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Standing Stone Methodist Church
150th Anniversary 2006
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Happy Birthday
in Standing Stone: United Methodist Church marking 150th anniversary
this year
By: NANCY
COLEMAN 03/05/2006 Daily Review
Colored
windows glow like rainbows.
Bright red
cushions invite the weary to sit a moment in old wooden pews. In the front hangs
a painting of Jesus. And a large wooden cross. Downstairs, happy voices echo
through the dining room.
Welcome to
the Standing Stone United Methodist Church. Come see the history, and come meet
the people.
And come
wish it happy birthday.
This year,
members are celebrating the 150th anniversary of the congregation and church
itself. They're planning for the future, remembering the past ... and thoroughly
intending to have some fun.
The
anniversary committee -- Faith Jaynes, Kathy Camp, Erma Bishop and Ellen
Franklin -- sits in the dining room this afternoon. "Happy 150th Anniversary,"
reads a sign with red hearts by the kitchen windows.
Are we
doing things all year? Erma asks.
"Heck yeah,
woman!" Kathy declares. "We're excited!"
The tall,
dignified church stands along the east section of River Road, Standing Stone
Township. Its steeple gazes into the heavens, while a big pine stands guard at a
rear corner. Behind lies the Standing Stone Cemetery.
This
afternoon the sanctuary's warm and bright, like a day in May come early. Seven
rows of chocolate-colored pews line up front to back, and a rail stretches
around the altar. Small antique minister's chairs hide behind the pulpit. The
walls hold paintings of the Good Shepherd, and of Jesus teaching from a boat. A
small light glows on The Last Supper.
"Century
Building," reads a plaque.
Nowadays,
between 20 and 40 people attend Sunday services. Some are young, some older. The
Rev. Helen Learn leads worship here and in Herrickville United Methodist Church
every week, and in the Camptown Community Church every other Sunday.
Ellen
Franklin began attending here in fifth grade and remembers the days of wood
stoves in the sanctuary. She likes "mingling with the people ... fellowship,"
she says. "The worship."
You can
count on her to sit in a back pew every Sunday. "Good morning! Good morning!"
she greets everyone.
"It's nice
to walk in and have somebody right there!" Faith declares.
Faith, on
the other hand, sits right smack up front, at the organ. A few years ago, the
church asked her to play. Instead, she found a high school girl to do it.
But then
the girl left for college. "I'll come until I find you someone," Faith said.
That was
about six years ago. She never left. "'Cause I just love them so much!"
Faith sits
flipping through a thick red hymnal as she talks. She finally stops on "Up From
the Grave He Arose."
Kathy's
parents and grandparents have attended here. Her grandmother, in fact, was Jenny
VanNess Sherman, whose husband, Oscar, served as village blacksmith. Jenny also
was related to George VanNess, who donated the church land.
And guess
what. It turns out Faith's related to the VanNess family, too.
It all
weaves together into a warm, bright quilt of history, tradition and faith.
"I enjoy
the feeling of ... continuity," Kathy explains. It reminds her of God --
unchanging. And steadfast.
"I like the
food, too!" she adds.
And Erma --
she enjoys "just simply coming. ... I like the music!" she declares. "The music
is my thing!"
Erma's a
"swayer." Sunday morning, you can see her rocking back and forth to the happy
church tunes. ("You can always hear Erma reading!" Faith adds.)
Speaking of
music, who can forget Ada McNeal, their organist from a few years back? Ada's
almost a legend in Standing Stone, a well-known musician and one of the
community's senior residents.
"She gave a
lot of years," Faith says. She still uses some of Ada's music.
And
remember: When you're singing ... Get the first word! Nail that first word! Ada
always taught that when she led the choir.
Faith
praises Rev. Helen, too. You see, she's heard many pastors. "What we have right
here in this little church, she's a great deliverer!" Faith states.
Sermons and
teaching are "down to earth," she says, and "applicable."
"It hits
you so you don't forget it."
Once, for
Fourth of July, Pastor Helen even had people set off little popper fireworks as
part of the message. "And the kids loved it!" Faith says.
Pastor
Helen's an "extremely joyful woman," Kathy adds. "Serves God with joy."
And Pastor
Helen's son, Gareth Henderson, built the church sign out front as a Scout
project.
Sunday
worship begins at 8:45 a.m. and includes a children's message. The church offers
vacation Bible school each summer and has a women's group, the United Methodist
Women, and a men's club, known for its picnics and pancake suppers.
Every third
Sunday, members donate to Towanda Area Christian Outreach food pantry. For
Valentine's Day, they give baskets to shut-ins; at Christmas, boxes for Third
World kids.
Friday Fun
Frolics is new. Kids are invited in for a lesson, craft and game, then parents
may stop in for supper. And if you live along River Road -- check by your
mailbox for a surprise this Easter week.
The picnic
probably will be in July. "We've gotta have our ice cream socials!" Faith
declares.
How about
an old-fashioned box lunch? "Let's do that!" she cries, excited.
And before
Easter, they'll slide the tables into the shape of a cross for the Holy Thursday
meal and program. "It calls us to service," Kathy explains.
The worship
and meals and projects have lasted a long time. For 150 years.
The church
has kept going thanks to "a few good people," Faith says -- almost like the
Marines. "We keep trying. ...
"There's a
need. Each person has a need," she says. "You need to be with other people that
have the same beliefs and needs" -- to talk with those people, and to feel close
to God.
And in
church, "I think you feel a lot closer to Him."
"We feel
uplifted" after church, Ellen says.
And Kathy's
learned something: "When you praise, God is there."
This year,
Standing Stone United Methodist Church will ring with praise. After 150 years,
it's time to celebrate.
