Why do the back pews fill first...one Pastor told us that people are afraid to be too close to God...the next Sunday a bunch of us started sitting in the front pews. There is safety in numbers...we sat in those front pews a number of years.
The alter cloth was a bit messy...I thought about straightening it...I did not. Sometimes life is not perfect. Jesus lead a perfect life for all of us sinners and gave his life for us.
I was an experience for me to visit this old church that my Great Grandfather built back in 1886. The church is in Annandale Minnesota in a Historical Park.
Far Side
Maybe we think the back shall be the front as we have read the first shall be last?
ReplyDeleteI love the photos of your family's church. Thank you for sharing them. Prayers on this Sunday.
ReplyDeleteThis is a lovely church!
ReplyDeletePeople sit at the back during weddings too. One funny thing I noticed when going to church was that everyone had "their" spots to sit in (there was about 100 of us). If someone dared to sit in the 'wrong' spot!
ReplyDeleteI didn't like sitting in front because I could feel all those eyes looking at the back of my head....I like to keep a low profile! LOL! I do love that church.
ReplyDeleteThis church is a wonderful piece of history for your family. It is wonderful that you were able to visit it. I'm sure your Great Grandfather was looking down on you and smiling when you were there. ; )
ReplyDeleteMost sit at the back in our church too. We sit at the front.
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful old church, and you're right about life not being perfect. I just hope to leave it a bit better than it was when I entered it. I sit in the front when I go to places that have pews. :-)
ReplyDeleteI used to sit at the back when my daughter was small...I could make a quick escape when needed. :)
ReplyDeleteThat church is lovely. I'm positive I've seen the name Annandale in my family history research. I must look for it again.
I have always sat in the front pew, or at least the second row. It was what my parents did when I was growing up, so it stuck with me. When Jerry and I began going to a different church in a city where we'd moved to, the first day we showed up, we were the only ones in the front row and there were 5 pew rows behind us empty. Eventually, folks began moving closer... they said it was so they could "to get to know that couple who came in and sat right down by Jesus." I always wondered why they felt that they couldn't do it on their own, you know? I love your little church built by your grandfather! What great family history! Blessings, Connie!
ReplyDeleteI would absolutely love to sit in the silence in your grandfathers church. It looks as if it would be so peaceful and a perfect place to have a conversations with the LORD.
ReplyDeleteOur church is pretty evenly spaced throughout. We all do tend to sit in the same general area each week. People are creatures of habit. (We sit near the front.)
Blessings,
Betsy
How neat to have a personal connection to the history of this beautiful old chapel!
ReplyDeleteIt looks like someone with kids let their child pull the cloth to the floor. I could see them walking off and not caring. I really enjoy your photos of that church. I know a close friend that sits in the front because she wants everybody see how great she looks with her fake blond hair.
ReplyDeleteFor our confirmation classes the whole class had to sit in the front pews so they could keep an eye on us, I thought. You can't whisper or pass notes or fall asleep in the front pews. ;)
ReplyDeleteI think the back ones fill first because people want to be the first out later, so they sit near the back to be near the exit. At least, that's how it appears to me all the times I've seen it when I've been in a church.
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