I've wanted to live in a church for a long time now. I see churches for sale on my travels or find real estate listings or Facebook postings and each time, I dream again of turning a church into my home. Were I younger, I might pursue it. Thanks Janisse, for letting us know about Cedar Grove church.
Your post gives me a warm feeling. Although I’m not religious I do find the ambiance of a church uplifting and quieting at the same time. They are special places. I’m so pleased you got to make a difference in this case. Well done.
I surely did enjoy experiencing this post! I live old churches, barns, and early settler buildings as I travel around. I would love to visit your old heartpjne church some sweet day.
Oh! They other day there was a big leak that soaked the ground for an hour. Two days later an Atamasco lily showed up. When I first moved to FL from OK, I called them Surprise lilies, because they just pop up out of the grass after a good soaking rain.
This church is so poetic. Thank you for saving it! You amaze me. Truly you are living the motto “be the change you see in the world” and it’s rippling out to all of us.
I noticed, last week, one of these lilies on a local trail I often walk ! It’s serendipitous to read about them now in your newsletter. I had no idea! Also serendipitous to see Wilbur Duncan’s name. He and my grandfather co-authored a book that is out of print now .💚
Janisse, Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend, Angus Gholson. I had heard him speak in years past at the Cullowhee Conference. There was another loss to our mutual friends, at Cullowhee, with the passing of Dr. Larry Mellichamp, last September. Larry was a friend and was known widely for his expertise and passion for pitcher plants.
Just this past Tuesday I drove up to Granville County, NC where my family lived more than 60 years ago. On the way home I drove past the church where my Dad was once interim pastor. It is a ordinary church building as churches go. There is no tall steeple or ornate Corinthian columns that are so typical of Baptist churches in the South. What caught my eye was the sign that stated "Founded in 1823" which indicates the church's congregation is 20 years older than the church which I recall was built in 1843. That brought back a memory of when my parents were still living, 10 years ago. My parents and I returned for the church's homecoming, which is held every 5 years. Before the Sunday worship, the 3 of us walked the length and breadth of the adjoining cemetery. We walked past stones bearing the names of the Allens , Gooches, and Hockadays. There was one headstone that caught my eye, "Elvis Hockaday" Mr. Hockaday was born in the 1940s so I knew he wasn't named for the celebrity.. I'll seek him out again when I return in September.
. Granville County is full of Atamasco lilies, which I'm sure I'll see on my next visit. Along the roadsides there were a few native scarlet colored honeysuckles just beginning to bloom. On this trip I saw plenty of Pinxterflower azaleas along Knapp of Reeds Creek, where next month the banks will be covered .with Mountain Laurel and Sweet azaleas.
The story of your childhood church is a wonderful one. It's hard to imagine a congregation that organized in 1823. And thank you for letting me know about Dr. Mellichamp. I wish I'd been able to meet him.
Thank you for the lovely post, Janisse and for the work you’ve spearheaded saving the lovely church! I, too, was saddened by parts of it. First off, I didn’t know Angus had passed. Should’ve because no one lives forever and he had lived a long, full life. I first met him when I worked for St Joe as a college student and continued to cross paths with him from my association with Leon and Julie Neel. He was a treasure! I don’t know much about the natural history of Atamasco lillies. I remember seeing them in open woodlands, usually on the better drained edges of bottomlands and they bloomed before the hardwoods fully leafed out. In later years, I began to only see them in cemeteries back out in the woods. They’re always a blessing to see. I wonder what we can do to encourage their increase and spread? Again, thank you for the post!❤️
Janisse, thank you for walking the walk. I have a painting of the church, really I have painted this church several time, that I would gladly donate to somebody that was willing to write a nice fat check for the church.
Janisse, how do you manage to do so many wonderful things in the world!? Your energy and commitment to so many varied and interesting things inspires! We have some wonderful locally endemic and regionally endemic rain lily species here in Texas that I love to come across. I've also been haunting some cemeteries recently, looking for botanical delights. The newborn graves always make me weep. And it's interesting to see the upkeep between some of them: many are well maintained, others not so much.
Thank you so much, Lainie. I sure enjoy writing these newsletters because I get to work with woods and images. I've got a lot to learn but it's fun. All the best to you.
I've wanted to live in a church for a long time now. I see churches for sale on my travels or find real estate listings or Facebook postings and each time, I dream again of turning a church into my home. Were I younger, I might pursue it. Thanks Janisse, for letting us know about Cedar Grove church.
Your post gives me a warm feeling. Although I’m not religious I do find the ambiance of a church uplifting and quieting at the same time. They are special places. I’m so pleased you got to make a difference in this case. Well done.
Lovely post Janisse. Thank you for saving that wonderful structure and for these beautiful words.
Janisse, I cried twice! Once at the lilies by the little grave and again at your restoration of the church. Thank you.
I surely did enjoy experiencing this post! I live old churches, barns, and early settler buildings as I travel around. I would love to visit your old heartpjne church some sweet day.
Oh! They other day there was a big leak that soaked the ground for an hour. Two days later an Atamasco lily showed up. When I first moved to FL from OK, I called them Surprise lilies, because they just pop up out of the grass after a good soaking rain.
This church is so poetic. Thank you for saving it! You amaze me. Truly you are living the motto “be the change you see in the world” and it’s rippling out to all of us.
I noticed, last week, one of these lilies on a local trail I often walk ! It’s serendipitous to read about them now in your newsletter. I had no idea! Also serendipitous to see Wilbur Duncan’s name. He and my grandfather co-authored a book that is out of print now .💚
Janisse, you are a true Georgia treasure. Keep up the good work!!
No treasure. Just a human being trying to be decent.
Janisse, Sorry to hear about the loss of your friend, Angus Gholson. I had heard him speak in years past at the Cullowhee Conference. There was another loss to our mutual friends, at Cullowhee, with the passing of Dr. Larry Mellichamp, last September. Larry was a friend and was known widely for his expertise and passion for pitcher plants.
Just this past Tuesday I drove up to Granville County, NC where my family lived more than 60 years ago. On the way home I drove past the church where my Dad was once interim pastor. It is a ordinary church building as churches go. There is no tall steeple or ornate Corinthian columns that are so typical of Baptist churches in the South. What caught my eye was the sign that stated "Founded in 1823" which indicates the church's congregation is 20 years older than the church which I recall was built in 1843. That brought back a memory of when my parents were still living, 10 years ago. My parents and I returned for the church's homecoming, which is held every 5 years. Before the Sunday worship, the 3 of us walked the length and breadth of the adjoining cemetery. We walked past stones bearing the names of the Allens , Gooches, and Hockadays. There was one headstone that caught my eye, "Elvis Hockaday" Mr. Hockaday was born in the 1940s so I knew he wasn't named for the celebrity.. I'll seek him out again when I return in September.
. Granville County is full of Atamasco lilies, which I'm sure I'll see on my next visit. Along the roadsides there were a few native scarlet colored honeysuckles just beginning to bloom. On this trip I saw plenty of Pinxterflower azaleas along Knapp of Reeds Creek, where next month the banks will be covered .with Mountain Laurel and Sweet azaleas.
The story of your childhood church is a wonderful one. It's hard to imagine a congregation that organized in 1823. And thank you for letting me know about Dr. Mellichamp. I wish I'd been able to meet him.
Thank you for the lovely post, Janisse and for the work you’ve spearheaded saving the lovely church! I, too, was saddened by parts of it. First off, I didn’t know Angus had passed. Should’ve because no one lives forever and he had lived a long, full life. I first met him when I worked for St Joe as a college student and continued to cross paths with him from my association with Leon and Julie Neel. He was a treasure! I don’t know much about the natural history of Atamasco lillies. I remember seeing them in open woodlands, usually on the better drained edges of bottomlands and they bloomed before the hardwoods fully leafed out. In later years, I began to only see them in cemeteries back out in the woods. They’re always a blessing to see. I wonder what we can do to encourage their increase and spread? Again, thank you for the post!❤️
Bob, your question about increasing the spread of the lilies is a good one and I'll bet there's only one answer: keep restoring native habitats.
Janisse, thank you for walking the walk. I have a painting of the church, really I have painted this church several time, that I would gladly donate to somebody that was willing to write a nice fat check for the church.
Raven, THANK YOU. I'd love to do another newsletter about this.
Doing the good work.
Trying to be a good human.
Janisse, how do you manage to do so many wonderful things in the world!? Your energy and commitment to so many varied and interesting things inspires! We have some wonderful locally endemic and regionally endemic rain lily species here in Texas that I love to come across. I've also been haunting some cemeteries recently, looking for botanical delights. The newborn graves always make me weep. And it's interesting to see the upkeep between some of them: many are well maintained, others not so much.
Thanks for referring to them as rain lilies. I meant to & forgot. And thank you for everything else you said.
What an absolutely beautiful post. Thank you for your work and your words.
Thank you so much, Lainie. I sure enjoy writing these newsletters because I get to work with woods and images. I've got a lot to learn but it's fun. All the best to you.