Tearing Down and Building Up Part 2
As I wrote about Tuesday, it has been determined that Pine Valley United Methodist Church’s Building B must be demolished due to safety and security issues. We all agree that “Building B” is so much more than a building. As Linda Gregson, PVUMC Wee Care Preschool Director, said it, “So many memories! It’s not just a building but people’s beginnings where they put prayers to build it, and then where marriages began, babies were baptized, children were taught about Jesus, Wee Care began ...it’s not just a building.” I know that is how many of you feel, so let’s continue celebrating how God used this place of worship for 59 years!
As I said before, Pastor Tim shared a letter with us that he received from Rev. Belton Joyner, the founding minister of PVUMC. While going through some things, Rev. Joyner found the bulletin that was used June 11, 1961, at the groundbreaking day for PVUMC! At the groundbreaking, the people, with the minister, read, “Almighty and everlasting God, who art ever exalted yet always right; grant that we may worthily offer unto Thee, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, this ground upon which we stand, to be made holy with sacred aspiration and divine purpose, as a place upon which to build a temple and a sanctuary where thy glory shall be manifest among us, and where all people shall come to call upon thy name; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.”
Here are some ways that PVUMC made this ground “holy with sacred aspiration and divine purpose” and “where all people shall come to call upon thy name; through Jesus Christ.”
Julie Pindell remembers, “when the congregation relocated to the present sanctuary for worship, the children moved to the original sanctuary for children’s church. After teaching a lesson on salvation to a large group of children, I gave an Altar call for anyone who wanted to give their life to Jesus’ Beautiful seven-year-old, Wendy, who came forward, knelt at the Altar, and we prayed together. When her mother came to get her, I told her what had happened. She was thrilled and confirmed that from conversations at home, she felt her daughter was ready to make that important decision. Hallelujah!”
Wee Care Preschool was established in August 1994. Linda Gregson, Kristin Bednarczyk, Jim Van Hook, along with other dedicated church members, worked diligently to develop a quality comprehensive preschool program. The program was based on Christian values and affordability and was designed as a half-day program for 2-4-year-olds. Wee Care Preschool doubled in size for the 1995 school year, and a state-registered Kindergarten program was also added. Further growth came with the development of the Christian Life Center in 1997.
Wee Care’s vision is that of sharing the word of God in a loving, learning, Christian atmosphere. It is their prayerful hope that as a staff, they provide children with a wonderful experience and a strong Christian foundation. Their ultimate goal and vision is to be “Connecting Hearts to Christ and One Another.”
Remember the young couple in MYF, Mike and Linda. They are all grown up now. Mike started teaching the Koinonia Sunday school class in that first sanctuary; later, the kitchen and the Koinonia class is still going strong!
As one person said, “The church has gotten bigger - more members and more buildings. But it is still so welcoming, so friendly! We love our church home and our brothers and sisters in Christ. We will miss Building B because it has been so important in our past. It was the center of our family's church worship and activities for many years - Services, Sunday School, revivals, UMW, UMM, meetings (thousands), children's church, VBS, musicals, plays, yard sales, homecomings, Cub Scouts, and much more. Fifty-nine years later and PVUMC is still exalting the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. This ground continues to be holy with sacred aspiration and divine purpose! The one thing I continue to hear from visitors is that they feel the presence of the Holy Spirit as soon as they walk in. John 7:38, “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” The water is flowing at PVUMC!