Saturday, August 01, 2009
Mount Moriah Baptist Church: God's house also a house of love
Dwindling membership is one of the biggest struggles that the more than 150-year-old church faces.
The Roanoke Times
File 2008 The Rev. Thomas Pleasant (from left), Willie Caldwell and Deacon Siles Witt reminisce about days gone by at Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Roanoke.
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It is one of Roanoke's oldest churches, and in recent years, it has endured vandals and its membership dwindling to as few as two people.
If you ask Juanita Berger, the assistant clerk, the Mount Moriah Baptist Church has survived on love since 1858.
"Each year it's getting better and better because the church is still going," Berger said. "I enjoy coming to be part of this historic place, and we may be small in numbers, but this church is filled with a lot of love."
Mount Moriah, nestled above a tree-lined lane off Orange Avenue in Northeast Roanoke, last Sunday celebrated its 151st anniversary. And as a church with only eight active members that is sustained mainly by community donations, it saw the outpouring of love it sees every anniversary.
About 140 people from area churches -- First Baptist Church and Shiloh Baptist Church among them -- packed the building for lunch of tea, chicken and salad, and a sermon from the Rev. Raleigh Johnson of Galilee Baptist Church Ministry. Many in attendance were the same ones who donate to the church.
In the past year, outside congregations have donated two air conditioning window units, a table for offerings and U.S. and Christian flags for the church, said Rev. Thomas Pleasant, 85, who has served Mount Moriah since 1992. Even despite the aging members' contributions, he said, it is the outside support that has paid for upkeep.
In fact, donations paid for the repairs when the church was vandalized in 2004, causing about $50,000 in damage. And shortly after its 150th anniversary last year, a woman from Las Vegas broke into the fellowship hall and was taken out by police after a two-hour standoff.
Pleasant's attitude shows the resilience of the church, which has roots in the Bible classes Charles Cocke taught to 20 slaves. Cocke was president of what became Hollins University.
In times of hardship, people have asked Pleasant why he hasn't closed the church, especially when it has been violated.
"I tell them, 'This is God's house, not mine. I'm just a servant,' " Pleasant said. "He can take care of anything. After all these years, we cannot lose our stride."
The joyfulness and resilience of its members are what have kept it together. And for an idea of how loving members are, just listen to Louise Witt, the church's clerk, talking to a stranger recently.
"Before our visitors leave we show them how we do at Mount Moriah, and we give them a hug," Witt said. "You're going to get one before you leave."
Minutes later, she held the visitor in a warm embrace.
Mount Moriah church can be contacted at P.O. Box 181, Vinton, VA 24179 or 342-3935.
