MORE THAN A SEED BARN

As a tribute to Harriet Pollard I intend to post on my blog some memories of Harriet over the next few days. She was an exceptional woman, and she was a blessing to so many of us. I wrote this post last year as we were preparing for LCBC's 50th anniversary. I called Harriet and talked to her about the circumstances by which our church was ultimately founded on this site. Harriet and Helen were both a part of that process...

"It was 50 years or so ago. Harriet Pollard remembers because her son who is now 52, was only about 2 when it happened. Harriet and Helen Seppa Leigh (now in heaven with Jesus) were on a walk. As they passed by the seed barn Helen said, "Can't you just see this as a church?" They went inside and looked around. Helen remarked, "The pulpit would go over here." And so the seed of a thought of a building for the newly formed church was planted.It was just an ordinary seed barn used to store the grass seed that was harvested from the nearby fields. It was dirty and unfinished. It hardly looked like a church! But Helen saw past the externals to what could be and what it would be. How often do we pass by what is "ordinary" without thinking about what could be or what should be? Ordinary lost people are much like seed barns. Dirty, unfinished, not much to look at. Paul said to a group of believers--"Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of God" (1 Corinthians 6:11).It is a good thing that God has looked upon us as Helen looked upon that old seed barn. He looked past what we were to what we could be and what we would be in Christ. He chose us, predestined us, adopted us, redeemed us, forgave us, enlightened us, enriched us, and sealed us--all that we might be holy and blameless before Him (Ephesians 1:1-14)."He took us as we were--dirty and ordinary in sin, and is now transforming us into a holy temple in the Lord (Ephesians 2:21). Thank God for His ability by His grace to transform ordinary lost sinners into saints and true worshippers!

I talked to John Pollard yesterday. He remembers the time after the church moved into the old seed barn. He was only about 5 or so, but every week Harriet would take the boys to church to clean up. They would clean the floors in preparation for the Sunday services. One can only imagine how needful that would have been! It was a duty that Harriet took on with the same faithful determination that was evident in all of the facets of her life.

Pastor Jerry