The hand-carved baptismal font and altar in Christ Church Episcopal features local folk art themes . Joshua Castaño
Old Mother Church was built just before we became Graham County . As we approached the 150th anniversary of the county [ in 2022 ], the whole community celebrated this milestone . The attention given to the Old Mother Church project helped make known and renewed the deep sense of history of Graham County and its founding in 1872 .” Storytelling proved essential to forging and deepening community connection for the church . “ One Robbinsville alderman said they never knew the church was older than the county ,” Reece continued . “ The Old Mother Church was the first church , the first school , and the first courthouse in Graham County . We are pictured on the county seal .”
L ocated farther north along the North Carolina Blue Ridge is Crossnore Presbyterian Church , whose leader , Rev . Kathy Campbell , had a similar experience . “ The training from Sacred Places staff helped us understand the importance of our history and the unique story we had to share with our congregation and with the broader community , beginning with Eustace and Mary Martin Sloop , who started an orphanage , school , hospital , weaving room , secondhand store , and who helped organize Crossnore Presbyterian Church .” She also noted how the church ’ s Craftsman-style architecture and art tied the building to the county and the land . “ The walls built from the rock from the Linville River , the American chestnut ceiling and hemlock rafters , the painted sanctuary windows , and the hand-carved white pine cross reveal the irreplaceable mountain folk art in the 100-year-old sanctuary .”
One goal of the program was to help churches engage with the wider community . The lone Tennessee member of the cohort , Christ Church Episcopal in South Pittsburg , had long been committed to community outreach , including cosponsoring the annual Cornbread Festival . The church ’ s pastor , Rev . Kim Hobby , said , “ We have several members participating and leading efforts to celebrate the 150th birthday of South Pittsburg . Our members are involved in researching the history of the town now that we have researched our own church history .”
18 SACRED PLACES • SUMMER 2023