The church I pastor is named Deep Creek Baptist Church, but that isn't the name of the town we live in. We live in Harrodsburg, KY, and the church is about 10 miles west of town in a rural farming area. The church was established back in 1796 and is one of the oldest in the state. The cemetery that surrounds the church has several headstones with dates that go back to the civil war. The history of the church is an amazing one -one I am proud to have a small part in.
Just a couple of days ago, I was sitting in front of the church on the grass enjoying the beautiful day, the sound of the frogs in the woods, and the brush of the breeze on my face. All of a sudden the sense of history was almost overwhelming. You see, there is a congregational picture that was taken around the turn of the century (1900) hanging on the wall inside the church. Everyone is standing in front of the church not far from the spot where I was sitting. Most of the people in the picture are dressed in black. The men are wearing black coats and hats, and many of the women are wearing long black or white dresses with long sleeves and hats. The children in the picture look like small copies of the adults. There are a few slight smiles, but not too many. None the less, a hundred or more people were at church that day.
The people that live in our community and attend this church today, descendents of the folks in that picture, are strong. They have had to be. They didn't get electricity out here until the '50's and most families subsisted off of what they raised and not much else. They worked hard and helped each other through difficult times. The family units are close and fiercely protective. You don't say much about anyone, because (and this is the truth) they are all related. Really. I think that besides my family, there might be one other woman in attendance here who isn't related by blood or marriage. I have ceased to be surprized when someone I meet downtown tells me they have a cousin, aunt, uncle, brother or sister-in-law that attends Deep Creek.
That kind of scared me at first. But, I'm learning that the "toughness" of the folks in my church is something that is significantly lacking in our world today. Yes, it has its negative side, but there is a genuine strength and endurance and hospitality here that I value and respect deeply. These people will do just about anything they can for you. They sacrifice of their own to help meet the needs of others. Generosity spills out of them. I've witnessed it and have been blessed by it over and over again in the seven months we've been here. Its not anything new, its how they've learned to live. Its a lesson that needs to be taught more in the world we live in. Its a lesson I need to learn again.
Just a couple of days ago, I was sitting in front of the church on the grass enjoying the beautiful day, the sound of the frogs in the woods, and the brush of the breeze on my face. All of a sudden the sense of history was almost overwhelming. You see, there is a congregational picture that was taken around the turn of the century (1900) hanging on the wall inside the church. Everyone is standing in front of the church not far from the spot where I was sitting. Most of the people in the picture are dressed in black. The men are wearing black coats and hats, and many of the women are wearing long black or white dresses with long sleeves and hats. The children in the picture look like small copies of the adults. There are a few slight smiles, but not too many. None the less, a hundred or more people were at church that day.
The people that live in our community and attend this church today, descendents of the folks in that picture, are strong. They have had to be. They didn't get electricity out here until the '50's and most families subsisted off of what they raised and not much else. They worked hard and helped each other through difficult times. The family units are close and fiercely protective. You don't say much about anyone, because (and this is the truth) they are all related. Really. I think that besides my family, there might be one other woman in attendance here who isn't related by blood or marriage. I have ceased to be surprized when someone I meet downtown tells me they have a cousin, aunt, uncle, brother or sister-in-law that attends Deep Creek.
That kind of scared me at first. But, I'm learning that the "toughness" of the folks in my church is something that is significantly lacking in our world today. Yes, it has its negative side, but there is a genuine strength and endurance and hospitality here that I value and respect deeply. These people will do just about anything they can for you. They sacrifice of their own to help meet the needs of others. Generosity spills out of them. I've witnessed it and have been blessed by it over and over again in the seven months we've been here. Its not anything new, its how they've learned to live. Its a lesson that needs to be taught more in the world we live in. Its a lesson I need to learn again.
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