This weekend, the church where Paul and I met some 40 plus years ago and where our family has called “our “church home for most of these years, will celebrate its 70th anniversary. As I reflected on this milestone in the history of our church, my heart has felt a twinge or two, three, four,….. My memories have flooded over me in recent weeks each time I heard an announcement or saw a reference to this occasion…
One of my first memories of Forest Hills Baptist Church was walking into the huge and light filled sanctuary. Just that physical environment reinforced the message from the scriptures of “Jesus is the light of the world”. I arrived into Raleigh from a very small town in North Carolina and had grown up in a “mission” church from “the” First Baptist one there. Our facility did not have the grandeur of Forest Hills, but it met and nurtured me through the early years of my faithwalk.
My second memory of Forest Hills was the warmth and welcome I received each and every time I entered the sanctuary. I, like so many folks began my relationship at Forest Hills with regular attendance at worship before venturing into Sunday School. It was not long before I made it to the college department Sunday School class and there were often as many in attendance as I would see in worship service in my “home church”. I connected with lots of other college students – from far and wide. And, as I previously mentioned, my first Sunday in Sunday School, I met Paul!!!
Today, after helping our daughter and her husband set up for the celebratory lunch we will enjoy tomorrow, I have felt huge waves of emotion pour over me and through me. Paul and I began our life as a result of the college ministry and later in my life, I had the opportunity to assist our church hostess, Lyla Kloos as she prepared food for those who served during spring break on mission trip. Many other opportunities came through my years but none seemed to give me joy like working and serving with Lyla.
Really, I had the privilege of working with Lyla through a Social committee responsibility long before we began our service together on mission trips. I now know that that was a huge catalyst for me as I sought to be more confident in my heart’s desire of hospitality. Lyla could and would take the simplest of items and create the most beautiful floral arrangements/centerpieces – stacking hymm books and draping a tablecloth over them. She could make the “hot dog” suppers so much more than a plain hot dogs – toppings and sides always enhanced a meal! To say that she had a heart for hospitality is putting it mildly…
Our days of serving together on mission trips were experiences to never be forgotten – ranging from the sleeping on the floor in sleeping bags in freezing cold Sunday School classrooms, to indulging each other’s “night noises”, to scheduling who showered first after the students left on their assignments, planning menus – before and adjusting once we were on the trip for whatever had to change – we will never forget the 20 pound cakes that turned into trifles!!!! Not to mention the many hours of riding together on long journeys to Baltimore, Chattanooga, Atlanta, Newport News, …. All while we shared life stories with one another.
Through the many opportunities and privilege to work with Lyla, she truly demonstrated mentoring at the highest level. Lyla’s faithwalk has been a powerful influence in my life; not to mention each one in our family as well as hundreds of college students and youth. We so often will make a reference to how “Ms. Lyla would do it or expect it to be done”. Today, as we were wrapping up the final table set-ups, I felt the lump in my throat, joy in my heart and thankfulness for my dear friend Lyla as she walked me through the true meaning of service. It would have been so nice to have had you sit and direct as you have done so often for us.
Lyla, you set a standard of hospitality for FHBC and it has trickled down. For those of us who were blessed to be a part of your ministry in the course of FHBC’s 70 years, we are most thankful.
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