At home with my parents this week end and while walking past one of the churches noticed the lovely warm sandstone colours. Even though it is a small town these four all had their own congregation of worshippers.
The Free Church (top left) is where I was baptised and married and where I always get a warm welcome when I come home - all the railings make it very accessible for people with disabilities but I think they are rather ugly!
The Parish Church (Church of Scotland) is a beautiful building and I used to love going to sit in the gallery and watch weddings that were on- on summer Saturdays - with my 'babysitters' Doreen and Mary. I loved the organ music and the flowers and everything about weddings. Mum says my ambition when I was wee was to be a bride!
St Andrew's Episcopal Church (bottom left) is a beautiful little church that I have only been inside on a handful of occasions but it is set in a pretty garden with a lovely rectory beside it.
The Free Presbyterian Church (bottom right) is the one that I noticed this morning. My grandfather was the preacher in it for over 40 years, though not an ordained minister as he never had the opportunity to study at university/college. He died when I was about 14 but I remember him as a lovely gentle person who sang ( and taught me) lots of hymns, even though that denomination only used psalms in their services. His wife, my granny, was Sarah.....whose name I share...lived well into her nineties and saw all of our children, the youngest of whom will be 20 next month!!
Life has sometimes been complicated by the fact that family and friends have always called me Sallie (I changed the 'y' to 'ie' in French one boring lesson when I was 15!).
A lovely history of the churches in your life when you were small Sallie !! All beautiful in their own way you must love going back to visit your mum & dad !
@happypat I do indeed, and good to be able to make myself useful for little bits and pieces! They say I'm not getting much rest but it doesn't feel like a work that's for sure! @annielf Thank you, Annie!
Thanks for introducing us to these churches. It's interesting that you've had connections with all of them. It must be good to have had roots all your life in the one place.Have a good weekend!
@jmj It's a real privilege to have such long term relationships with one place. My parents still live in the house we came to when I was 1 year old - and are surrounded by neighbours with long term connections and fantastic friends in the church and community.
What a pretty collage. I love the stories of what each church means to you. It's so nice to hear all the connections between family and places of worship, hometown neighbors and life- things I wish I had a little more of in my life, but unfortunately do not have the blessing of. God has put other things in my life instead, but I do wish I had my children/grandchildren closer. Anyway- I feel like I went on the walk with you- the collage/and village is so pretty!
This is a lovely collage. I'm also planning a church collage for our local church/schools link worker who is off to pastures new.
I'm enjoying your album by the way.
@busylady Thank you for your comments - love sharing this project! I love your part of the country too. We have holiday-ed in Cambridge and Ely and love your big skies!
I'm enjoying your album by the way.