Invasive water and the chill of winter have driven members of The River of Life church to despair and to closing their doors for worship.

The church, located at 613 Glenn St. in Newberry, recently announced its closing due to a lack of heat and a hole in its parking lot.

A past due $1,500 gas bill has prevented the congregation from turning on the heat for a second winter.

“We had a full church at revival on the fourth Sunday. There was nowhere to park. It just shows how good God is,“ recalls church secretary Shirley Rutherford.

But Rutherford said members of the church were embarrassed when visitors arrived at the cold building.

The 18 to 20 church members tried to heat the sanctuary with kerosene, but when the churchyard began to cave in, they took a hard look at the situation.

Rutherford said at times the sanctuary and basement would flood and then the ground started caving in from underneath.

Church leaders thought about doing fundraisers to help solve the problems, but Rutherford said they weren’t certain the owner of the property would pitch in.

Now, church leaders are looking for a new place to rent for services, but in the meantime have disbanded.

City officials said they were not aware of a water leak or a storm water line cave in at the property.