Gifts to the Church
Article # 17.
At this time of the year out thoughts are usually centered on gifts and gift-giving. We give gifts to the folks we love, sometimes just to show how much we care. Members of the Church family do the same thing - they often give gifts to the Church just to show how much they love and care for God's House of Worship.
There have been many, many gifts given to our church in its more than 100 year history. I'd like to tell you about some of them - starting with some of the earliest ones.
The oldest ones may well be the Communion cups and pitcher. We do not know for sure when these were given, or who gave them. It is believed that they were give when the church was very young - possible back before 1900. If so, they are probably over 100 years old!
Some of the other pieces of the Communion Service were given during the years when the Church was located on Savannah Avenue. The donors of the different pieces of the service were: Mrs. John Strickland; Mr. I. B. Robinson; Mr. and Mrs. Al Sutherland; Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Neil; Mrs. Marjorie Guardia; Dr. and Mrs. Fielding Russell; and the Beaver family.
Our Organ was completely paid for by donations in 1973; the pew cushions were completely paid for by donations; our Communion Table was given by the Odom family; the brass cross and the brass candle holders for the Communion Table; and the brass offering plates were all given by Dr. and Mrs. Albert Deal. Polly Smith commissioned Alan Webb to make the flower stand. The items that are carried by the Acolytes into the Worship Service were all given by church members; The Crucifer Cross by the Bauler family; the candle lighters by the Mike Kennedy family; the Pulpit Bible by Dr. Parrish Blitch; the candle stand for the Advent Wreath by Dude Renfroe.
Of course, these are only a few of the many gifts given to the church. A few years ago, the Session asked me, as historian, to make a list of all the gifts given. When completed, the list was eleven pages long, and probably still did not include everything.
Whenever there is need for some piece of equipment, or some object that will enhance the Worship Services, someone provides it.
Our church is truly blessed by the many members who have given gifts to the church through the years. Gifts are often given very quietly, without anyone knowing about them except the Session. I have mentioned only a few names here - but the list of names on my eleven page list is a very long one. If you would like to see the list sometime, I would be happy to show it to you.
Our church is beautiful, and the people, out of their love for the Lord and His Church, have made it so.
Dot Odom, FPC Historian