A Delightful Throwback

Pam's church

Last Sunday we enjoyed what felt like a wonderful trip back in time. Pam, author of the blog Closed Doors Open Windows, had invited us to meet them at their church and follow that up with lunch. The drive from here to there is a little over an hour and on a Sunday morning the traffic was not bad at all, in spite of it being the end of the busy Thanksgiving weekend.

Over the years I have driven past their church many times as it is set off within easy view about half a block from the highway. My impression of their church was always favorable as the white siding and steeple looked like something out of an old Disney movie. But the church, the Lord's Church, is not a building but rather the people. Scripture refers to the Church as the bride of Christ, which is definitely something other than siding and steeples. 

When living in Jacksonville, we made many trips to Ocala to check the progress on the house we were having built. Pam and I became blog friends sometime before that construction began. Eventually we made stops to see her and John at their home. 

We arrived long enough before the service began that we were able to sit on the back pew and watch the people coming in, greeting each other, and finding their seats. True to what Pam had told us beforehand, the parishioners were very warm in their welcome to us. Some had known we were coming as Pam had shared that in the Sunday School class before the service. That made us to feel all the more accepted.

The music was a delight. Hymnals were in the back-of-the-pew racks, but the words were also on screens on the front wall. With one exception, I knew all the songs and enjoyed every one of them. There was no 'praise team' (as is so common in most protestant church services these days), but there was a choir (!!!) and their special music was composed and written, by two of the members. The pastor's wife led the music from the pulpit. 

There was just one instrument accompanying the worship time. No drums, no guitars, no super-loud anything. The one instrument was an electric piano/organ that can produce a lot of different sounds. 

During the announcement time, any first-time guests were introduced (which included us, of course). Wow. That is a tradition I haven't seen in church in a very, very long time. Of course, the huge mega churches can't do that for practical reasons. We didn't mind at all and just smiled and waved.

The service included the music, announcements, greeting the guests, responsive readings, prayer, lighting of the first candle for Advent, the sermon, and concluded with communion. As I told Pam and John at lunch afterwards, since I've gone to church all of my life I've seen communion carried out many different ways, some in a rather clumsy procedure. This time was easy, orderly, and respectful. 

Please don't take offense at how I've described this worship service that ministered to me so well. Times, customs, people, and even our culture, have changed greatly over the years. I just enjoyed so much getting to worship in an environment that reminded me of my beginnings, so to speak.

One more thing (and I didn't take a picture), the church building was built in 1890-something. The antique pews (which were blessedly padded) were built in that same time frame. Those pews along with the stained glass windows -- there was a lot of old-fashioned charm going on in there!

Pam and John

After the service we followed John and Pam to the Hog Wild Country Cafe where the down-home atmosphere was equally as pleasant as what we experienced at church. I ordered the pulled pork on a bun while Gary had the brisket. John got a hamburger, and Pam got the Cowboy Egg Rolls (on the appetizer menu). That looked really good to me; maybe next time!

Gary 'n me

Last weekend was winter here in Florida, so sweaters and jackets were a necessity, even inside the cafe. (S'cuse my shortie haircut -- it looked better in person than in the snapshots!!)

John and Gary

Before retirement, in addition to serving as a pastor in several churches, John was employed with law enforcement. That profession is in common with Gary's career, as well as their political views, so these guys never lack for conversation.

me 'n Pam

And of course, Pam and I always have things to talk about. As you can see, we both take pictures for our respective blogs!! Here is the link to her post about our visit: December 1st. 

antiques in the ladies' room

It's just wild getting to meet in person my fellow (sister) bloggers. To date, I've met at least 4 over the years (possibly more). When I came back to our lunch table after washing my hands, I told Pam about the antiques in the ladies' room and that I had taken a picture of them. She said she has done the same thing for  her blog in the past. (Great minds think alike!) Gary told me there were antiques in the men's room, too!

artificial wreaths

I want to tell you what we did this year to decorate the graves of our late spouses. As many of my readers already know, what turned out to be our first date in 2021 was a trip to the cemetery to place Christmas wreaths. Gary was taking me to the cemetery, which is about an hour's drive from Ocala. In some of our first conversations when we met, I said I had not been to the cemetery much because I did not want to go by myself and all my children live some distance away. As it turned out, Gary's late wife is buried relatively close to the grave of my late husband.

So this was not thought of at the outset especially as a "date," but by the end of the occasion, after much conversation, a wonderful lunch, and driving through some particularly beautiful roads to get back home, it felt like more than just a kindly gesture on his part.

One of the heart-warming things Gary did before picking me up that day was to buy two live Christmas wreaths for us to place at the graves. I, still rather new to how to visit a grave, had not given decorations a thought. 

We have kept up this tradition every year since then. But finding fresh-looking wreaths has been a problem. Last year we had a hard time even finding evergreen wreaths! We were shocked. What we found were already drying up with needles falling off.

This year Gary suggested we buy artificial wreaths and we will be sure to return to the cemetery after the holidays to retrieve them with hopes to use them again next year. We took metal landscaping pins with us to secure the wreaths to the ground in the hope that they won't blow away. While there, we saw someone else had used a metal stand to hold their wreath in place. That's a good idea, too.

music on TV

Now that the Christmas season is here, we drink our first cup of morning coffee to the sounds of continuous-play holiday music. Our TV  station shows many seasonal photos and artwork with the music. 

Ida and Bill's yard

And the angel said unto them,

Fear not: for, behold,

I bring you good tidings of great joy,

which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day

in the city of David a Saviour,

which is Christ the Lord.

Luke 2:10-11

Until next time, grace, peace, and JOY!