May 15, 1910 was a Sunday nearly 110 years ago. That day a gift was made to “The Baptist Church of Powhatan Courthouse,” a silver communion set. It was given by Mr. C. D. Wingfield, a relative of Dr. and Mrs. R. D. Tucker, who lived in “The Homestead,” the large home on the west side of Scottville Road close to the Courthouse. Our church had not yet taken the name “May Memorial,” and it was newly identified (by its own members) as a Baptist church. May Memorial started as an ecumenical church, meeting in the courthouse.
When Pastor Rudy Potter came to serve as May Memorial’s pastor he asked Mr. Sam Tilman, Maryvel Firda’s father, to build a small cabinet to hold the beautiful communion set, and it was placed in the narthex. I have noticed that communion set many times, but over the past few weeks it has been on my mind even more.
Since May Memorial has possessed that silver pitcher and chalices, our nation and world has had many trials and hardships. I have thought about it, and over the last 110 years May Memorial has experienced:
World War I
The Spanish Flu
The Great Depression
World War II
Hitler, Holocaust
Rationing to support the war effort
Korean War
1960’s with the assassinations of MLK, RFK, and JFK
Vietnam
9/11
Great Recession
And these are just the “big” things. There have been many other challenges that don’t fall on the radar of world events. And May Memorial has remained.
When COVID 19 is over, and another pastor is looking at the communion set given by C. D. Wingfield in the beautiful cabinet made by Sam Tilman, she or he will be able to add COVID 19 to that long list. (continued next page)
Our attitude is not “we’ve ‘always’ been here, we’ll ‘always’ be here.” But, “God continues to work in our community and world and we continue to be a part of what God is doing.” This does not mean that individual churches last forever, but churches live as long as God has a place for them in God’s work. And May Memorial continues to live in God’s mission in the world.
May Memorial has been Christ’s light through many difficult days, and it continues to be Christ’s light in our community. We have been forced (or called?) to learn new ways of being church, of connecting with each other, and of serving our community. We continue to “Connect to God, Each Other, and the World,” but in new and different ways. God has blessed us in these past 110 years, and God is continuing to bless us.
Stay strong. Be patient. Love one another. God is not done with us. This is not a time to “survive” but a time to follow God into new ways to serve and reach into our community.