Stained Glass Windows or Sinners?

Balancing academics and life is no small feat, but my college journey was a tapestry woven with unique roles and unexpected opportunities. I juggled athletic and academic scholarships, kept order on a dormitory floor of unruly athletes, and preached sermons for small congregations to keep my educational dreams afloat. Each responsibility was a stepping stone, not just to financial stability, but to personal growth and community engagement. Listen as I share tales filled with humor and insight from these formative years, including the ingenious ways free pizza became the currency of peace.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Here for the memories thought-provoking audio memoir shorts filled with stories, humor, anecdotes and commentary on social, cultural, business and religious issues. Whatever Lyndon remembers and thinks will entertain, challenge and inform is a possible subject. The collection of memories about one's life allows for the development and refinement of a sense of self, including who one is, how one has changed and what one might be like in the future.

Speaker 2: 0:35

Greetings and salutations. This is Lyndon Wolfe and you have found here for the Memories, my audio memoir. I remind you, this is not a podcast. It is my story, a legacy for those that love me, for those that don't, and to leave something behind when I depart this planet.

Speaker 2: 0:57

Having to finance my undergraduate studies and I'm glad that was the case, by the way I had several ways beyond summer employment to fund my academic ineptitude. I had two partial scholarships, one academic and one athletic. I also received compensation as an RA, a resident assistant, due to being an athlete. I was placed on a dormitory floor filled with athletes and I quite honestly let them run amok unless there was some kind of complaint, and then I would beg their compliance and bribe them with free pizza. Another income stream was preaching. Carson-numan College, where I attended. Now Carson-Numan University had a ministerial association which I joined due to my pursuit of a minor in religion. They would often send students to small churches to be guest speakers and the congregation would reimburse the speaker through a love offering. My reputation as a speaker and the positive reports from churches where I spoke led to a consistent flow of opportunities and some small income. I had some amazingly wonderful and surprisingly unusual experiences on these Sunday journeys, but I could usually count on an after-church meal at one of the parishioners' homes. A home-cooked meal was a treasure and a real gastrobray. From the 21 times a week cafeteria food. One church had me a total of three times and it has a story that is worth telling. It was the First Baptist Church of Jonesboro, tennessee, the oldest city in the state and it's not too far from where I currently live.

Speaker 2: 2:37

Here's some history on the church. The Baptists were the first to have a meeting house in Washington County. First Baptist Church Jonesboro originated with the organizing of the Buffalo Ridge Church in 1779. However, it would be 1843 before the first permanent building was erected, a one-story building on the north side of Spring Street at South Lincoln Avenue. The congregation quickly outgrew the first building and in 1952, excuse me, in 1852, the existing church was built, built in the Greek revival style of architecture.

Speaker 2: 3:16

The sanctuary was remodeled in the 1890s and the original slave gallery was reworked. Yes, a slave gallery Located in the back of the sanctuary. A curtain shielded the congregants from viewing the slaves. When I spoke there, that section actually remained, but it was empty, of course, and without drapes. But that isn't the best part of the story, at least the most interesting part of the story. The church contained six unique stained glass windows crafted by an Italian artisan whose technique and style were admired worldwide. By an Italian artisan whose technique and style were admired worldwide. His methods, however, were a well-kept secret, a secret that he carried to his grave and that made the windows unquantifiably valuable. They, to this day, are insured for millions of dollars and are worth significantly more than the property and building itself.

Speaker 2: 4:11

Over the years, the little church had revivals, break out, increases in attendance and a shortage of room to accommodate the attendees. The rule of thumb is that if attendance exceeds 80 to 85 percent of capacity, attendance begins to decline, and that held true here. So every time the congregation flourished, the church faced a unique problem. The people are the windows. You see, insurance required the windows to remain unmoved, to in any way jeopardize their well-being, voided coverage. So on multiple occasions the church was brought to a place where someone someone you know the one crying in the wilderness, I guess would suggest the church vote on expansion to accommodate the crowds. But the property size didn't allow for it, without demolishing the existing facility and rebuilding, finding another property to build on while keeping the mother church in place wasn't financially feasible. So there there was the conflict the windows or the growth, stained glass or people? A few times the issue was escalated to a church vote. Division and polarization ensued in every case, and in every case the windows won the vote and the church's growth stalled. Today it probably doesn't look much different than it did 100 years ago, and the size of the congregation over time has diminished Sidebar.

Speaker 2: 5:43

I can do that, it's my memoir. This reminds me of the time some family members fundamentalist Baptist church was seeking to raise funds by having sponsors of the stained glass windows in the church. Members and businesses were solicited, much like you would, to help fund and support your kid's little league baseball team. Humored by the project, I called in and identified myself as the owner of the closest liquor store to the church. I said I wanted to sponsor all of the windows. Sadly, shockingly, my offer was politely declined. Okay, back to First Baptist Church of Jonesboro and the windows. What do you think about all that? Windows or growth, stained glass or people Insurance coverage or faith in moving the windows? What do you think they should have done? What would you have done? I'm Lyndon Wolfe and this is here for the Memories, so glad you joined. Come back and visit, and visit often, and please leave me a message and tell me what I could do differently or better. I might not necessarily follow your direction, but at least you will have spoken your mind.

Speaker 1: 6:48

God bless. Hello friends, If you appreciate the content and what it takes to create and deliver it, please consider a small contribution. Just go to buymeacoffeecom slash here for the memories. That's buymeacoffeecom slash here for the memories Much appreciated.