The Echoes were privileged to be a part of Brownfield Baptist Church's 151st Anniversary Homecoming. As Pastor Monte Reed said in his bulletin article, when the church began, people were still having gunfights in the streets." (They still are, but we know what he meant -- it was a long time ago). Look at it another way: In 1860, the Civil War had not yet begun; the church was lit by lantern and heated by wood (or maybe coal); the only air conditioning was an open window.
But while much has drastically changed since that first service 151 years ago, the Gospel of Jesus Christ is exactly the same as then. We gathered to worship the same God as was worshipped in that first service.
After a traditional, and delicious, pot luck lunch, the Echoes began with "I Wouldn't Take Nothing For My Journey Now," one of the older songs in our repertoire, and ending with one of our newest songs, "It Pays To Pray."
A good-sized, receptive congregation made it easy to sing, as they obviously were keying in on the message of each song. That's what it's all about -- each person receiving a personal message from God as each song is sung.
We've been singing at Brownfield periodically for the last 40 or so years, and it's always good to return once again. It was also good to see Billy Green, and his daughter, Theresa, in attendance. Billy was one of the founders of the Echoes from Calvary, back in 1970, so he has shared in some of those Brownfield singings in the past.
Pastor Reed ended the afternoon of worship with the observation that Brownfield Church might not make it to their 200th Anniversary, not that the church closed, but that Jesus may be coming back before then.
But until then, Brownfield Baptist plans to continue being a beacon for Christ in that little part of Pope County, Illinois, America, and the World. And the Echoes will plan to continue to visit with an encouraging Southern Gospel song every once in a while.
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