If Those Walls Could Talk, What Would They Say?

By Pastor Mark Woodward

Maple Leaf Parish of the UMC Cherry Grove, Fountain, Preston, and Spring Valley: Faith 

Churches (and Lenora) 

I was sitting in the historic church at Lenora which was built in 1865.  Sunshine was streaming in the windows and the venerable sanctuary  was filled with a cheery warmth.  All around the room reminders of pioneer days spoke to me.  This was a church built by Christian people  in the mid 1800s. This old church heard the sermons of circuit riding preachers, and men, women, boys and girls  sang songs of praise and thanksgiving. This was their house of worship and people from all over the territory in those pioneer days gathered here to hear God’s Word and the Good News of Jesus Christ.

As I sat on an old pew on that sunny afternoon, I looked around the room and got to thinking, “What would those old walls have to say if they could talk?”  

They were erected shortly after the Civil War and the assinatian of our 16th president Abraham Lincoln.  Those old walls heard the stories of the people of Fillmore County, of experiences, adventures, challenges, sicknesses, losses, deaths, births … moments of joy and sadness … those old walls heard the stories of people, of men and women, boys and girls, in many ways just like us.

Those old walls experienced the journey of people … they heard countless rousing sermons and  inspiring  hymns. Those walls witnessed Sunday School Christmas programs and they braved  arctic winter winds and were warmed by the old wood stove.

In later years, Lenora’s old walls also saw soldiers going off to World War I and the pandemic of 1917 and as  the years progressed, those sturdy walls  continued to hear the stories of happiness and joy and sadness and tears … eventually the windows were boarded  up and the walls grew silent as the world moved on and the human experience continued … the sun rose and set, the calendar pages kept turning and the years rolled on. Still there was this ongoing mixture of good and bad, happiness and sadness, peace and war, hope and despair, life and death.

Oh, if those walls  could talk!  What would they say?  Since 1985, the Lenora Church has been in use as a place of worship once again and do you know what I think those walls would say? I think those old walls would  continue to say just how good God is!  They would continue to proclaim the Good News of God’s redeeming love in Jesus Christ!  Those old walls would continue to tell stories of  grace, forgiveness, salvation, and God’s unending love in Jesus Christ.  They would tell stories of hope, joy, faith, commitment, dedication, perseverance, and the power of the Holy Spirit  and they would rejoice with all the Saints in Heaven!  

It was a beautiful afternoon of prayer and thanksgiving sitting in that 160-year-old church building.  It was a holy moment as I turned the pages in a well-worn song book and quietly mouthed the words, “Holy, holy, holy! all the Saints adore thee, casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea; cherubim and seraphim  falling down before thee, which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be!”  (Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty by Reginald Heber, 1826, page 64 United Methodist Hymnal)  

I hope you have a wonderful day today. God’s blessings always and please know how much you are loved!  I think those old walls still have a lot to say!  

Your friend,

Pastor Mark Woodward