With all the celebration about our new Springtown sanctuary being built soon, I started thinking about church. Churches. The churches that stick out in my memory. I’m sure you all have warm memories of different churches, too! I encourage you to take some time and reflect on what made those churches special. These are my top three churches!
The Monticello Seventh-day Adventist Church
The southern town of Monticello holds some of my best childhood memories! Both of my parents’ families lived there, and we visited often. Around 1978, my Dad, brothers, and some other fine men from the Little Rock church, literally built the Monticello church. They would travel down every Sunday and sometimes my Dad took vacation time to build it. My Mom, Grandma, and other ladies, would cook a good ole home-cooked meal and bring it out to the workers at the job site. I was only seven, but I can remember when it was just a concrete slab. Today, if you climb to the top of the church sign, you will still find some initials, one being my Dad’s. It never seemed many people went to church there when I visited in the summers, but it always had a welcoming feel. Like I was at home. I remember the universal potlucks and exploring the area behind the baptistery, which was always so cool, probably cause it felt like I was being sneaky. I didn’t know anyone there really, except my grandparents, but I think it was so comfortable because I could feel the love my Father put into the walls of that place!
The Little Rock Seventh-day Adventist Church
It’s where I grew up. Investitures. Christmas programs. VBS. Pathfinder Sabbaths. Eighth grade graduation. Music festivals. Revelation Seminars. Heritage Singers’ concerts. My wedding! Mysterious places abounded in the church. The tiny projector room. Behind the baptistery. The Sabbath school storage rooms. The nursery room always, always stunk to me. The red phone in the office intrigued me for some unknown reason. I loved the organ. I loved that church! My Mom and Dad had a lot of love and gave a lot of care to that church. As well as multiple, multiple others! They all made the Little Rock church’s walls special and unforgettable!
Springtown Seventh-Day Adventist Church
It’s where we raised our children. Where they’ve all been dedicated as babies. From Cradle Roll on up, they loved their church. Family nights, campmeetings, work bees, Footwashings, bowling, campouts; Springtown helped shape their little lives. I think they loved Springtown so much because even as kids, they could feel it was real and authentic. I think the reason Springtown is special is because of the people who pour love into it’s walls.
Not one of these churches was or is perfect. And they will never be. The new Springtown sanctuary will not be perfect, either.
The Bible is great at giving out wisdom and wise words are definitely spoken in Hebrews 10:24-25: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
I am so thankful for the many people who have “spurred me on” with their love and deeds throughout the years in all of these churches. May we continue to be in the habit of meeting together when this new sanctuary is built, but even more, may we continue to encourage each other! May we continue to fill Springtown’s walls with love and good deeds until that Day our Father comes!
P.S.
The picture is from my Dad’s calendar in 1978. Almost every Sunday from June to December in that year, my Dad wrote “to Monticello (work).” What a commitment! What love!
Blog Editor’s Note: The Springtown Seventh-day Adventist Church located outside Gentry, AR, broke ground on April 9 for a church sanctuary.
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