Going to Church

 

Sunday at Blowing Rock Methodist Church

I went to church yesterday; the first Sunday church service I’ve attended but not led in a very long time.

Blowing Rock Methodist Church is located downtown near Presbyterian and Episcopalian churches, and it has zero parking. The congregation worships in a small historic chapel (a little larger than Massey's Chapel) with hard wooden pews, no bathrooms, no fellowship hall, no second building of any kind. I decided to visit because I saw on-line they have a 10:30 a.m. "hymn-sing" before the 11 a.m. service. 

I expected a half-filled church. Instead, the sanctuary was packed solid. They even set up a tent outside with speakers for the overflow. Where did all these people park? And it was raining!

I arrived early because I had to walk about a mile, and I thought it would take longer than it did. I sat on the second pew from the front, and the sanctuary already was crowded with people very much dressed up -- dresses and nice shoes on women; suits and ties on men. How did they wear that and walk in the rain? I was wearing pants and tennis shoes, definitely underdressed, but no one commented or glared at me. In fact, the people were so friendly – like Massey’s! The congregation was composed of older people and no children that I could see (also a bit like Massey’s).

This little church has only worshiped in the summers since 1948, so (I think) they never joined the "United" Methodist Church when we merged with the Evangelical United Brethren (and also united white and black churches) in 1968. I was worried they might be a disaffiliated church, but that is not the case. No one is a member there -- they are all affiliate/associate members, meaning every one of them must retain their regular church membership elsewhere. They worship at Blowing Rock Methodist Church only during the summer. 

The hymn-sing was -- glory be! -- from the little old-fashioned brown Cokesbury hymnal, my favorite! 

A choir of six, composed of Appalachian students, was crowded into seats at the front. A small piano and a small organ were played together. A woman led the congregational singing. Oh my goodness! The singing was unbelievable -- the loudest and most spirited I have ever, ever heard in a church. People were genuinely praising God. We sang the obscure "Dwelling in Beulah Land" for heaven's sake, and everyone knew it and sang it loudly, including the shouted phrase, "Praise God!" that's in it. The congregation started off with "Church in the Wildwood," and the men sang the: "Oh, come, come, come, come," while the women sang, “Come to the church in the Wildwood…” It was heaven for me. 

As soon as we started that kind of singing, the Spirit filled my heart and tears welled up in my eyes. I have been praying that God would revive and refresh my soul while I am in the mountains, but honestly I did not expect that to happen in a small country church. God is just full of surprises. 

Anyway, everyone sang lustily for thirty minutes, and then the service started. At that point, we switched to the regular hymnal.

The preacher (Rev. Dr. Michael Brown) is a retired United Methodist pastor who has served churches mostly in the Western N.C. Conference and New York, written books, and taught preaching and New Testament.  He lives summers in the church’s parsonage in Blowing Rock.  Rev. Brown is a good preacher, needless to say, used no notes, and the service went as smoothly as butter. He was fairly quiet-spoken, but the congregation was raucous, cheering and clapping after two choir anthems. They did not share joys and prayer concerns (maybe too many people), but the pastoral prayer was beautiful. The church received four new associate members that day. The bulletin listed church officers, and they are all associate members with primary memberships in United Methodist churches across North Carolina. 

Oh yes, the preacher's sermon topic was "Envy." He's doing a sermon series on the seven deadly sins, and next Sunday is gluttony!

It was SUCH an uplifting service. This is what small churches can be! Massey's IS like this (if we sang ten times louder), but many small churches have poor attendance, unfriendly apathetic people, terrible music, lackluster singing, dull services, dull preaching. Everyone I met Sunday was smiling and friendly, even though I was wearing pants and tennis shoes.  

I hope to go again next Sunday, although I will have to bring my son and 4-year-old granddaughter who will be visiting. That should be an experience! I'm already planning to bribe Michelle with ice cream to walk a mile in each direction and sit still for an hour and a half.