HORRY COUNTY, S.C. — A typical small church in America has anywhere from 25 to 200 members. But a small church in Horry County doesn't have any members at all. Yet their doors have been open for over 50 years with no signs of closing anytime soon.
If you've ever gone to Myrtle Beach along Hwy. 501, no doubt you've seen it there. Just outside of Conway sits a tiny church called the Travelers Chapel. With its doors always open, the non-denominational church welcomes all visitors.
"We know the stresses of life. It's all around us every day. Traveling itself can be stressful, so whether this is someone's trip here to the Grand Strand or whether it's their daily commute back and forth to work, it's a spot for people to maybe stop, to have that moment to reflect, whether that be in prayer or just a quiet moment to themselves," said Eric Hunt.
Of course, what would a Chapel be without weddings? Hunt officiates between 30 and 40 ceremonies here a year. Using the church for a wedding is free, but donations are always welcome.
"Well, the Travelers Chapel, of course, is a very unique, intimate setting. It fits for couples who mainly want to elope, or they just maybe have a few friends or family members that want to be present," Hunt said. "Of course, it's very tiny inside. So, 12 people, myself and the couple, and we're pretty much at capacity."
"Whether they're local or whether they're visitors to the area, it's a spot that they've passed for many years," he added. "Some stop in, of course, to meditate and pray. Or I've even had some couples who have said that it's very meaningful to them, maybe their parents or their grandparents, they used to stop in with them on trips to the beach, so it made for a memorable spot that they wanted to have their ceremony."
The idea for the tiny church came from a Horry County doctor Who saw a similar church in Washington state. He pitched the idea to a Baptist preacher, who asked the community for monetary support. Using their donations, the 12-by-24-foot church was built in 1972. Over the past 50 years, it's estimated that tens of thousands of people have walked through the Chapel doors.
"A lot of people stop in out of curiosity. They want to kind of see what it's about and again are taken back, that there's not a lock on the door, that it's open at all times," Hunt said. "But, yeah, I would say there are a lot of locals that I've encountered over the years that, if they don't stop on a daily basis, they do stop regularly just to have that moment."
And one way to have that moment is with a guest book inside the church. On these pages, you'll find messages to God, some asking for guidance, some looking for salvation.
"A lot of people leave prayer requests or, you know, maybe leave thoughts or, you know, just maybe what they're feeling in the moment when they stop," Hunt said. "Have a quiet conversation with God, a private moment with between you and Him."
Since its doors opened in 1972, the Chapel has survived fires, hurricanes, and vandalism. Their doors are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year.