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Arches 140 lb hot press block paper – 8” x 10” with an acid-free matte to fit a standard frame
I have wondered about this special place every time I drive by on the way to Roper, and I have stopped to take pictures at different times of the day as the tall massive shutters seem to beckon me to turn into the farm path church driveway. This is an old part of Washington County as the date on the historical sign indicates: Rehoboth Church – built in 1853; a simple, stately structure designed in Greek Revival style. There are graves, probably way more than there are headstones and some of them go back to the earliest days of worship at this site. But mostly, a certain aura emanates from the grounds and the impressive cypress and heart pine boards that hold congregation voices from days of the Grand Old South.
A house of worship was an important feature in the earliest days of colonial America as it was the center of social activity from weddings to christenings to funerals. The 1853 date of Rehoboth Church seems rather a late build; Moseley’s 1733 map indicates a cross-bearing structure in this South Shore region close to where this church stands but the specific location is not known today. As the population grew with large land tracts farmed as plantations, the need for a more substantial building to bring people together increased. This stoic meeting house served the public in primitive capacity (without all the modern conveniences) until 1965 when electricity was installed. By 1969, there were only four church-going members and by 1970, Rehoboth Methodist Church had lost its status on the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Churches. We all know the story of older church structures in many rural areas where their original congregation has moved or passed on….. many are up for sale and become private homes, and many are left in the overgrown fields to decay. I was heartened to learn that while Rehoboth was left with few attendees, a group of citizens decided it was worth preserving, successfully applied for National Register for Historic Places standing, and have carried on with special events and services at this location. This world and the universe above are all smiling.
Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A world of optimism and hope. A ‘you can do it’ when things are tough. – Richard M. Devos
Arches 140 lb hot press block paper – 8” x 10” with an acid-free matte to fit a standard frame
I have wondered about this special place every time I drive by on the way to Roper, and I have stopped to take pictures at different times of the day as the tall massive shutters seem to beckon me to turn into the farm path church driveway. This is an old part of Washington County as the date on the historical sign indicates: Rehoboth Church – built in 1853; a simple, stately structure designed in Greek Revival style. There are graves, probably way more than there are headstones and some of them go back to the earliest days of worship at this site. But mostly, a certain aura emanates from the grounds and the impressive cypress and heart pine boards that hold congregation voices from days of the Grand Old South.
A house of worship was an important feature in the earliest days of colonial America as it was the center of social activity from weddings to christenings to funerals. The 1853 date of Rehoboth Church seems rather a late build; Moseley’s 1733 map indicates a cross-bearing structure in this South Shore region close to where this church stands but the specific location is not known today. As the population grew with large land tracts farmed as plantations, the need for a more substantial building to bring people together increased. This stoic meeting house served the public in primitive capacity (without all the modern conveniences) until 1965 when electricity was installed. By 1969, there were only four church-going members and by 1970, Rehoboth Methodist Church had lost its status on the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Churches. We all know the story of older church structures in many rural areas where their original congregation has moved or passed on….. many are up for sale and become private homes, and many are left in the overgrown fields to decay. I was heartened to learn that while Rehoboth was left with few attendees, a group of citizens decided it was worth preserving, successfully applied for National Register for Historic Places standing, and have carried on with special events and services at this location. This world and the universe above are all smiling.
Few things in the world are more powerful than a positive push. A smile. A world of optimism and hope. A ‘you can do it’ when things are tough. – Richard M. Devos