Washington Hill United Methodist Church
Did I mention that I love old churches? If you have driven by the corner of routes 219 and 179 you have probably seen the old brick sanctuary of Washington Hill UMC on the corner. The sanctuary is a gem of early colonial Methodist church architecture. It has never been “modernized” with things like electric lights, bathrooms, sound amplification, or hidden heating systems. The building dates from 1834 and has a wrap-around balcony on three sides, all the better to seat more people within easy earshot of the preacher. Heat is from a great ancient wood stove in the rear center with a stove pipe running the length of the sanctuary to extract more heat. Lighting is by oil lamps along the sides. Music was originally by pump organ, which still is there. The church has two rear doors and the pews have a divider in the center. It makes me wonder if it was built for the very early colonial church seating arrangement of men on one side and women on the other.
Annual Thanksgiving Eve service
It is tradition in this area to hold a Thanksgiving Eve service there. My wife and I were privileged to attend this year. Luminaries had been placed in the lawn and the stove had been lit ahead to make it warm inside even though snow was falling outside as the elevation is higher there than here in West Granby. The antique oil lamps cast a warm glow over everything, but the lighting was dim enough that one needed a flashlight to read fine print easily away from a lamp. The service is sponsored by the North Canton UMC church which is linked with this parish and considers it its mother church. The pre-service tradition is a time of hymn-singing. The ground floor was full of people gathered to give thanks to God in this unique setting and there were some people in the balconies as well. Pastor Sandra Wanamaker led the service. Tonight a concession has been made to convenience and the organist plays a pump organ patch from a modern keyboard. I was invited to share the platform and participate in leading the service which I did, reading Scriptures and receiving the offering for an area food pantry. One other visible piece of time warp were the little LED flashlights in evidence as folks read from their hymnbooks.
Thinking back
I could not help but think about the nearly two centuries of people who have given thanks to God in this spot. As I looked out into the dimly lit faces, I thought of preachers in by-gone eras in our country and others who preached by lantern lights. Yet the message of God’s love displayed in Christ has not changed. The Good News of salvation by faith in Jesus has not changed. And certainly, the need of humankind to give thanks for the great gifts of the heavenly Father is, if anything, even greater today, when we enjoy so many blessings of extended life, material wealth, and technology that our forefathers never dreamed of. As the Bible says,
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Ps 100:4-5 NIV