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| As I pulled into the drive way of the church parking lot, I could see the walls had cracks showing, and the roof had shingles missing. Even though there were cracks in the concrete walls, that old cross above the doorway was still as white as if someone had just painted it. Not even those cracks could penetrate the cross. As I looked around something came over me. The memories came back anew as when I was a kid coming to this church with my grandparents. How my granny would scold me even before we got inside, “If you don’t behave yourself today, I will show you what this new white plastic belt can do to your bottom. Geesh granny, I’m only 5. |
| I walked inside the church and I could recall who would sit where. Everyone had a particular seat, and if you sat in their spot, boy would you hear about it from them. I noticed that the walls had cracks in some places, and other missing some concrete in spots. The benches were now faded from age. Some of seats had splits in them. However, the pulpit was still standing as where it was the day I left town. Inside, there was a song book. As I thumbed thru the pages, some was faded out, other pages just crumbled in my hand. I walked over to the piano, many songs had been played on that old thing. A few keys was missing, but I pecked on the keys and boy was it out of tune, or maybe I was. ( I wanted to sign "You ain't nuthin but a Hounddog") remembering my child- hood days at church. |
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| Billy went to the pulpit and began thanking everyone for coming to the reunion. As he began to talk, we took our seats. For some reason I had a comfortable feeling sitting next to the person on my left. A lot of kids grew up in this old church, and the members that had gone on before us would be excited to see all of us come together again one last time. Billy was standing where several great men I knew had stood. One of the preachers would be looking outside during his sermon, and when he heard a bird sing, he would say, "Folks God is talking to you". I remember another preacher of ours would get so deep in a sermon, his arms and legs would start flying thru the air. Can you imagine a man about 6'6" moving around in church like that? Each of us had our own memories to recollect and I must say there were tears in my eyes. As we began to leave the old church one last time, Billy asked me if I would turn the lights out on my way. One by one the light grew dim. As I got to the front door, turning out the last light, there seemed to be another light I had missed turning off. |
| As I got to the front bench, I noticed a bright light coming from where I had sat earlier in the evening. I approached the light and looked around for the switch. But, there was no switch to turn off. There on the church bench was the brightest light I had ever seen. Tonight I had been sitting next to a visiting Angel. Guess that Angel represented all those who has gone on before us. They will live in our minds and hearts forever. |
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| SONG: CHURCH IN THE WILDWOOD |