Wellington Homecoming

Wellington Homecoming

Welcome to Christianity Oasis. This is Wellington Homecoming from our Sojourn With Luz Leigh Collection. We hope you enjoy this enlightening reading and it helps you on your own be-YOU-tiful Christian walk.

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Sojourn With Luz Leigh

Wellington Homecoming

Written by Luz Leigh - 8 June 2009

Cars began arriving at the little church well before the appointed time for the services to begin. This was normal, for you see, it is only once a year that the church house doors are opened for worship services. Except for a very rare funeral service to be conducted there. There is no heat in the building ... no air conditioning, only several large ceiling fans. But the ones who return year after year to sit on the same wooden pews that were there when we were young don't seem to mind. Because there are tall pine and a few hardwood trees to the east of the building, it has not had time to become hot when the worshipers gather. Some of the folks who live nearby go down early to open the windows and doors and turn on the fans. It is comfortable.

One of the ladies always places a large crystal vase filled with fresh cut flowers on the altar. They are flowers she has grown in her yard and loves to share them with others.

Contrary to the dress code of many years ago, there were few dresses worn by the women, and only one worshiper had on a hat. But then that lady seldom is seen away from home without a hat. Very few men wore ties; most were dressed casually in jeans or slacks.

During the business meeting, the need for some major repairs to the building was discussed. One young man suggested that he might be able to get some friends to help with the needed repairs, provided the church would bear the cost of the materials. Labor would be free. Because the church bears an historical marker, it was suggested that possibly some financial assistance might be forthcoming from somewhere. It was noted that during the past year someone had installed a handicap ramp leading to the side door of the building.

Following a business meeting of the cemetery association, the chairman asked the men to come forward to take up the offering. Prior to the meeting she has asked one of the young men if he would help; he felt privileged to participate in this manner. There are a lot of the folks who come to the church grounds for the homecoming activities who never come inside the building, but rather mill around under the trees where the food will be partaken or walk among the graves in the cemetery. The young man asked if he might go outside with one of the little straw baskets in which offerings were placed to see if he could shake down a few folks. The chairman of the association assured him that would be fine, but when he asked if he could take out his pocketknife as he walked about, she said, "No, Don, that would not be an offering ... that would be a sacrifice."

Now it was time for the "singing" part of the worship. An elderly lady rose to lead the congregation in singing two hymns, "Blest Be the Tie that Binds" and "He Keeps me Singing." It was explained that because the century old piano was out of tune and in need of some costly repairs, someone had brought along an electric keyboard. Just wasn't the same ... I was disappointed. I wanted to hear Dani play the out of tune piano while Kevin led the singing. But I guess progress comes even to Wellington.

A young lady sang a contemporary Christian song called "I Will Rise" and did an excellent job. Don and I looked at each other and gave the thumbs up sign when she announced what she would be singing. It was hard for me to keep from raising my hands in praise as she belted out the words, but I remembered I was not in my home church where the uplifting of hands is normal. (I did ease my right hand up a bit, just could not contain my desire to praise my Lord ... in that manner.)

The speaker was introduced and rolled his wheelchair to the center aisle near the pulpit. Bro. Paul Davis began his message by saying he has been in that chair for six months now, but still preaches the Word ... he's sorta like Meals on Wheels. He feed's people from the Word of God (food for our souls) from his chair ... which has wheels. Nice play on words. His text was taken from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 where the Apostle Paul was writing about the rapture. The second coming of Christ would occur later. When speaking of the trumpet call of God, Bro. Davis reminded us that it does not say Gabriel will blow the trumpet ... in fact, the Bible doesn't say Gabriel ever blew a trumpet ... it could have been Harry James. (laughter from some ).

Among the points Bro. Davis presented were the three shouts of God. First shout was when Jesus was standing at the tomb of Lazarus and called out, "Lazarus, come forth!" Good thing he called him by name, else all the dead in that burial ground would have come forth.

In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus, while on the cross gave the last shout while He was still on earth ... "It is finished." Darkness came upon the earth; the veil in the temple was rent from top to bottom. Tombs were opened and when Jesus arose from the tomb on the third day, those folks came forth also.

God's third shout has not occurred yet ... that is the one for which we are all waiting. The shout from above when Jesus returns!!!!

Following the sermon, a closing prayer was said, including the thanks for, and the blessing of the food. Then a mad dash was made for the back door so the adults could set up their food on the long wooden tables under the pavilion. And the kids who seemed to be starving could dive into their favorite foods someone had prepared just for them. Folding tables and chairs appeared ... there were tents set up to provide more shade. Oh, the tables groaned with food. There was fried chicken, BBQ, chicken salad, potatoes prepared in many fashions, salads and more salads, casseroles and different vegetables. And then there were the desserts. Cobblers made from recipes handed down through the family, pies, cakes, cookies ... you name it, and it was probably there.

Don and I set up our table next to the Farris clan ... John, Cindy, Alex, Ann, Bryce, Judy and the kids. They had their Texas A&M tent pitched for all to see and either be envious of, or down right disgusted that it was not Texas orange. Lane was somewhere around, as was Kyle and his group. Wayne and Marsha were noticeably absent because of her scheduled trip to the cancer center in Oklahoma.

When everyone had eaten so much it was a sin, some returned to the church building where singing took place. Others remained under the shade trees, visiting. One group seemed to have something of great interest they were sharing. It was a black, three-ring binder that was dubbed "Losers." Now that was not very nice, but then we had to consider the source ... as well as consider whose picture was prominently displayed on many of the pages. When Kevin is rich and famous, I can brag and say, "I knew him back when ..." and pull out the old binder with his many pictures in it to prove I really did.

Finally, around mid-afternoon most of the folks had folded their tents, so to speak, and driven away, carrying memories of another delightful homecoming. The Kings were still camped out at their table, but then they only had to drive a mile or so up the road to be home. Kevin, Kellie, their families ... probably would follow Martha and Fred home ... just in case she had any good food left over. And she would have.

Thank you, Lord, for allowing my son and me to share in the love that flows from those folks who are the mainstays of that church and community. Little did I know when I visited that church as a child and sat on those same benches that I would one day return as a senior citizen with a grown son who has learned to love the church and the people who make it what it is.

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