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Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Church in the Wildwood


From my hill I can look across the ridge to where Mount Hope Church seems to float amid the trees, a half mile or so away. Not visible in summer of course, but easy to see in early Spring and late Fall and winter.


The church has been on this ridge for many years--built, I believe, in 1914. Although it is called Church of God it's actually nondenominational. The graveyard nearby is the final home for many people I have known during my 35 years here. That is in its way a comforting thought. They never really leave because they are still here among us, and I think about them each time I pass. And around here, those who have been gone many years are still spoken of as if they just left yesterday.


Which goes back to the old story: no one is truly dead as long as one person speaks his name and remembers him.

5 comments:

  1. I can remember my mother singing a song about a Church in the Wildwood. In fact I have a small book with that song in it. Was really surprised to hear someone write about this . Very enjoyable news. Keep up the good work . Lilly (Evelyn)

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  2. I love it! I'm always fascinated with old churches. Someday I'm going to take my sweet time going places and photograph all I see.
    Thanks for sharing.

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  3. Lovely setting for a church. I've always liked the thought that people live on in people's memories.

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  4. Yep, the old Appalachian sense of place is still alive even among the deceased. Even in death, we Appalachians want to remain as close to home as possible.

    And yes, as the Hazel Dickens songs says, "Let me live, love, let me cry; When I go just let me die, among the friends who'll remember when I'm gone."

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  5. http://www.littlebrownchurch.org/song.cfm

    In Iowa, or from Iowa, I think you heard, "The Little Brown Church in the Vale."

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