July 11, 2009
Posted by mike
Sparta! NC
Shelly and I are in Sparta, NC this weekend leading worship and playing music…We had a great session last night and are ready to see what’s in store for tonight. The church is celebrating 125 years. Do the math…that’s a long time. The opening question was, “Has anyone here been around since we started…” I think the answer was “No”, but I’m not sure I believe a few of the people on the back row!
This church has great tradition and great people. Last night, the speaker talked a little bit about tradition vs. traditionalism. He says, “Tradition is Living Faith of dead people. Traditionalism is Dead Faith of living people.” I think the people of FBC Sparta have great roots and I’m excited to see how God moves tonight.
Also, when Shelly and I arrived, there was a bat (a real bat) hanging outside on the wall of the church. Just sleeping…or was it waiting?? For me…to let my guard down. Either way, if I come back with special powers, or rabies…you’ll know what happened…(I would have a picture but I wasn’t about to get all up on that thing)
The church has all the great marks of a Baptist church! Let’s see:
Organ. Check
Stained Glass. Done.
125 Year Celebration Quilt. Absolutely.
Pews. Of course.
Sound booth in the top cornerest part of the room. Yep.
Pictures of all the pastors. They all look like this guy:
What else have I missed and what else should I look for?
4 Comments
July 11, 2009
umm potluck after the concert? hymnals in every seat? an ancient woman who can play organ/piano with a twang? (her name is probably merna or myrtle or sudie bell) an old man/deacon who says “amen” or “come on” after just about every statement made by the pastor? all of these and more, if you give my little southern baptist-raised brain some time to think…
July 11, 2009
Hymnals. Choir loft.
And possibly the echo from the past, of an older, wise man named Mark, responding to a Spirit-moving moment, with his deep a-men!
July 13, 2009
all of these things were true about this place
except the woman named merna but there was a man named melvin who played the organ along with brother ray who played piano – they played a couple old gospel songs.
July 19, 2009
Too funny
But I had to give my own “deep a-men” to the tradition vs. traditionalism statement. We are too easily caught up in tradition for the sake of tradition… “because it’s always been done that way;” “if it was good enough for our ancestors, forefather, you fill in the blank; then it’s good enough for us.” My how we can tie up the hands of God!
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