Since there's not much more than rain (and yet more mud) to report from WPC, I thought I'd share with you a buiding project of another church, a church near and dear to my heart.
CLIMAX HOLINESS CHURCH, located in Climax, Kentucky, in Jackson County
When I was in college at Berea, Kentucky, I spent considerable time in nearby Jackson County, which is the poorest county in Kentucky. Situated at the entrance to eastern Kentucky, Jackson County is hilly and mountainous at the same time (envision hills on the sides of mountains and you get it).
The culture of the place is truly astounding, and the people are wonderful. While I was in Jackson County, I taught at a one-room schoolhouse for a month, led 4-H speech tournaments at the high school, traveled the roads experiencing the local "holler" culture, and volunteered at a hospital clinic.
I also had the unique experience of coming face-to-face with the barrel of a shot gun, pointed directly at me. I had mistakenly stumbled upon a true-to-life moonshine making still. The "manager" of the operation was not impressed by my presence...imagine...
All of that...and: I bought a church. Yep, that's right. On one of my jaunts into the deep woods of the county, I came upon a rutted path through the trees. Since I love the adventure of off-roading, I drove my gold Chevy Chevette up that road and voila! Through the trees was Climax Holiness Church. I fell in love at first sight.
The one-room whitewashed church had not been used for a very long time; the door was almost off the hinges and the blue milk painted plank shutters were hanging precariously from the wavy glass windows. I had the distinct feeling that I was stepping back in time, waaay back in time. No electricity, no indoor plumbing, tambourines hanging from the walls, pot belly stove in the center of the room. I called it my poustinia, which is Russian for "sacred place of the heart."
So, I went to the court house, asked about the church's history and who "owns" it, learned that it wasn't even listed on county maps, and....I bought it. I PAID for a church....$66.88 in back taxes and this little clabbord - sided holiness church that nobody knew existed was mine! (I do believe the county tax office made up the tax fee, since churches are supposed to be tax exempt.)
That was 1985.
FAST FORWARD TO THIS WEEK: as I'm driving to Pikeville, Kentucky for the hospital ceremony I've been asked to speak at on behalf of the Fayne Loveland family, I decide to see if I can still find "my" church. Amazingly, I drive right to it. After all these years. (I've only been back to it once since 1985.) Climax Church is so far off the beaten path that there really is no path left. So I'm truly amazed that the mountain roads fit my car tires so well and lead me to my poustinia.
What I find is a church that has regained its use, become active and useful once more, as in years long passed. The one room has become two, with electricity and even an air conditioner! To my delight, I see that there still is no indoor plumbing. However, instead of one outhouse (as there was when I "owned" it) there are now two. There's also a small pavilion and a shed.
Obviously, Climax Holiness Church has undergone some building projects of its own! I am happy to see that this beloved "sacred place of the heart" has been reclaimed and become active once more. It meant so much to me during my time in Jackson County, Kentucky; now it means much to those who gather there for worshp, praise, exhortation, and evangelism.
I don't have pictures to show what Climax Church looked like when I discovered and bought it in 1985, but allow me the priviliege to share pics that I took this week, after 26 years of absence.
CLIMAX HOLINESS CHURCH, located in Climax, Kentucky, in Jackson County
When I was in college at Berea, Kentucky, I spent considerable time in nearby Jackson County, which is the poorest county in Kentucky. Situated at the entrance to eastern Kentucky, Jackson County is hilly and mountainous at the same time (envision hills on the sides of mountains and you get it).
The culture of the place is truly astounding, and the people are wonderful. While I was in Jackson County, I taught at a one-room schoolhouse for a month, led 4-H speech tournaments at the high school, traveled the roads experiencing the local "holler" culture, and volunteered at a hospital clinic.
I also had the unique experience of coming face-to-face with the barrel of a shot gun, pointed directly at me. I had mistakenly stumbled upon a true-to-life moonshine making still. The "manager" of the operation was not impressed by my presence...imagine...
All of that...and: I bought a church. Yep, that's right. On one of my jaunts into the deep woods of the county, I came upon a rutted path through the trees. Since I love the adventure of off-roading, I drove my gold Chevy Chevette up that road and voila! Through the trees was Climax Holiness Church. I fell in love at first sight.
The one-room whitewashed church had not been used for a very long time; the door was almost off the hinges and the blue milk painted plank shutters were hanging precariously from the wavy glass windows. I had the distinct feeling that I was stepping back in time, waaay back in time. No electricity, no indoor plumbing, tambourines hanging from the walls, pot belly stove in the center of the room. I called it my poustinia, which is Russian for "sacred place of the heart."
So, I went to the court house, asked about the church's history and who "owns" it, learned that it wasn't even listed on county maps, and....I bought it. I PAID for a church....$66.88 in back taxes and this little clabbord - sided holiness church that nobody knew existed was mine! (I do believe the county tax office made up the tax fee, since churches are supposed to be tax exempt.)
That was 1985.
FAST FORWARD TO THIS WEEK: as I'm driving to Pikeville, Kentucky for the hospital ceremony I've been asked to speak at on behalf of the Fayne Loveland family, I decide to see if I can still find "my" church. Amazingly, I drive right to it. After all these years. (I've only been back to it once since 1985.) Climax Church is so far off the beaten path that there really is no path left. So I'm truly amazed that the mountain roads fit my car tires so well and lead me to my poustinia.
What I find is a church that has regained its use, become active and useful once more, as in years long passed. The one room has become two, with electricity and even an air conditioner! To my delight, I see that there still is no indoor plumbing. However, instead of one outhouse (as there was when I "owned" it) there are now two. There's also a small pavilion and a shed.
Obviously, Climax Holiness Church has undergone some building projects of its own! I am happy to see that this beloved "sacred place of the heart" has been reclaimed and become active once more. It meant so much to me during my time in Jackson County, Kentucky; now it means much to those who gather there for worshp, praise, exhortation, and evangelism.
I don't have pictures to show what Climax Church looked like when I discovered and bought it in 1985, but allow me the priviliege to share pics that I took this week, after 26 years of absence.
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| Climax Holiness Church, 2011...with an added room and porch. |
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| His 'n Hers bathrooms! |
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| My "poustinia"....wonderful memories of private worship. |
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| What a joy to see the church is active once more! |
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| This church has more signs than WPC has! |
