What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?

What Do You See Outside YOUR Open Window Today?
Remember: "When God closes a door, He always opens a window!" You never know what might be out there waiting for you!

Friday, June 11, 2021

Friday Foto Friends: Tavares FUMC--The Way I Remember It!

Note: I originally wrote this post back in 2011, when asked by an old school friend if I would write something for the new website at the church where I grew up.  So I will include that original post here, with a few additions or edits to bring it back to now.  However, please note that I wrote it originally with that dear old church family in my mind..."The Way I Remember It".

"I was glad when they said to me, 'Let us go into the house of the Lord.'" Psalm 122:1


Original Post, 7/23/2011

The picture of Jesus and the Lambs I have included above represents to me one of my fondest memories of the old First Methodist Church building that I remember best.  Although this picture of a stained glass window is not one of the windows from that original building, it is the closest depiction of that window I have ever seen. When I found this little postcard it brought back such sweet memories of Sunday morning services as a child, gazing up into the serene face of Jesus as He cradled the lamb in His arms and carried it to a place of safety.  I can honestly say that this was the first impression of Jesus that I can remember...and it has often given me comfort.  As a matter of fact, it was this vision of Christ that came to my heart this past week as I wrote in a previous blog entitled, "My Father's Cane", which was written about my father, Bill Mursch, whom many of you will know and remember from his days as a former member of Tavares FUMC. As a matter of fact, we held his memorial service in your current beautiful sanctuary just a very short time ago.   http://pamelasopenwindow.blogspot.com/2011/07/my-fathers-cane.html.  (in May of 2011)

If anyone has any good color photographs of those beautiful stained glass windows from the old original church, I would love to have a copy.  I know we all mourned the loss of those magnificent windows when the former "new church" was so tragically lost to fire several years ago. As I recall, the other window was of the "Ascension of Christ" up into the clouds... (see Acts 1: 9-11) and I often pondered over that vision so many times in my childhood and youth...wondering just what it would be like to be "caught up into the clouds" with Jesus someday...a day which could be closer than we think. 

Rev. Ed Montfort - 1960
Steve Sperry in front of Chapel at MYF Camp -1965



























I wonder if we truly realize the impression and impact such things as stained glass windows, peaceful sanctuaries, sacred hymns, an open Bible, a welcoming hug from a Sunday School teacher on an early Sunday morning, and a word spoken in truth and love from a dedicated Pastor may have on a young impressionable child. 

I still remember the pastors of my childhood and youth from the Tavares church...Pastor Ed Montfort, Rev. Dick Knight, and Pastor Randall Parsons.  They each played a significant part in my life...Pastor Montfort took me through confirmation and pronounced me a member of the church at the tender age of ten.  Rev. Knight encouraged our youth group and inspired us to reach out to our friends and invite them to MYF and to go to the MYF Camp in Leesburg. (of which I later became a summer youth counselor...my first "job"!)



Rev. Dick Knight - 1965  and
then below....at my sister Doris'
wedding in 1966-----




Our wedding, Aug. 16, 1969- Rev. Randall Parsons on far right with
Organist Louise Caldwell on far left, and soloist, Carolyn Parsons (Campbell) next to her!





































And then of course, Rev. Randall Parsons...came along in time to encourage me in my walk with Christ as a young woman preparing for marriage...and actually performed our wedding ceremony in the  "new church building" in 1969.

Thank you to Mrs. Bunny Rapalje for her faithful picture taking of almost every event of my life!!! Perhaps you will find yourself or one of your friends in some of these classic vintage pictures! 
VBS 1957
VBS - 1958

I have so many other memories...memories of Vacation Bible Schools...   and Sunday School classes and my efforts to earn my "perfect attendance" pins each year... My Sunday School teachers that I can remember were: Miss Marion Duncan, Mrs. Virginia Duncan, Mrs. Peggy Matthias...and I am sure there were a lot more. 
Sunday School 1957
Easter 1957

Easter Sundays with our funny little flowered hats, stiff petticoat dresses and new white patent leather shoes...

Easter Sunday 1958?

Children's Choir - 1958

And then there was the wonderful Children's Choir directed by Mrs. Venona Jones, a retired preacher's wife.

Church Christmas Party 1962, with Miss Tripp as our music teacher


Yes, these are just a few of my precious childhood memories from being a part of the First United Methodist Church of Tavares.  There are so many other thoughts, images, and convictions that became a part of my spiritual make-up as a result of these early positive influences.  

You see, one cannot simply sum up early Christian teaching in just one blog.  My life was so impacted by the people, the music, the preaching, the teaching, the youth groups, the Sunday School classes, the Vacation Bible Schools...that I went on to become a preacher's wife myself!  So much of what I learned at Tavares Methodist Church became an integral part of my spiritual growth and development...and God took those seeds, planted and caused them to grow and blossom into mature Christianity...a way of life and a Christ-centered relationship that I have shared with so many others throughout the years...only God knows for certain what impact and how far reaching those early impressions have made on the lives of those with whom I have been privileged to know.

Thank you, Members of Tavares First United Methodist Church, both old and new, for your part in the transformation of my life!  

May God continue to richly bless your church as it continues to follow in the footsteps of Jesus...the "Church at the Crossroads where the Cross Lights the Way..." (or something to that effect I recall was the theme when the church moved to its present location) 

P.S.:  I just found this little Sunday School pin in my very old jewelry box.  I am sure I must have had some others, and maybe even some for Perfect Attendance, but they are long gone.  But this one is a little treasure from my early days in Sunday School. So thankful for those memories:




20 comments:

  1. Those windows were always an inspiration to me too! I loved looking at them during the services. They made Jesus seem so real and present for me! Art and I were married in that original church, by Rev. Richard Knight. I have many wonderful memories of that church and it's people!

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  2. Hi Sis! Glad you found this...I just added your wedding picture above as well, to give a better picture of Rev. Knight and other happy people! Can you imagine what our life would have been like if we had never been a part of this church and community?

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  3. Pam, what a wonderful walk down "Memory Lane." Your God given gift of writing, documenting, dating, saving (hoarding) and preserving all these priceless momentos has been a blessing to us all. Tavares First UMC is proud to provide a link to your amazing blog. Congratulations on sucessfully pursuing your dream of writing. I look forward to many more post from my childhood friend. Love you always, R

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  4. Dear Rhonda...Thank you for your thoughts and words of encouragement...and for making it possible for me to share these memories with our "old friends". I am looking forward to looking further into the "looking glass" of "Memory Lane" and pulling up more special moments in time with you. I've been away from Tavares FUMC for almost 42 years...and yet it still seems like "home".

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  5. "Memories light the corners of my mind. Misty, water-colored memories, of the way we were...." by Barbra Streisand.

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    1. Amen! Precious Memories...how they linger...so thankful for what Jesus did for me and for you!!

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  6. Beautiful stained glass. Now that I'm older I understand that Holy Scripture about being in the Lord's House so much more.
    Wonderful photos. Those must bring back some sweet memories.
    It must be especially rewarding to grow up in Bible based Church and have a God-fearing family. Even though I didn't have that then at least I have that now for which I am so grateful. To God be the glory for healing this broken life and heart in Jesus' name.
    Blessings. xx

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    1. Thank you, Sparky. Yes, I am very thankful for the early experiences I had in Sunday School and church. And I was blessed to grow up in a Christian home. It may have given me a "head start" in my Christian life, but I still had to come to a point in my life and heart when I understood that I was a sinner who needed to repent and accept Christ's free gift of salvation. That did not happen until my teen years at church camp...and it is still an ongoing daily life of recognizing my need for a Savior. I am saved, but I still need to surrender my will daily. Praise God for His healing grace for you and for me. No matter when we accepted Christ, whether as a child or as an adult, the important thing is that we did, and now we have assurance of eternal life with Him in heaven. Praise God indeed!!

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  7. Beautifully written. I am so happy to read others' memories, to see them "protected" from loss by being on pages or the internet, because truly these memories can bless us in the present day and into the future. Who knows who might read them and find they strike a chord, are balm to a heart, and bring a smile or a tear? VBS is in full swing here...I hope memories as sweet as yours are being made for today's children, too.

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    1. Thank you, Holly. Yes, I love to share these memories because it is a way of chronicling not only my own history, but also the history of my town and hometown church. I think it is important for people to know also just how much Sunday School and church can impact a little child sitting there learning all about Jesus at an early age. We just never know who that child may become some day...could be the next "Billy Graham". I am happy to hear that you are already having VBS at your church. That is a wonderful ministry to children. Thank you so much!

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  8. Oh Pam, this gives me all the 'feels'! Precious photos, and my word, WHAT a fabulous memory for names! I'm sure I attended VBS, but have neither any memories nor photographic evidence. Even tho' our family didn't attend the Methodist Church, the time I spent in MYF were some of my happiest teen years.

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    1. We were blessed in our little small town church to have a lady who loved to photograph every single event, and her photos often made it to the local newspaper. And she shared her photos with the families of those who had children in the picture. So that is why I happen to have so many of these wonderful photos. "Bunny Rapalje" will always have a special place in my heart. She even took the pictures of our wedding. Always black and white, but at least we have the pictures... Those were indeed very special times. I am happy to know that you also attending MYF as a teen. It was a wonderful group to belong to.

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  9. Thanks, Pamela, for sharing these sweet memories with us. Blessings!

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    1. Thank you, Martha. They are, indeed, sweet memories of learning about Jesus and how much He loves me.

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  10. Good memories. I remember getting that new easter dress, hat, gloves, shoes and cute little socks.

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    1. Yes, Easter was always a special time of getting dressed up in our very best new outfit. We may not have understood the full significance of what we were "celebrating" at the time, but as we grew and matured in our relationship with Christ, we realized just how valuable those early childhood times of being in Sunday School really was to our overall concept of who God is and what He did for us. We were blessed to be able to experience that at so young of an age.

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  11. How wonderful to have all those memories and all the pictures to go along with the memories!! A treasure trove! I grew up going to MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship) and hold those memories close in my heart too. I have my Methodist membership pin in my jewelry box. I keep it safe for the same reason you have your Sunday School pin. Love it! xo

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    1. We were blessed to have those early memories and positive experiences in God's house, learning about the Savior Who loves us so much. Those formative years have helped to develop us into the sincere Christian women we are today. I am very thankful for those childhood/teen memories and blessings.

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  12. I enjoyed your post. It resinates with me so much. I too have such vivid images in my mind of church as a child. I even remember a classroom. It was probably my first classroom beyond a nursery setting where there was a table and chairs and a teacher. I was none too happy with my mom thinking she was going to drop me off there. We had just moved back from Germany to Columbus, Georgia. It was most likely our first visit to church there. I cried but I remember a picture on the wall with Jesus and the little children gathered around Him. I find it so odd that I remember that. I mean I HAD to be very young. It is funny how the things around us all play into our memories which in my case were precious memories of growing up knowing the Lord. Enjoyed the post. The photos are a blast from the past.

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    1. Thank you, Sandy, for sharing your precious memories of early Sunday School, and how the picture of Jesus with the little children comforted you when you were not so happy about being "dropped off there". We just don't realize how much those pictures and stories and loving teachers mean to little ones...their first impressions of Jesus and His church can be so crucial to how they grow and develop in His love and grace. It is a sobering thought to think about how much we, as adults, can influence a child into walking with Jesus...or not!

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