the Grabers: Another Kansas Day Trip

I will finish blogging about my 5,000 mile trip, but first need to write about the "field trip" I took with friends Monday. My friend, Carolyn, from California told me that her friend, Cathy, purchased an old church building in Sylvia, Kansas. Here was the picture Cathy's sister, Jean posted on her Facebook page.

If you can't read the fine print, here is what it says "The year of our Lord, 1900, The United Methodists built a new church on Main Streeet in the town of Sylvia on the Kansas prairie. It was a thriving little town just off historic U.S. Highway 50 - the first coast-to-coast route through the heart of the continent. It is almost exactly half the way between Sacramento, California and Ocean City, Maryland."

Back in the early 1900's, Sylvia was the 3rd largest town in Reno county and prosperous, boasting a newspaper, a mill, 2 elevators, 3 lumber yards, a bank, a livery stable, hotel and train station! The population peaked at 634.

Today it is a little town of 246 about an hour west of where I live. Carolyn arranged it with her friends for me to visit! I asked if I could bring a few other friends and they said "Friends are great!" I told her we would bring lunch!

Evidently, when they put in an elevator, they added this addition.

We entered the main entrance that was still filled with boxes. Cathy is still in the process of moving things from California and Ohio.

When we walked in to the church, our mouths stood open in awe. Oh my!!

Jean began to tell us about this place and what the plans were.

We were told that all the stain-glass windows were donated by a local doctor in memory of his little girl, Emma, who died at age 10 (see the middle pane). I tried to find out how she died, but didn't find anything. I know back in those days, it was not uncommon for children to die young.

I originally thought they were going to convert this church into a home, but Jean told us that the plans are for this church to become a retreat center (think L'Abri) and community center. The side rooms will become libraries with bookcases on the walls (not covering the pretty windows of course!) The children's library will be called Emma's Corner or something like that.

They will name this place "The Windows on Main". Here are the banners that will be on the front.

Cathy joined us and they took us up the stairs to the choir loft.

The corners of the stairs have little metal plates. What detail!

Offering, church membership and salaries over the years. And the evaluation of the property.

There are 2 rooms upstairs that will be turned into guest rooms and a storage room will be turned into a bathroom with claw foot tub.

The basement will be where Cathy and her son live, plus the kitchen and eating area. There is still much work to be done, of course! There are plans for a possible dormitory-type setting.

A sketching of Cathy and Jean's mother. I love this!

Lunch time! We brought lunch so these two wonderful ladies wouldn't have to be bothered with that. They have lots to do!!

We loved hearing stories from the ladies about their life journey and how God led them to purchase this church. And how Cathy plans to use it for ministry, for His glory!