06 10 2002 new pastor, new church

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Subject: Fwd: 1935—New Pastor New Church

I can't help but want to forward his delightful stories on. How many of us have returned to places of our earlier days to find it 'all gone'. ..but I don't have such good stories to tell! Cheers. Roger

Arthur Sanford <urthalie@webtv.net> wrote

: Subject: 1935--New Pastor New Church

yes that day went off pretty well considering, we knew we were on first name basis when we were introduced to the Sunday School and then to the Congregation. and that was good for us as we were farm kids and our congregation were all either on the farm or from the farm. then the ending of the service was abrupt- not quite through the sermon when I began for some quirk to push that song book that was on the pulpit - then it hit the bell the Sunday School Superintendent used and it hit the floor with a loud bang and then bounced off the platform to the floor and began to roll down the aisle ringing loudly and stopped under the big stove in the center of the Sanctuary. needless to say that ended the sermon. but the folk were nice though I am sure they wondered what I would do next Sunday to wake them up for the closing. have many memories of those days: mostly are really good and the others are good for me to have as a reminder of those days. for salary we got 35 dollars a month and that little house --as I think back I don't remember ever getting a light bill so I have a feeling now that the owner just paid that bill for us-- Mabel Orser would do that without ever saying anything (not sure of the spelling of that name but something like that) we were paid in cash as the Church didn't have a bank account -the treasurer just kept the money in cash and paid us 8.75 each Sunday except when there were five Sundays (that was a freebee--and some times pretty hard two weeks) but we had fun and learned a lot that stood us in good stead through the years following in our ministry, the last time we were in that area we drove by Lone Tree--which is now just a little sign board along the old highway which is now no longer a highway. and in the town the stores were gone, the school building stood there but all doors and windows were gone and the area around it was weeds, the Church building had become a storage for the farmer who owned the property on which it stood. the two grain elevators were gone, and the house in which we lived was still standing but empty and looked rather forsaken. BUT the bell in the steeple that had called people to worship for over 40 years had been taken to the Baptist State Camp and I had the joy and privilege of being the Missionary there one year and ringing that old bell again.--while four girls who were from that old Church when we were there looked on. what memories that brought to me. Yes, Lone Tree will stand high in my Book of Memories for ever Oh yes one asked about the name--well no one then could

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remember where the one tree had been for which the town was named nor even what kind of tree it was. and now to you all Good night and God bless you - writing my memories to you helps me relive some wonderful (and some not so wonderful) experiences thanks for being in my list. Love Me