“Blessed Be the Tie that Binds”

This is actually a true story of a little country church a few counties away from the KC area. The congregation dates back to the 1840’s when they were meeting in a log structure. In 1883, they built a beautiful, but simple, wood-framed church building at a corner where there was a bend in the dirt road and continued to serve the souls in the nearby farms. Small towns and villages developed around this church but never very close by. In the late 1890’s, the church denomination decided to consolidate congregations to a larger church in the adjacent community and, for the most part, folks were agreeable to this. And so this one-room country church was to be abandon by the denomination and the congregation. This is actually a common tale in rural America but also in blighted urban areas and this is usually where the story ends. But, for this country church, this is where the real story begins. Families with strong ties to this property continued to meet there for what developed to be annual reunions consisting of scripture reading, prayer, and a feast while allowing time to perform repairs and maintenance to the church and property. They took collections to make sure the property would always be cared for. When a tornado ripped off part of the old metal roof and damaged the building, they made sure it was repaired immediately and a new metal roof was installed. What started out as a small group of local folks and families over 170 years ago is now a network of many families in multiple states who travel long distances to attend these reunions while bringing their children so a new generation will be there to pass the torch. Attendance at the last reunion counted over 70 people and they may soon actually outgrow the old sanctuary. I would imagine these folks do not consider themselves as “preservationists” and most are not likely involved in historical societies. They probably even scoff at the idea that governments have to be involved in historic preservation. But they have the assurance embedded in their hearts that this little country church is important. It is the fundamental element of the story of their families; where they inherited their strong Christian beliefs and family values; adjacent to the fields where they harvested the rewards for their hard work; where a sense of comfort and community radiated from the kerosene lamps hanging below the arched plaster ceiling. It is truly the story of America. Meanwhile, back in Independence, we too have stories to tell and to preserve for the next generation. So how well do you think that is going? Are our churches contributing to our sense of community in a way that will sustain our community (and sustain their own ministries)? The highlight of my year was being invited to step foot in that little country church and experience, with all my senses, the story of that strong faith in what was then a young and burgeoning nation. Independence is blessed with multitudes of highlights and stories to tell. We just need to recognize them before they crumble to the ground.