I'll be joining the "Thankful For" challenge this week since Thanksgiving is just around the corner. One of the things that I'm most thankful for is the church I grew up in. My parents had me baptized here, I was confirmed here, decided to follow Jesus here, married here, and started my family here. I went to Sunday School and joined the youth group, sang in the choir throughout my childhood and teen years and then as a newly-wed helped to run the Jr. High youth group. I also joined the women's ministry and took part in small group Bible studies. Most of my family belonged to this church as well and the beautiful pipe organ is dedicated to my grandfather. Aside from all the things you can do in a church, this is the place where character, value and integrity grows. If you have good models and teachers who "practice what they preach", it will shape you to be the person God intended for you to be and offer you a wide variety of experiences where you can share your gifts and talents. If you have people that love you for who you are and teach you about the nature and character of God without judgement you'll also see it as a place of freedom rather than a society that follows a regiment of do's and don'ts. Beside having a living history in town which began before the American Revolution, The First Presbyterian Church of Caldwell is a masterpiece of stained glass and stone masonry. It not only nurtured my soul, it inspired my imagination. It took me all afternoon to find this picture postcard (and there's a nagging feeling in my memory bank that I posted this picture once before but I'm too lazy to go through both albums in year 1 to double check!), but I'm glad that I did. It's brought back some beautiful memories. I am so thankful that the formative years of my life centered around this inspiring place and the loving people who worship here.
This is special and I love that you shared it. The church my parents were married in, I grew up attending but is now a bed and breakfast. The new church looks more like a gym but proves the church is more the people and less the building anyway
Us Presbyterians have to stick together. We are the only ones that know how to spell it. Lovely postcard. We were certainly raised alike doing almost all the same things.
@pandorasecho Thank you Dixie- it's always sad to me when the beautiful old church buildings are converted to something else. But, it's true, the church is not a building, it's people. (But some buildings are just sooo pretty!!) @digitalrn Thank you Rick- one of my favorite hymns- How Firm A Foundation. @cdonohoue It's quite interesting Cathy as I'm sort of in a full circle phase right now. As newly weds Jeff and I truly appreciated the people who encouraged and supported us here. But we were increasingly dissatisfied with the denomination at large over some of the more liberal policies. That was a matter of conviction for us so we spoke to the pastor about it and he basically gave us his blessing to leave the membership. We then attended a variety of non-denominational Bible/Evangelical churches for the next 27 years until a job prospect for Jeff led us to the Presbyterian church we're attending now (not the same one as we live in PA now). He didn't take the job but the church had grown on us. We really liked the people and the congregation just joined the EPC, a conservative branch of the denomination, so we're quite pleased to be there. @kerristephens Thank you Kerri!
Amazing! This looks like an old postcard. Very beautifully processed, Ann. I love the story behind this shot. If we were all so dedicated to our beliefs many of the problems between different people wouldn't have even sprung up.
What a lovely photo. It looks like a postcard! It's a very lovely church and I love what you've written as well. It's nice that you have a place that you take so much pride in. Well said and well done!
@sangwann Thank you Dione! Yes, it is an old postcard. I scanned it into my computer. And you are quite right about the dedication. @prttblues Thank you Bev! Yes, it is an old postcard that I scanned into my computer. Glad you liked what I wrote too. It's sad that so many churches communicate the exact opposite of what a life of faith is really all about. @henrir Thank you Henri!
@daisy Thank you Kathryn- this is an old postcard that I scanned in to my computer. The building does look very much the same still, but the street is obviously paved now and there are parking meters now, plus one or two traffic signs.
@digitalrn Thank you Rick- one of my favorite hymns- How Firm A Foundation.
@cdonohoue It's quite interesting Cathy as I'm sort of in a full circle phase right now. As newly weds Jeff and I truly appreciated the people who encouraged and supported us here. But we were increasingly dissatisfied with the denomination at large over some of the more liberal policies. That was a matter of conviction for us so we spoke to the pastor about it and he basically gave us his blessing to leave the membership. We then attended a variety of non-denominational Bible/Evangelical churches for the next 27 years until a job prospect for Jeff led us to the Presbyterian church we're attending now (not the same one as we live in PA now). He didn't take the job but the church had grown on us. We really liked the people and the congregation just joined the EPC, a conservative branch of the denomination, so we're quite pleased to be there.
@kerristephens Thank you Kerri!
@filsie65 Thank you Phil!
@kandernob Thank you Karen! I'm glad you liked the narrative as well.
@nicolecampbell Thank you Nicole!
@sangwann Thank you Dione! Yes, it is an old postcard. I scanned it into my computer. And you are quite right about the dedication.
@prttblues Thank you Bev! Yes, it is an old postcard that I scanned into my computer. Glad you liked what I wrote too. It's sad that so many churches communicate the exact opposite of what a life of faith is really all about.
@henrir Thank you Henri!