Sunday, January 23, 2011

Chicken Coop Church






























Today we traveled almost 100 miles away to see a church in a chicken coop. Go ahead, call me crazy and have a good laugh! These pictures document our little Sunday jaunt. My friend gave me this article from the paper and said she thought I might like to post about it. It is in a city we have never been to and didn't know where it was. Well, what better way to try the new GPS for the first time? So off we went. We quickly found out that it was almost an hour and a half away, yikes!! But we decided to go for it, because it was a sunny day and it would be our first day trip to try out the GPS. It worked great. As you can see, it was way back near a woods, we would never have found it on our own. The church is actually in this chicken coop. It has been there for 37 years and is believed to be the nation's longest running gospel sing. It holds about 300 people. Those two trailors may have housed the Sunday Schools. The pastor of the church used to gather eggs there as a child. Sadly, he just passed away, and the building is now closed as a church. This makes me think of Chicken Little. I guess the sky really did fall for these people. At least the coop did. As the sun turned into a big orange ball and sank, we clucked drowsily to each other as we headed home. Well...we did make one more stop, but that's for tomorrow.


"For where two or three come together in my name, there I am with them." Matthew 18:20

39 comments:

DawnTreader said...

You do find the most unusual things. And not that you've got the GPS I guess you'll be finding even more! ;)

Nature Rambles said...

I'd have clucked happily too if I did go and check out a newspaper story...to a place I hadn't been before! Amazing...most unusual story! Can't wait to hear about where you stopped... and what you saw!!!

Ann, Chen Jie Xue ι™ˆζ΄ι›ͺ said...

My dad and uncles built a big chicken coop, about 1/2 a badminton court. When dad transfered to another town, he rented the big house to the govt. the tenants used it as a rehab house. They over crowded the house, and some even went to live in the chicken coop. We didn't believe it, there were so much S**T, but they cleaned it up and lived there.

Ann said...

Well now I've seen everything. A chicken coop church. How sad that the pastor died and the church is closed. I wonder if someone will try and get it going again.
Hooray for the GPS working and getting you there too

SquirrelQueen said...

How cool is that? And they even have their very own giant chicken. Ginny, you and Phil find some to the most interesting places to explore. Glad to hear the GPS got you there and back with no problems.

Anonymous said...

You will enjoy your GPS and this sounds like a great way to use it for the first time. What an interesting place.

LC said...

Hmmmm. . . when my brother-in-law tried out his new GPS, he just drove several blocks. Just goes to show, Ginny and Phil think big, or maybe just really out of the box?

MadSnapper said...

guess what ginny? i lived in a chicken coop from age 3 to age 9. for real. in 1947 mother and daddy were barely making enough to feed us and pay for an apartment and since she was about to have my brother, my uncle had a big chicken coop on his property about 30 feet behind their house. the had money we did not. he and daddy split the chicken coop into 4 rooms with walls, put linoleum on the floors, added a bathroom. we had 2 bedrooms a kithen and lving room. mother wall papered every room in the coop and we moved in. my brother was born and we were happy as clams. no rent to pay enabled daddy who was a meat cutter, to feed the four of us. i would love to have seen and attended this church.

RoeH said...

Well I love chicken coops. In the early part of the 20th century, my parents families went to an old church building in southeastern Idaho. You know the types...all wooden..one room. When they would separate into classes, they would group each age and draw curtains around each group. Then everybody thought they were alone! I can't imagine how noisy that must have been. Years later my dad drove me out to that church that was later abandoned and turned into some farmer's chicken coop. Kind of sad. Memories!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

HI Ginny, Sorry to hear that your pictures are still small. Have you reported it to Blogger? Did you try changing the size of your pictures first??? Sorry!! I know how frustrated you are.

I caught up with your blog posts. Love reading about the Chicken Coop Church --and the fact that your GPS did GREAT.... Be sure to put your home address at one of your favorites --and when you head back home, just tell your GPS to take you HOME. Have you named her yet?????? Ours is Miss Barbeak (for BBQ)... ha... I am sure that Phil 'loves' having another woman hollering at him... RE-CALCULATING!!!!! ha ha

I guess God doesn't care where we worship him. What a neat story.. Hope someone opens the church back up...
Hugs,
Betsy

George said...

This is absolutely fascinating. The Chicken Coop Church was obviously successful if it lasted for 37 years -- it's a shame to have it come to an end. I'm glad your GPS worked well.

Fred Alton said...

It's always sad to me when a church has to close - for whatever reason. The founder and leader made a common mistake...by not raising up someone and passing his vision and burden on so that the work continues. Of course that's a judgment being made without knowing all the facts. ☺ I'll bet Chick-fil-A's cows loved the idea of a "Chicken House" church. ☺☺☺

Karin said...

Very interesting post Ginny! The Body of Christ has had their meetings in most interesting locations - from caves to chicken coops and probably everything in between! Wherever there are believers, there is His church! That's just so cool. Sad that the church closed if it lasted that long. May God raise up a new leader for those brothers and sisters or may they continue meeting with others in that community. Great photos!

Neal said...

Okay... you're crazy. :) :) :) ..... just kidding. That is really interesting.

Stephanie V said...

Great story, Ginny. It's not amazing what faith can do.

Mary Bergfeld said...

I loved this, Ginny. I don't suppose God much cares if our prayers come from a coop or a catherdal, its the prayer that counts. Have a great day. Blessings...Mary

Anonymous said...

Hi Ginny, Wow! I sure can depend on you for variety in blogging. Amazing the resourcefulness of that late Pastor in using an abandoned chicken house as a place for worship and fellowship. So sorry it is now gone. Have a super day!

Bobbie said...

Call me crazy - but when I was a kid we had a chicken coop in our back yard and I loved the smell of that chicken coop. I know... a little strange.

What a neat day trip for you. It's always fun going different places and seeing new things.

Glad you like your new GPS. I've resisted using one for a long time... but now our new phones have one one them and I actually like them. So far.

Doris Sturm said...

Well, I've seen it all! A chicken coop for a church? Only in America!

I'm so glad your GPS is working out for you two, but I will miss your funny getting-lost anecdotes in the questionable parts of town LOL

Ruth Hiebert said...

God can be present even in a chicken coop.It is name one would not easily forget.
Ruth

DawnTreader said...

Ginny... Not sure how you feel about blog awards, but I've just given you one. I've already bent the rules for it, so feel free to do as you want about that :) You will find it here

Remington said...

You come up with some interesting stuff, my friend! Guess it doesn't matter where we gather to hear God's word -- even in a chicken coop....

S. Etole said...

Wonderful chicken and story ...

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

A very interesting place for a church, Ginny! It proves that any place can be a good place to worship.

Also a good way to test your GPS!

Regina said...

Your words add a poetic touch..love the last photo- wow! Aside from the trailers..it isn't uncommon to find structures such as these here..it's a long time too and I guess far and a bit sad too- but very quaint and secluded. Glad you can get out and see such interesting places!

Jenn Erickson said...

I love your adventurous spirit!! I think it's wonderful that you made the roadtrip to visit that very special and unique church. What a shame to hear that the pastor passed away, and with him, his legacy of the chicken coop church. Thank you for sharing your adventure and this now bygone slice of Americana.

Glenda said...

Ginny, this is so interesting! I love your ending . . . "we clucked drowsily . . . ! Seriously, it's true that we can worship anywhere; God doesn't require an ornate, expensive building!

LV said...

Now that is what I all a real interesting reglious experience. They have church almost anywhere now, but this is a first for me in a chicken coop It really does not matter to the good Lord as long as we are worshiping him. The reason I added the phone on my new background,I worked for the telephone company for 40 years.

Together We Save said...

That sounds like an interesting place.

Annie Jeffries said...

Okay. I have just GOT to say it, Ginny. Since I have not read the comments, I don't know if anyone has beaten me to the punch. If someone else has said this than all I can say is "There is someone as weirdly twisted with their humor as I am." Okay. Here goes.

This gives new meaning the the phrase ". . . has flown the coop"!!!

Told you it was BAD. LOL And, I loved talking with you this evening. I'm very glad you didn't get lost.

srp said...

I have never heard of such a thing... but that is a really large chicken. At least you didn't get lost.

Chatty Crone said...

That sounds like a greatplace to see and 'looks' interesting. Glad your GPS works too.
sandie♥

Lady Jane said...

You guys will go a ways for a story, lol... Enjoyed it and I am glad the GPS works, thanks and lots of blessings, L J

Kerrie said...

You two should have been journalist! What fun!

Melanie said...

I have never heard of anything like that before!! You always find the neatest things to post about, Ginny! I'm glad your GPS worked well for you! :)

gemini said...

I love your adventure Ginny, and that Chicken Coop is quite very chic....hahhahha....I enjoyed this new adventure. Take a rest my friend and enjoy dreaming of chicken dreams....hahhaha...Happy WFW too.

Anonymous said...

Great post. I used to be checking continuously this weblog and I am impressed!
Extremely helpful info particularly the closing part
:) I deal with such info much. I used to be looking for this particular
information for a very long time. Thanks and good luck.


My web site: casa rural castilla la mancha

Anonymous said...

off white hoodie outlet
bape
kd 12
bapesta
paul george shoes
off white jordan
supreme clothing
bape hoodie
off white nike
off white clothing

Anonymous said...

kd 15
yeezy 500
yeezy 350 v2
off white jordan
hermes bag
a bathing ape
golden goose usa
fear of god essentials hoodie
nike sb
fear of god

Forsythia!

 The Forsythia are blooming now, and seem to scream joy and sunshine. Here are ones in town. This is our little one in the front yard. This ...