OUR FIFTY YEARS AT KNOX

 

God saw a sinful little town,
Some fifty years ago,
But with thirteen charter members,
He knew a church could grow.

The work was started very small,
On Lake Street, in a store,
But this was just a starting place,
For God could see much more.

He sent a Shepherd that He knew,
On whom He could depend,
Her name was Rev. Hattie Ness,
A Pastor, Guide, and Friend.

Within a few short months it grew,
And we needed to expand,
So many friends and, family came,
To lend a helping hand.

On Bower Street, there was a house,
That God seemed to lead us to,
So after many hours of prayer,
We knew what we should do.

We had no money in the bank,
And the membership was small,
But we believed our faith in God,
Would see us through it all.

From that first remodeled house,
Our congregation grew,
But Satan had his bag of tricks,
He knew just what to do.

Sister Ness had cancer,
And could no longer preach,
Her daughter Norma, came to help,
With many souls to reach.

For while we worshiped in the house,
We had our record day,
I think it was two hundred four,
A close count anyway.

The house was filled to standing room,
The yard was filled up too,
We knew we needed much more room,
Though most were guests we knew.

From house we went to basement,
Then the first unit here,
The present sanctuary next,
Then classrooms did appear.

 

The basement drove us to our knees,
There was little comfort there,
The roof leaked badly when it rained,
With puddles everywhere.

We had to know just where to sit,
To protect our Sunday clothes,
Because the splinters on the pews,
Was death to panty hose.

But though the place was rather dark,
God always met us there,
And miracles were commonplace,
In answer to our prayer.

We planned to build upon the top,
But all our plans fell through,
But finally doors were opened up,
God showed us what to do.

We found this acreage south of town,
And a house already here,
And everything just fell in place,
God made it all so clear.

We didn't have the money,
But with faith and daily prayer,
The money came in week by week,
Sometimes we knew not where.

One time a jug of pennies,
Made a payment that was due,
Some overtime or raise in pay,
Would always help us through.

There came a time some years ago,
When we needed to expand,
Some members prayed and fasted,
And we traded off some land.

We'd held the land for several years,
It was just a field of weeds,
But God knew when the time was right,
And it helped supply our needs.

Ezekiel saw a whirlwind,
One day we saw one too,
It blew a sermon to the floor,
And blessed our pastor too.

God keeps His hand upon us,
Our angels hover near,
Once gas was used instead of oil,
But you see we still are here.

We had a fire some time ago,
But our service didn't stop,
For thanks to Lee and Carol Back,
We worshiped in their shop.

We've had a lot of pastors,
I hope I can recall,
Ness, and Barnes and Minix,
McCubbin and McGraw.

Bynum. Edwards. Kessler,
Davenport and Edgar Ray,
Jack Martin and McGuffy,
Dittmer. Potts and Craig today.

We had fill-in preachers also,
Jefferies first, and Barr and Hall,
Sometimes College students,
But their names I don't recall.

But God never failed to be there,
There was Starnes a month or two,
And brother Tow would fill the gap,
For he would bring the message too.

We couldn't pay our pastors much,
They found other work to do,
Factory work and teachers,
Care takers, Santa too.

Students and iron workers,
And one bought walnut trees,
One finished walls, two drove a bus,
And one repaired TV's.

God's been faithful to our youth,
And called them as they pray,
Some are faithful laymen,
Some preach the Word today.

Our congregation seems to change,
As we go from year to year,
But I'm glad this celebration,
Has brought familiar faces here.

Fifty years has come and gone,
As we meet here today,
But the fellowship and love we share,
I pray will always stay.

May God keep His hand upon us all,
And draw us to His side,
So will be together once again,
When we meet as Jesus' Bride.

AUTHOR: Margaret Shankland 1999