1. About 140 of us first started meeting at various locations--they called us"The Church on the Move"--including the UCA BSU (BCM), Pickles Gap Village (believe it or not), other churches, and a couple of local camps. I was in college, but home for the summer, and I especially loved going out to meet at the camps. I don't know why exactly--I think it was the Laura Ingalls in me.
2. Within a year they had bought 28 acres of land on the west side of town, on the way to Toad Suck--an area that had not had a church plant in 100 years. They started building, and started having "God's Family Reunion" every year on the 4th of July. We used to all buy fireworks and meet at the church for a picnic and homemade ice cream and patriotic singing, and then set them off together. It was so much fun!
3. About 6 years later, I returned to WHBC for a wedding...mine! I went to the wedding of 2 precious college students yesterday, which always makes me reminisce about mine--what a happy, happy time that was! I felt like I was floating all day long. Never stopped smiling. The ladies of the church (and of the church I belonged to previously) had generously showered us with gifts in the months before, many of which I'm still using today. On our wedding day the church was full of friends and family and joy.
4. The next year, Mike and I packed all our worldly goods in a Ryder trailer and moved to Lewiston, Idaho, as Mission Service Corps volunteers. Did you catch that last word...volunteers? That means our sole income (until I got a job) was money from supporters. In addition to many WHBCers supporting us personally, the church sent us a check every month for the entire four years we were MSC...and beyond. When I told them Mike had been given a paid position, the church said they knew we were in an emerging region, and kept sending us a monthly check for several more years. What a blessing they
5. 7 years after we moved to Idaho, it was Bro. Dave, who has been pastor of WHBC for 24 years, and the members of my parents Sunday School class, who went to the hospital when the ambulance took my dad there. It was Alan Moore, who was the music minister, who called my oldest brother to tell him my dad didn't make it. It was Dick and Janie Longing, faithful members and friends, who picked Mike and me and Jessica and Mikayla up at the Little Rock airport, driving us by the high school to see the marquee in front honoring my dad, and then to my mom's house--which was full of church family as well as family family. Jesus carried us through that time, but He used their physical arms to feed us and entertain my small children and hug us and meet so many needs. He used their physical arms to take care of my mom after we had to return to Idaho, which made it easier for me, knowing she was taken care of. I will never forget that.
6. 5 years after that, Mike and I packed up and moved back to Arkansas--with no job and no place to live! So we moved in with my mom for a few months, and David James offered Mike an interim position in Little Rock, and Tommy Thompson, my Mom's Sunday School teacher, offered him a painting job, so we were able to get a house and live in Conway for a year--the longest time I was ever an actual member of the church! We got to join Richard Henley's Sunday School class--he's my BFF Amanda's husband, and it is a GREAT class!!! Good teaching, good class discussions, and lots of laughter. [Side note: Amanda and I have one of those friendships that can always pick up right where we left off, no matter what. When WHBC started, part of the reason was because my Dad had a burden for a church in that part of town and had been asking about it for several years. But it was motivated, unfortunately, by a split from another church in Conway. It was sad and painful and upsetting, and while my family left and helped start Woodland Heights, Amanda's family--my second family--stayed. We never really talked about it, and it didn't affect our friendship, but few people went through that without getting hurt. So another reason today was so special, and my time that one year in Conway was so special, was that Amanda and her family (and several others from our other church) had joined WHBC and become active members there. When I looked at the hundred of people there this morning, I saw the kind of healing only God can do. He's so good.] Anyway, it was great being in Sunday School together again, and our class Christmas party was a blast!! It started with Mike and I going to the wrong house and almost getting in a family picture (ha!) and progressed to dirty Santa and Amanda's brother Roe telling the story of how "Silent Night" was written...WRONG! We laughed so hard.
7. Another funny thing that Christmas was that Mike was involved with the church's Christmas play as Max, husband to Honoria, who was played by our children's minister, Stacee Roberson. To whom he said "Yes, dear" a lot and gave foot massages. It was hilarious. Stacee showed love to my kids in AWANA and Sunday School and trips to Wild River Country, and I loved her for it. She's in Heaven now--I hope she and Dad got to peek at us at church today.
8. One (or two) very special thing that happened during that year was that Mike was able to baptize both Jessica and Mikayla! It doesn't get any better than that!!
9and10combined because it's getting late and I'm so sleepy. During our year in Conway, I taught at the church's preschool--including Rebecca's class on Fridays--and helped in kids' choir and VBS, and went for the first time to the ladies banquet they hold in the spring. Each table is decorated by a different woman, however she wants, and the most fun, other than walking around talking to everyone, is walking around looking at the different tables. I've been with Mom several times.
I wish I could close on a deeper or more meaningful note, but I'm all meaningfulled out. Suffice it to say, Woodland Heights means the world to me.
