This Friday.....November 1 (6 - 9 pm) at the President Benjamin Harrison home site. President Harrison was our 23rd President of the United States. Come and visit our gallery of over 80 photos on display of historic churches from around the state. Our theme for this, our 3rd Annual Show, is Historic Churches of Indiana. One of my photos is that of the little country church where I spent so many of my summers growing up...yep, in a little town in southern Indiana called Surprise. Not much there these days, most everything has been razed or left to the elements of destruction. It hurts to see how time plays a cruel act on something you so dearly love...but...this is life! One of the few standing structures is the United Methodist Church - Surprise, Indiana. A little fortress that has not gone by the wayside, but has expanded somewhat, and been improved (modernized)... Probably the only thing that has improved...as I drove a few miles each direction...and not much looks the same...or, in some cases, is even there any longer....given way to progress and modern technology... Even when I went down to take photos, it had nearly 40 plus years since I was there last, the doors of the little church happened to be open, so I walked on in to look and see. Indeed it had been updated. Of course the old piano grandmother has been replaced (they had replaced her organ for a new piano back when)...but now a nice modern piano; almost new carpeting on the floors (I recall wooden floors); new pews and pew cushions (I sure dont recall those...or any type cushion!). And, the one feature I noticed most....AIR CONDITIONING! Mercy! My job has been replaced with a machine! My job when I was a little kid was to put the paper fans at each pew end. I need to gather them as they were often here, there, and who knows where. So, Id have to bring them all together, then make sure each pews end had at least one fan! That wasnt the end of my job... I also had to make sure all the bibles and song books were in their rightful place behind each pew bench...and they had to be evenly matched... Grandmother wouldnt tolerate having two, and then none, etc. You see, my grandmother was a retired school teacher and I was her only pupil... She was very strict! (Im thankful today, and was then too in case you wonder!) My pay? Well...getting to spend time with her! What a wonderful lady and I loved watching and listening to her play...especially the organ (an old pump organ at that too!) I believe this has a lot to do with my love of music today! Everyone in that farming community knew my grandmother, and consequently knew me too! You see, she had either taught them in school, their parents or children. She had taught grades 1 - 8 and told me stories of how sometimes shed have students who were twice her age and theyd show up when farming didnt take priority. She was just a small framed little lady, but very large in the hearts of everyone around. Ladies of the church would come to her little simple house (directly across from the country store and gas station (Yes, a gas station...but she didnt drive) and work on quilts (if you have ever heard people talk about quilting parties?! Well, Ive been to one! I was too young to take part, but Id sit and listen in awe and watch their delicate hands put one swatch in place and stitch it down, then another, and another and finally see a beautiful finished quilt that would go to someones home. Yes...those were the wonderful days of my childhood! And, in the evening, when there were no visitors from the church or otherwise...wed go to her big parlor where the grand organ had its magical place in the room...seemed to me to take the whole wall, but it probably didnt. And...there shed sit with me sitting next to her...and shed place her hands such that I could see...and shed play little songs and then ask me to watch and sing along. Id always get a lesson too on hand placement, timing, etc. Oh, no...I dont play well. But, in my mind...Im the maestro! So, in my collection of historical churches...this church, above all others, had to be #1. I placed Jesus in the clouds in an earlier picture...as there is no question in my mind thats shes up there playing to all the angels and God! But, I felt for us humans still on Earth...I needed to tone that figure down...so wed realize this is a far away (not really!) place...where angels live and are warmly welcomed. Grandmothers there! I want to pay her this tribute... So... this picture, along with a few others of mine, will be on display at the President Benjamin Harrison home site (12th & Delaware) on Friday evening...November 1 (6 - 9 pm). Which picture do you like best?
Posted on: Sat, 26 Oct 2013 15:20:18 +0000
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