1 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:25,200 Here's the story of Pilgrim Rest Baptist Church, and its founder 2 00:00:25,380 --> 00:00:30,300 Elick Patterson. This story is told by Rachel Patterson, widow 3 00:00:30,420 --> 00:00:34,170 of the late Reverend Elick Patterson, they both were raised 4 00:00:34,170 --> 00:00:37,950 with strong Christian values and come from a small town called 5 00:00:38,190 --> 00:00:42,420 Ackerman, Mississippi. After almost 10 years of marriage 6 00:00:42,810 --> 00:00:46,470 Elick Patterson decided that he wanted a different life for his 7 00:00:46,470 --> 00:00:50,910 family. In the 1950s, he relocated his family to 8 00:00:50,910 --> 00:00:56,070 Waterloo, Iowa, and worked at John Deere company. As devoted 9 00:00:56,070 --> 00:01:00,210 Christians. They quickly search for a spiritual home and joined 10 00:01:00,330 --> 00:01:04,320 a local church. Several years later, Elick Patterson was 11 00:01:04,320 --> 00:01:08,400 called into preaching. And he built Pilgrim Rest Baptist 12 00:01:08,400 --> 00:01:11,460 Church in Waterloo, Miss Patterson tells of the 13 00:01:11,460 --> 00:01:15,420 challenges and the joy that came with building the church and 14 00:01:15,420 --> 00:01:18,750 watching it grow. When and where were you born? 15 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:20,310 I born in Mississippi, 16 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:21,630 Mississippi. 17 00:01:22,140 --> 00:01:23,040 1919 18 00:01:23,700 --> 00:01:24,750 Where at in Mississippi? 19 00:01:24,900 --> 00:01:25,440 Ackerman. 20 00:01:25,500 --> 00:01:31,110 Ackerman. Okay. What was? What was life like for you in 21 00:01:31,110 --> 00:01:34,710 Mississippi? As a young girl coming up in Ackerman? 22 00:01:36,360 --> 00:01:37,410 What was life like? 23 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:40,450 What was it like? Did you guys live in a farm? Or did you live 24 00:01:40,450 --> 00:01:40,960 in the city? 25 00:01:41,140 --> 00:01:42,280 We lived on a farm. 26 00:01:42,460 --> 00:01:42,970 Okay. 27 00:01:43,360 --> 00:01:53,410 My father's farm. My grandparents passed. And my 28 00:01:53,410 --> 00:01:59,200 father, my uncle, two of my uncles, they divided the land 29 00:01:59,200 --> 00:02:00,220 between the three. 30 00:02:01,090 --> 00:02:01,540 Okay. 31 00:02:02,050 --> 00:02:08,620 And being doing that, we didn't have a lot of land. But we 32 00:02:08,620 --> 00:02:12,700 rented land from other people and some white people close to 33 00:02:12,700 --> 00:02:14,230 us, and we rented land from them. 34 00:02:14,290 --> 00:02:15,250 Okay. All right, 35 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:18,960 Because we had a big family. And that's what we did, we farmed. 36 00:02:20,130 --> 00:02:25,110 My parents did all the stuff around the house, we didn't have 37 00:02:25,110 --> 00:02:27,930 to buy nothing much. We canned and cooked and done all this 38 00:02:27,930 --> 00:02:30,600 stuff. We raised beef and chickens and stuff. 39 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:35,650 I just come up feeling good, I've been good all my life I've 40 00:02:31,230 --> 00:02:31,500 Okay, 41 00:02:35,650 --> 00:02:40,000 had what I needed all my life. So it's just been it's been 42 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:40,570 really great. 43 00:02:41,470 --> 00:02:43,690 He would clearly leave his mark on you, clearly, 44 00:02:43,900 --> 00:02:44,740 absolutely 45 00:02:44,800 --> 00:02:49,510 in the way of how you would go on. Because I know eventually 46 00:02:49,510 --> 00:02:53,890 you would marry a pastor, a man who would become a pastor 47 00:02:53,890 --> 00:02:54,100 Yeah, right. 48 00:02:54,000 --> 00:03:11,850 He just kept coming around, coming around. And everybody 49 00:02:54,090 --> 00:02:57,743 would be in the ministry. Get his own church, things like 50 00:02:57,807 --> 00:03:01,717 that. Similar to your father. Tell me, you know, when you met 51 00:03:01,781 --> 00:03:05,883 where you met, when you met that first day, if you can remember. 52 00:03:05,947 --> 00:03:08,640 You know, what was it like? What happened? 53 00:03:11,850 --> 00:03:15,360 said, "That's a good boy. That's a good boy", you know? And I got 54 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:19,530 to think. So we just hooked up. 55 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:23,250 Eventually you gave in to his determination. 56 00:03:23,250 --> 00:03:23,550 Yeah. Yeah. 57 00:03:23,580 --> 00:03:24,630 He was determined. 58 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:27,840 Yeah, he was determined. And he had carried, went and picked up 59 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:32,340 my dad from his one of his churches. And we was coming back 60 00:03:32,340 --> 00:03:36,540 home and the car had stopped, and we come back home. And 61 00:03:36,630 --> 00:03:40,050 because he'd asked me to marry him and never done, I've been 62 00:03:40,050 --> 00:03:45,240 going way up past this little thing is okay. And so he said, 63 00:03:46,260 --> 00:03:53,790 he said, I like to, he said, would, I can I ask your father, 64 00:03:53,790 --> 00:03:57,360 can I marry you? I said I don't care what you do. You know, we 65 00:03:57,360 --> 00:04:00,120 had kinda got to where we liking each other. 66 00:04:00,300 --> 00:04:00,750 Okay, 67 00:04:00,810 --> 00:04:04,530 even just one side at once, awhile. But we got to liking 68 00:04:04,530 --> 00:04:11,040 with each other. So he he asked him probably give him a lecture. 69 00:04:11,820 --> 00:04:15,870 He's I'm not given no yes, not yet. He went and asked Mama, 70 00:04:15,870 --> 00:04:20,640 Mama just got all "No! You can't marry that girl!". No. So I 71 00:04:20,640 --> 00:04:25,440 don't know. It worked out, worked out. But we did vmarry. 72 00:04:26,070 --> 00:04:27,240 Good. Good. 73 00:04:27,270 --> 00:04:28,530 63 years of it. 74 00:04:28,840 --> 00:04:35,650 63 years. Good. Very good. Yeah. Tell me so now here you are. You 75 00:04:35,650 --> 00:04:39,550 would get married and Mississippi. And and eventually 76 00:04:40,300 --> 00:04:44,410 you would make a decision to move to Waterloo. Tell me about 77 00:04:44,410 --> 00:04:48,190 that, what would happen. Why do you why would you, why would you 78 00:04:48,190 --> 00:04:50,110 come to Waterloo. Tell me about that. 79 00:04:50,470 --> 00:04:55,420 The reason I come to Waterloo. We, I had a sister here before I 80 00:04:55,420 --> 00:04:59,320 came, and cousins and different things and they talked about the 81 00:04:59,320 --> 00:05:08,680 jobs and all the stuff they head here in our and he sat down he, 82 00:05:08,710 --> 00:05:14,020 we talked about it he said don't to think we could have better 83 00:05:14,020 --> 00:05:21,460 living way they talk about so yeah. And we had four kids. So 84 00:05:21,460 --> 00:05:30,550 he, he left. He came here before I did and got a good job, had 85 00:05:30,550 --> 00:05:38,590 the job the next day he came in stayed in this, I can't think of 86 00:05:38,590 --> 00:05:40,720 it. But anyway, 87 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:42,010 He came by train, 88 00:05:40,000 --> 00:05:43,360 Because he came by train, is that right? He came by train, 89 00:05:44,260 --> 00:05:44,680 okay, 90 00:05:44,860 --> 00:05:51,940 here, he came by train. And he spent the night in the what you 91 00:05:51,940 --> 00:05:52,210 call it? 92 00:05:52,330 --> 00:05:53,140 Train station. 93 00:05:53,140 --> 00:05:53,950 Yeah, train station. 94 00:05:53,950 --> 00:05:54,340 Okay. 95 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:57,750 He spent the night in train station. And that next morning, 96 00:05:57,750 --> 00:06:06,120 he got up went to the Deere's. Before he went to my sister's. 97 00:06:06,120 --> 00:06:11,310 That's where you gonna stay with it until we got our place. So he 98 00:06:11,310 --> 00:06:15,870 left the train station went to Deere's, got a job on the spot. 99 00:06:16,890 --> 00:06:21,750 Then he came back to my sisters. And that's where he stayed about 100 00:06:21,750 --> 00:06:23,490 three or four weeks before I came. 101 00:06:23,940 --> 00:06:27,210 So what year was it about when you would come? You and the four 102 00:06:27,210 --> 00:06:29,940 children? We would leave Mississippi and join your 103 00:06:29,940 --> 00:06:33,270 husband in Waterloo. What year was that about? 104 00:06:33,390 --> 00:06:39,960 I think it must have been '44, I think, 40 something, I can't, I 105 00:06:39,960 --> 00:06:43,140 can't just remember what, it was in the 40s. 106 00:06:43,260 --> 00:06:44,940 Okay, mid 40's, 1940s? 107 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:48,140 Yeah, it was in '40s, early 40s. When we when we came. 108 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:52,550 He would meet a very interesting fellow at the train station. Is 109 00:06:52,550 --> 00:06:54,530 that right? But that, was his name? 110 00:06:54,000 --> 00:07:01,470 I had his name right in my mind, it was Roosevelt Taylor 111 00:07:01,500 --> 00:07:01,950 okay. 112 00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:05,910 And he'll never forget, he would never forget him. He always and 113 00:07:05,910 --> 00:07:07,200 Roosevelt don't ever forget. 114 00:07:07,480 --> 00:07:10,600 And so now you're here. You're here in Waterloo. Your husband 115 00:07:10,600 --> 00:07:11,830 is working at John Deere. 116 00:07:11,920 --> 00:07:12,460 Yeah. 117 00:07:12,910 --> 00:07:15,130 What is he doing there for employment? 118 00:07:16,510 --> 00:07:17,530 What was he doing? 119 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:22,090 Yes, yes. Or what would he retire as shall I say, was in 120 00:07:22,090 --> 00:07:23,170 the Foundry, was he? 121 00:07:23,440 --> 00:07:26,620 Oh, he's out of the foundry before he got that good. He they 122 00:07:26,620 --> 00:07:29,140 were needing people so bad, and I was glad he got out of it. 123 00:07:29,530 --> 00:07:30,040 Okay, 124 00:07:30,100 --> 00:07:34,810 but I done forgot what job he had. But he wasn't in the 125 00:07:34,810 --> 00:07:40,090 foundry, okay. But he worked there at this job until he 126 00:07:40,090 --> 00:07:40,780 retired. 127 00:07:41,670 --> 00:07:44,970 Tell me about the revelation he would have as far as becoming a 128 00:07:44,970 --> 00:07:46,500 pastor himself. 129 00:07:46,690 --> 00:07:49,720 You want to know the revelation of him being called as a 130 00:07:49,720 --> 00:07:50,290 preacher? 131 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:51,760 called as a preacher, okay. 132 00:07:52,330 --> 00:07:56,290 But I'll never forget one Sunday morning. We're getting ready to 133 00:07:56,290 --> 00:08:03,970 go. And our car had stopped on us, broke down. And we'd call 134 00:08:03,970 --> 00:08:13,270 the cab to pick us up. And while we were waiting on the cab, I 135 00:08:13,270 --> 00:08:17,320 noticed that he was just kind of walking the floor like we was 136 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:24,010 already just kind of waiting on. And I didn't say nothing and he 137 00:08:24,010 --> 00:08:27,430 just kept walking the floor. And I didn't say anything. And in 138 00:08:27,430 --> 00:08:32,140 just about 15 minutes, I turned around. I heard something, boom! 139 00:08:34,820 --> 00:08:42,440 And that was the Bible. He threw the Bible on the floor. And I 140 00:08:42,440 --> 00:08:47,210 tell you that that got me. I picked up to bible, and I said, 141 00:08:47,870 --> 00:08:51,560 what in the world is wrong? What's wrong? What's wrong? He 142 00:08:51,560 --> 00:08:58,880 said I don't know the Lord on call me preach. I said well 143 00:08:58,880 --> 00:09:04,880 what you throwing the bible? I don't know. And he's a what do 144 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:09,800 you what do you think? I said, wait a minute. I said I'm not 145 00:09:09,800 --> 00:09:15,440 God. I say you said God called you, I say I'm not God. And I 146 00:09:15,440 --> 00:09:19,610 said I have no say in that, as you said God call you I didn't 147 00:09:19,610 --> 00:09:26,090 call you. And so he picked up the Bible and by the time a car 148 00:09:26,090 --> 00:09:31,010 was there and we went on to church. We went a whole year 149 00:09:31,010 --> 00:09:35,210 though when they call he went a whole year not giving him my 150 00:09:35,210 --> 00:09:41,000 answer about I'm going to do a church. You know I'm gonna start 151 00:09:41,000 --> 00:09:44,990 a church. Reverend, you need to start a church so we can have 152 00:09:44,990 --> 00:09:49,100 some prayer. We ain't got no church on we did. And so about a 153 00:09:49,100 --> 00:09:53,810 year pass, and he said I'll let you know. And then he said, I'm 154 00:09:53,810 --> 00:09:57,920 ready. And when he said that, people began to come all over. 155 00:10:00,080 --> 00:10:02,810 And so were you in, you're in a church, you're doing good. So 156 00:10:02,810 --> 00:10:06,110 I'm in that church doing good. That's why, you know, we won't 157 00:10:06,140 --> 00:10:10,550 we want this. And that's how it got started. He, I mean, how the 158 00:10:10,550 --> 00:10:15,680 church started. And so we stayed in our house. And I never forget 159 00:10:15,680 --> 00:10:21,290 it. We carried $500 from that house, to the storefront. 160 00:10:21,920 --> 00:10:22,490 Okay, 161 00:10:22,700 --> 00:10:26,660 We ran the storefront. We rented a storefront, 162 00:10:26,690 --> 00:10:27,110 okay, 163 00:10:27,000 --> 00:10:32,790 there on Alma street, I mean, North Barker. Every day, he 164 00:10:32,790 --> 00:10:38,370 would go up, then look around, look around, look around. And so 165 00:10:38,520 --> 00:10:43,260 then he started telling them, so we need to get a building or 166 00:10:43,260 --> 00:10:48,930 something. And this woman was giving up her store. And so we 167 00:10:48,930 --> 00:10:52,020 got that building, and stayed there until we got where we are 168 00:10:52,020 --> 00:10:52,410 now. 169 00:10:53,070 --> 00:10:57,720 There has to be all this, this energy and excitement. You know, 170 00:10:57,750 --> 00:11:00,930 your husband says to you, you know, we're gonna build a 171 00:11:00,930 --> 00:11:05,250 church. I mean, this is not a small project, right? By any 172 00:11:05,250 --> 00:11:06,690 means. Right? Right. 173 00:11:07,380 --> 00:11:11,400 People, God was in the plan all the way because the people never 174 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:14,610 backed down. They just doing this and doing this and I tell 175 00:11:14,610 --> 00:11:16,680 ya, God was in the plan. 176 00:11:17,040 --> 00:11:19,440 What was going through you because I mean, you had to feel 177 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:22,680 some pressure when he said this. You know, what were you thinking 178 00:11:22,680 --> 00:11:26,070 at this point in time you saying to build a church? What were you 179 00:11:26,070 --> 00:11:26,490 thinking? 180 00:11:26,820 --> 00:11:28,890 Thinking like he was thinking, we can do it. 181 00:11:28,920 --> 00:11:30,990 We can do it? Oh, okay. All right, 182 00:11:31,050 --> 00:11:31,770 We can do it. 183 00:11:32,070 --> 00:11:32,580 Okay. 184 00:11:32,850 --> 00:11:35,730 And not only can't can't we can do it, we did it. 185 00:11:35,820 --> 00:11:37,680 You were there to support him through the process. 186 00:11:37,650 --> 00:11:38,640 200% 187 00:11:38,700 --> 00:11:41,820 The building of the church, you were in fact, what was your role 188 00:11:41,820 --> 00:11:43,440 in that? How did you help him? 189 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:47,350 He was still working at that time. And most of the men at the 190 00:11:47,350 --> 00:11:52,870 church they were still working and, and the women, too, a lot 191 00:11:52,870 --> 00:11:57,160 of the women. So it was all left up to me. It was all left up to 192 00:11:57,160 --> 00:12:01,780 me you know to, and and I was there Johnny on the spot every 193 00:12:01,780 --> 00:12:05,020 time the move I was there and if something they needed they call 194 00:12:05,020 --> 00:12:07,420 me you know, the contact the people. 195 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:11,650 Okay, so the church up. Okay, you have the mortgage and 196 00:12:11,650 --> 00:12:14,680 everything, things are going really well. Let's let's talk a 197 00:12:14,680 --> 00:12:20,860 little bit about the church. And and let's talk about the choir 198 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:25,750 of the church. Who you know what, what what are you what are 199 00:12:25,750 --> 00:12:29,590 your feelings on the choir? What? What is special about your 200 00:12:29,590 --> 00:12:36,160 choir? What makes Pilgrim Baptist Church choir unique or 201 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:37,450 different than any other choir? 202 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:44,970 The special about Pilgrim Rest's choir, it's the best choir in Waterloo. 203 00:12:44,000 --> 00:12:44,360 Okay? [laughing] 204 00:12:44,960 --> 00:12:45,380 Okay. 205 00:12:47,820 --> 00:12:57,090 Extra special, right? No, I tell you, I love our choir love that 206 00:12:57,090 --> 00:12:59,640 pianist. She'd been there ever since the church being there. 207 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:03,210 And she's been there and she just does a great job. And, and 208 00:13:01,190 --> 00:13:04,640 And that's, that's the important part. You know, you get you get 209 00:13:03,210 --> 00:13:04,440 she she can sing too. 210 00:13:04,640 --> 00:13:08,600 a pianist that, maybe she didn't play good, but she can't sing, 211 00:13:08,780 --> 00:13:13,820 but this this girl can sing, she can sing. And I just dearly love 212 00:13:13,820 --> 00:13:19,970 the choir. Miracles are good, too. But that choir, just, it's 213 00:13:19,970 --> 00:13:22,100 the best. I love it. 214 00:13:22,420 --> 00:13:25,570 Now you have this new church. Okay, you got this new church? 215 00:13:25,750 --> 00:13:29,950 How is your husband selling it? Selling it in the sense that he 216 00:13:29,950 --> 00:13:32,890 needs you know, he's recruiting and things like that? Or I 217 00:13:32,890 --> 00:13:36,850 should say recruiting? Is that the right word? He is seeking 218 00:13:36,850 --> 00:13:41,860 more members. You know, because the church is bigger, and you 219 00:13:41,860 --> 00:13:44,500 guys can grow obviously, because you have more space now. 220 00:13:44,690 --> 00:13:50,840 We recruit people. It's to let them know that God is alive and 221 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:51,980 they can accept Christ and live, or they can, you know, not. And 222 00:13:51,980 --> 00:14:02,540 so we this is this is what 90% of the time what we do we try to 223 00:14:02,540 --> 00:14:08,420 recruit people into so they are salvation or strengthening the 224 00:14:08,420 --> 00:14:13,280 word or whatever. And this is this our motto. And now I got 225 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:17,900 some friends that they just think want a number. Okay, and 226 00:14:17,900 --> 00:14:22,370 see, but you know what, that's their business, but I was a just 227 00:14:22,370 --> 00:14:23,060 a little different. 228 00:14:23,000 --> 00:14:28,220 Tell me a little bit about yeah, I think it's interesting. The 229 00:14:28,220 --> 00:14:32,540 style show that you would have. How did your husband get that 230 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:33,320 What we would do since they like Palace, they get the spring 231 00:14:32,540 --> 00:14:32,990 going? 232 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:45,900 A dress store, or get the spring stuff or whatever, we get two or 233 00:14:33,320 --> 00:14:33,500 stuff in. 234 00:14:33,530 --> 00:14:33,620 Okay. 235 00:14:45,900 --> 00:14:52,710 three. And we would get that the early stuff out for the spring 236 00:14:52,710 --> 00:14:58,110 like, in the fall or fall spring and fall. And then let us have 237 00:14:58,110 --> 00:15:05,910 them you know, and And we would set up like a thing. I mean, put 238 00:15:05,910 --> 00:15:10,470 it advertised, we advertised, we have a style show. And you 239 00:15:10,470 --> 00:15:14,430 didn't have to be a member of the church to model. You could 240 00:15:14,880 --> 00:15:19,260 be in your church if you wanted to model some our clothes. And 241 00:15:20,610 --> 00:15:25,260 we chose a model, the model of men, we chose a model to model, 242 00:15:25,290 --> 00:15:30,720 we chose model to model, the women. And one time we had the 243 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:34,200 little children, little hats and pocket books and stuff like 244 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:39,000 that. But it was beautiful. It was beautiful. And the men 245 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:41,580 enjoyed it, you know, they put on them half price suits and 246 00:15:41,580 --> 00:15:47,040 strutting around, it was really nice and of course, we had we 247 00:15:47,040 --> 00:15:50,520 had meals to you know, they could buy their lunch and 248 00:15:50,550 --> 00:15:55,560 dinner, whatever. But I thought it was really, really nice, but 249 00:15:55,560 --> 00:15:59,400 we just kind of went away from being away from that. But the 250 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:02,640 style show was good. And some of the men when they seen that, 251 00:16:02,730 --> 00:16:05,460 they bought it. I mean, they didn't buy it for us, but they 252 00:16:05,460 --> 00:16:08,310 went downtown and they bought some stuff. And a lot of people, 253 00:16:08,310 --> 00:16:10,650 a lot of the church people and a lot of the people in the street, 254 00:16:10,650 --> 00:16:13,770 they come in and we made some good money on that. 255 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:17,190 A number of other fundraisers that you would have to help 256 00:16:17,190 --> 00:16:19,800 support the church and you continue to spread your message. 257 00:16:20,760 --> 00:16:23,490 What, also I know you'd have like a spring banquet, you have 258 00:16:24,150 --> 00:16:29,040 a spring banquet. And the theme of that was really interesting 259 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:33,300 to me. It was it was focused on community building. It was one 260 00:16:33,300 --> 00:16:35,370 of one of your one of your spring banquets. That was one 261 00:16:35,370 --> 00:16:35,550 the things. 262 00:16:35,550 --> 00:16:37,320 There, where were we had several. 263 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:41,050 What's, I know you had people like chief Bernie Kierson come 264 00:16:41,050 --> 00:16:44,170 in and speak, and stuff like that, other leaders in the 265 00:16:44,170 --> 00:16:48,520 community like Lou Porter, Jimmy Porter, stuff like that. 266 00:16:48,550 --> 00:16:52,360 We're gonna have the mayor here tonight. So y'all, y'all get 267 00:16:52,360 --> 00:16:56,470 ready, we're gonna have a mayor here. And then people who turn 268 00:16:56,470 --> 00:17:00,940 out just to hear them, and we'd make good money. Because, you 269 00:17:00,940 --> 00:17:08,140 know, and we got speakers and speak veterans. But we, this is 270 00:17:08,140 --> 00:17:11,140 what you got to do. You got to get somebody that's gonna draw 271 00:17:11,980 --> 00:17:13,960 people in. And that's what we did. 272 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:17,230 What was your primary goal? And we've talked about community 273 00:17:17,230 --> 00:17:19,930 building, tell me a little bit about why community building 274 00:17:19,930 --> 00:17:23,020 what did the church feel this role was towards the community? 275 00:17:23,650 --> 00:17:29,110 Focus on the realness of Christianity. Okay, we focus on 276 00:17:29,110 --> 00:17:34,390 that, but our main focus, but like we said, we would do these 277 00:17:34,390 --> 00:17:37,840 banquets and all these kinds of things to help people to come in 278 00:17:37,840 --> 00:17:41,410 and, and they paid, you know, so much for a meal, okay, they get 279 00:17:41,410 --> 00:17:47,560 a meal. And, and many times we've had people to join not in, 280 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:49,930 but they'd come back that Sunday and join. 281 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:50,560 Ah, okay 282 00:17:50,590 --> 00:17:55,330 Yeah, stuff like that. And some of them was really sinners that 283 00:17:55,330 --> 00:17:59,560 had never, accepted God, and that was great. That was really 284 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:04,300 great. So that was one of the major things what we did in 285 00:18:04,510 --> 00:18:06,550 having these banquets and stuff like that. 286 00:18:06,700 --> 00:18:10,270 Okay, good. Now you have Women's Day. So I'm thinking about that. 287 00:18:11,920 --> 00:18:16,000 What is that, Women's Day? And what do you do? What do you do 288 00:18:16,150 --> 00:18:18,070 on that particular day? Why is it special? 289 00:18:18,540 --> 00:18:26,520 It is all women. We don't have women preacher. But we have a 290 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:31,080 speaker, or lady come and speak, whatever, you know she'd write a 291 00:18:31,080 --> 00:18:34,890 theme or whatever we give us, it was our theme and talk from the 292 00:18:34,890 --> 00:18:45,660 theme. But the main thing is, we would everything that day would 293 00:18:45,660 --> 00:18:51,030 be done by women. And that's why we'd call it the Women's Day. 294 00:18:51,240 --> 00:18:54,240 Give you a few examples of like one or two examples of what you 295 00:18:54,240 --> 00:18:59,130 guys did, that the men could not do or were relieved of their 296 00:18:59,130 --> 00:19:00,660 duties of doing, shall I say? 297 00:19:00,690 --> 00:19:05,460 Well, you say for instance, we don't have no Deacon women. The 298 00:19:05,460 --> 00:19:09,990 Deacon was women would function in the deacon step. Whatever the 299 00:19:09,990 --> 00:19:15,090 deacons was required to do for only each Sunday, the women 300 00:19:15,090 --> 00:19:20,580 would do that. As if they were the deacons. Okay. And so that's 301 00:19:20,580 --> 00:19:24,990 the only thing it is no big major thing. It's just switching 302 00:19:24,990 --> 00:19:29,550 places for a while. And so this is what we did we just, if the 303 00:19:29,550 --> 00:19:34,770 deacons would do the devotion, the men well, that Sunday they 304 00:19:34,770 --> 00:19:37,560 wouldn't do to devotion, it'd be the women doing the devotion or 305 00:19:37,560 --> 00:19:42,360 the devotion and whatever the, everything but the preacher, 306 00:19:43,440 --> 00:19:48,030 okay, and women did everything. So, and this is why they call it 307 00:19:48,060 --> 00:19:48,540 Women's Day. 308 00:19:48,540 --> 00:19:53,130 On your 50th anniversary. You and your husband would 309 00:19:53,160 --> 00:19:58,470 appropriately have the celebration at the church at the 310 00:19:58,470 --> 00:20:02,700 church. Describe that day, you know what it was like and what 311 00:20:02,700 --> 00:20:05,550 kind of happened, you know, the 50th anniversary, you know, you 312 00:20:05,550 --> 00:20:08,730 have the you guys have accomplished a lot at this 313 00:20:08,730 --> 00:20:11,400 point. So you have a lot to be proud for. You have the church 314 00:20:11,400 --> 00:20:15,000 before you, beautiful church. And then you have 50 years that 315 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:19,590 you've been together married. Describe your emotions that day. 316 00:20:19,590 --> 00:20:20,400 What was it like? 317 00:20:20,490 --> 00:20:23,610 Are they recognize us with so many plaques and different stuff 318 00:20:23,610 --> 00:20:32,520 like that? You know? I don't know. Just I don't know. I was 319 00:20:32,520 --> 00:20:35,190 in it. And so they just recognized us and you know, 320 00:20:35,460 --> 00:20:42,180 fifty years. It's 321 00:20:42,300 --> 00:20:43,050 Piece of cake, huh? 322 00:20:43,500 --> 00:20:44,400 I don't know. 323 00:20:44,400 --> 00:20:47,280 [laughing] A piece of cake, huh. 324 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:48,360 Yeah, yeah. 325 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:51,300 You made it look so easy. Make it sound so easy. That's a very 326 00:20:51,300 --> 00:20:57,120 difficult thing. Now. Tell me about the time capsule. I think 327 00:20:57,120 --> 00:21:00,420 this is interesting is the first time I've ever seen that done 328 00:21:00,420 --> 00:21:04,080 before I was going through your photographs. And you you know, 329 00:21:04,080 --> 00:21:08,670 you have this event where they're going to the church and 330 00:21:09,360 --> 00:21:13,080 as a group of men, explain it to me explain that. Tell me about 331 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:14,340 that day. What was going on? 332 00:21:15,030 --> 00:21:19,800 We had several men, we had several men from different 333 00:21:19,830 --> 00:21:27,600 churches, they would cut a block out of the church. I think when 334 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:31,770 they left this church, I think when they finished this church, 335 00:21:32,070 --> 00:21:37,050 I'm not sure. I think they left that. Without it being sealed. 336 00:21:37,050 --> 00:21:40,320 They left some blocks, but had to fit it in there. But I don't 337 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:41,160 think it was sealed, 338 00:21:41,430 --> 00:21:41,580 Okay. 339 00:21:41,550 --> 00:21:46,854 Because we was waiting on this major thing. And what they do, 340 00:21:46,941 --> 00:21:52,158 they took all of our names, my husband and mine, and all the 341 00:21:52,245 --> 00:21:57,028 children's names. And some sayings from each one. Some, 342 00:21:57,115 --> 00:22:02,245 something they will say, each one. And I don't know how the 343 00:22:02,332 --> 00:22:07,810 deacons we without I don't know how they did what they'd pass a 344 00:22:07,897 --> 00:22:12,941 piece to ever be for one, the deacons to put in the vault, 345 00:22:13,028 --> 00:22:18,158 whatever it was. And they put all this stuff just about the 346 00:22:18,245 --> 00:22:23,463 family, and my husband and I, and how the church got started 347 00:22:23,550 --> 00:22:28,854 getting all that. All of that in that opened place there, all 348 00:22:28,941 --> 00:22:34,245 that's in there. And when they put all of that in there, they 349 00:22:34,332 --> 00:22:39,550 have ceremony and all of that stuff, oh, and they seal that, 350 00:22:39,636 --> 00:22:45,028 put that back and then put the seal on the back and put on and 351 00:22:45,115 --> 00:22:50,680 you couldn't tell that ever been a brick out of there? You would 352 00:22:50,767 --> 00:22:55,984 know it, you see that number there, you can see that number. 353 00:22:55,280 --> 00:23:17,690 You know, I think it's a good concept was very important. I 354 00:22:56,071 --> 00:23:01,028 It's either you will see that number. And you will notice 355 00:23:01,115 --> 00:23:06,506 something there. But that's what it was. And they had service. 356 00:23:06,593 --> 00:23:11,550 They, they had started outside, then they come on inside. 357 00:23:17,690 --> 00:23:18,080 like it. 358 00:23:18,110 --> 00:23:22,670 Well it is. But they did it. All the men and they had on the 359 00:23:22,790 --> 00:23:25,490 white aprons and stuff. I don't know what all that was for but 360 00:23:25,670 --> 00:23:28,340 they had on the apron. And it was a beautiful ceremony. 361 00:23:28,490 --> 00:23:33,020 It's always a joyous occasion, when you take on an expense, 362 00:23:33,740 --> 00:23:34,640 such as the church, 363 00:23:34,670 --> 00:23:35,030 yeah. 364 00:23:35,450 --> 00:23:39,770 50 plus thousand dollars. That's a lot of money. And, you know, 365 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:43,220 eventually, you know, that day would come where it's paid off. 366 00:23:43,220 --> 00:23:43,250 [laughing] 367 00:23:44,300 --> 00:23:45,260 Yeah, 368 00:23:45,260 --> 00:23:47,870 and you know, and you would and your church would get to that 369 00:23:47,870 --> 00:23:51,380 point. You would call it the mortgage burning. 370 00:23:51,950 --> 00:23:52,490 That's what we had. 371 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:57,430 An event ceremony. Describe that, the emotions, describe 372 00:23:57,430 --> 00:24:00,160 that day. What was it like and what did you guys do to 373 00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:03,250 celebrate that that goal that accomplishment? 374 00:24:03,119 --> 00:24:09,100 Most glorious day, most glorious day! We had people from out of 375 00:24:06,870 --> 00:24:38,220 Yeah, you marched from there to when you say here, what, to the 376 00:24:09,195 --> 00:24:14,321 town, we had a couple of churches from out of town and 377 00:24:14,416 --> 00:24:20,398 Des Moines and Illinois, we had them. And, oh, I tell you this, 378 00:24:20,493 --> 00:24:26,284 just to burn the mortgage on 411 Alma, where we lived, that's 379 00:24:26,379 --> 00:24:32,455 where we lived. We marched from there, here. You know where Alma 380 00:24:32,550 --> 00:24:34,829 Street is in Waterloo? . 381 00:24:38,220 --> 00:24:38,580 church? 382 00:24:38,630 --> 00:24:43,760 I mean to church. I'm like I'm in church. Yeah, from here to 383 00:24:43,760 --> 00:24:47,180 the church, that we burnt the mortgage down here. We didn't 384 00:24:47,180 --> 00:24:52,160 burn the mortgage there, burnt the mortgage out here. But that 385 00:24:52,160 --> 00:24:59,450 is the most glorious time that you could have you think about 386 00:25:00,230 --> 00:25:03,140 this building, you put this building up and we paying on 387 00:25:03,140 --> 00:25:05,990 this building, we paying on this building, and we paying on this 388 00:25:05,990 --> 00:25:10,130 building. And then there's a day coming, that we can pay it off. 389 00:25:11,060 --> 00:25:14,840 And when we paid, paid the bill off and didn't have the bill of 390 00:25:14,840 --> 00:25:18,950 the church, that's what's called joy. That's a beautiful day, 391 00:25:19,010 --> 00:25:24,470 when you take have that clean, clear. We don't want no more. 392 00:25:24,710 --> 00:25:28,340 And it was just grand. We burned the mortgage. And we just had 393 00:25:28,340 --> 00:25:31,880 such a glorious time just thinking about we don't owe 394 00:25:31,880 --> 00:25:36,110 nothing on this building. Nothing on this building. It 395 00:25:36,110 --> 00:25:40,580 just, and some time we pay insurance for two years, right 396 00:25:40,580 --> 00:25:43,490 that we pay insurance on two years insurance, I mean that, 397 00:25:43,610 --> 00:25:44,840 for advance. 398 00:25:44,000 --> 00:25:48,740 He has built the church, his leadership, his presence was 399 00:25:48,740 --> 00:25:56,360 there. He clearly demonstrates that he is a pastor, a preacher 400 00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:58,790 who can lead his congregation 401 00:25:58,850 --> 00:25:59,300 Right. 402 00:25:59,300 --> 00:26:05,330 Yeah, he can lead his congregation. He would die, he 403 00:26:05,330 --> 00:26:10,580 would pass he would pass from natural causes. Okay. And now 404 00:26:10,580 --> 00:26:13,520 would you would you when the church would suffer a loss like 405 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:17,600 that? You will suffer a loss like that. That transition is 406 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:19,700 always difficult, was always difficult. 407 00:26:19,700 --> 00:26:20,030 Yeah. 408 00:26:20,870 --> 00:26:24,770 With his power and his guidance, leading the people to have a 409 00:26:24,770 --> 00:26:25,910 strong sense of direction, 410 00:26:25,940 --> 00:26:26,300 right, 411 00:26:26,300 --> 00:26:31,070 and to have somebody they can depend on. Describe, you know, 412 00:26:31,100 --> 00:26:37,340 that process, the process from, the process of finding or 413 00:26:37,340 --> 00:26:41,690 identifying another leader, another pastor of the church. 414 00:26:43,100 --> 00:26:46,070 How long would that take to do that? And who would eventually, 415 00:26:46,580 --> 00:26:49,940 who would eventually take over? 416 00:26:49,000 --> 00:26:54,940 But we got a nice young guy, nice young guy. He's really nice 417 00:26:54,940 --> 00:26:59,980 and young. And and another thing he'll listen. He know I'm 200 418 00:27:00,010 --> 00:27:01,360 years old, he listened to me. 419 00:27:01,600 --> 00:27:02,710 He knows you're 200 years. 420 00:27:04,390 --> 00:27:08,620 So he's real nice guy. Good preacher. Good Preacher. Good 421 00:27:08,620 --> 00:27:09,010 preacher. 422 00:27:09,070 --> 00:27:09,520 What's his name? 423 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:10,240 Reverend Caldwell, 424 00:27:10,300 --> 00:27:10,810 okay. 425 00:27:12,130 --> 00:27:16,780 And I said, you just looked at that how God was in the plan. I 426 00:27:16,780 --> 00:27:19,660 said he wasn't supposed to go down to Union. I said, I don't 427 00:27:19,660 --> 00:27:21,730 care what the man said, but he wasn't supposed to go down to 428 00:27:21,730 --> 00:27:28,150 here. And so he came here, we said, and I said, Would you like 429 00:27:28,150 --> 00:27:34,240 to? He said, Yeah, I like to peach. I said well that you I 430 00:27:34,240 --> 00:27:37,480 heard the deacons talking about you. I said now, if you like it, 431 00:27:37,480 --> 00:27:44,260 you tell them you like it here. So he talked to him. And so 432 00:27:44,950 --> 00:27:48,820 later on he was talking about voting for a pastor vote for a 433 00:27:48,820 --> 00:27:55,300 pastor and someone said how many hats in the rings? I don't know. 434 00:27:55,390 --> 00:27:58,990 Well I think it's three hats in the ring. And he was standing up 435 00:27:58,990 --> 00:28:03,280 there, looking. I went up there to him, I act like his mama. 436 00:28:03,280 --> 00:28:04,780 Okay, okay. 437 00:28:04,930 --> 00:28:07,960 I went, I went to I said, listen. Is your hat in the ring? 438 00:28:08,500 --> 00:28:12,190 No, ma'am. I said get that hat in the ring! Anyway, she put it 439 00:28:12,190 --> 00:28:13,540 in there. There he is. 440 00:28:13,630 --> 00:28:16,090 And he's here today. We have Reverend Caldwell he's running 441 00:28:16,090 --> 00:28:16,840 the church now. 442 00:28:17,710 --> 00:28:19,210 Yeah, he do a good job, good job. 443 00:28:19,330 --> 00:28:25,270 Excellent. Now let's talk about this. Let's talk a little about 444 00:28:25,270 --> 00:28:28,780 yourself. Now here you are, strong in the church, still 445 00:28:28,780 --> 00:28:29,770 active in the church? 446 00:28:29,890 --> 00:28:30,250 Yep. 447 00:28:30,280 --> 00:28:31,990 Very strong presence in the church. 448 00:28:32,020 --> 00:28:32,350 Yep. 449 00:28:34,750 --> 00:28:39,580 You're in your golden years. What are you doing now? What are 450 00:28:39,580 --> 00:28:43,180 you doing? I know you're with the motherboard. Is that 451 00:28:43,180 --> 00:28:45,550 correct? What are some of the things that you're doing with 452 00:28:45,550 --> 00:28:46,060 them now? 453 00:28:46,840 --> 00:28:53,380 Well, we we visit to sick and shut-in and stuff like that. We 454 00:28:53,380 --> 00:28:56,620 go and check on people and, and stuff like that. And then we 455 00:28:56,620 --> 00:29:01,390 have our class and stuff like that. This is what we do. We go 456 00:29:01,390 --> 00:29:05,860 to the hospital, we go to your homes or whatnot. And now we 457 00:29:05,860 --> 00:29:09,760 splitting up the group, three go here, three go here if we got 458 00:29:09,760 --> 00:29:11,350 that many shut-in people, 459 00:29:11,410 --> 00:29:11,740 okay, 460 00:29:11,950 --> 00:29:16,540 [inaudible] like that. It's just something like we know we love 461 00:29:16,540 --> 00:29:19,120 you. And this is what we do. We just go around. 462 00:29:19,720 --> 00:29:24,010 But thank you very much for sharing your story with me. I 463 00:29:24,010 --> 00:29:27,040 appreciate it's been a pleasure sitting here talking to you. 464 00:29:27,150 --> 00:29:28,380 God bless you too.