $50,000 on renovations necessary to get the church up to current standards," Golladay said.
A lot of the things being auctioned Saturday were found stored away in Sunday School rooms. Two upright pianos, a couple of old lecterns, a bunch of chairs and some chandeliers are among the loot, Golladay said.
The festival will feature live music, food, and kids entertainment in addition to the silent auction. Hill City Fest starts at 10 a.m. Saturday and ends at 2 p.m.